The Yankee Point California Lilac, otherwise known as the Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ is a pretty well known shrub plant by gardening enthusiasts around the world.
Best known for its average maintenance and fast growth, this shrub will likely liven up your house (or garden) with its dark green colored leaves. But, only if you learn how to take proper care of it for it to thrive.
Fortunately, taking care of your Yankee Point California Lilac is not too difficult – as long as you follow our guidelines in this Yankee Point California Lilac Care Guide. Now let’s get started.
In order to take proper care of your Yankee Point California Lilac you’ll need to keep in mind the following guidelines:
- Water: The Yankee Point California Lilac requires you to reduce watering once it is established.
- Light: Keep your Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ in an environment where it can receive full sun on a daily basis.
- Soil: Make sure to keep the Yankee Point California Lilac in soil with moist but well-draining to well-draining properties, so ideally, one that is made of sand, loam, and clay.
And as with many other plants, these are the only three care factors you need to remember to make sure your Yankee Point California Lilac is, for the most part, healthy and well to survive.
Description and Botanical Aspects
In botanical terms, the Yankee Point California Lilac belongs to the Rhamnaceae family, and the genus Ceanothus, hence its scientific (or botanical) name Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ (see-an-OH-thus GREE-see-us hor-i-zon-TA-lis).
As with other Ceanothus’s, the Yankee Point California Lilac is an evergreen plant, which means it will be present year round in your garden.
| Name | Yankee Point (Ceanothus Griseus) |
| Watering | Approx. once or twice per month |
| Light | Full sun |
| US hardiness zones | 8 – 10 |
| Soil | Well-draining properties |
Growing Region
The Yankee Point California Lilac is a plant native to the North American hybrid.
As a rule of thumb, we recommend to always keep in mind your plants’ native region and environment, since these are the conditions that your Yankee Point California Lilac is most accustomed to, thus where it can most favorably.
With this in mind, the Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ will be most used to the heat zones in the 8 – 10 region, as the plant hardiness level falls between 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a and the ideal climate zone is between 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.
Growth and Size
In terms of size and growth, the Yankee Point California Lilac is a relatively fast grower, which makes things tricky for any plant enthusiast.
But, what size of Yankee Point California Lilac are we talking about? What can you expect in terms of height, spread and spacing? Let’s dig in…
How tall does Yankee Point ceanothus grow?
The Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ can grow up to 4′ – 6′ (120cm – 180cm) tall and 4′ – 6′ (120cm – 180cm) wide.
These dimensions make the Yankee Point California Lilac a relatively large shrub compared to others, so it’s best to keep this fact in mind since it will affect where you want to keep yours at home.
Also, expect it to grow in a wonderful spreading shape, which is something worthwhile to remember when making your garden landscape plans.
This is why experts recommend keeping an area of approximately 60″ (150cm) free so the Yankee Point California Lilac can spread to its best extent.
Water
In terms of watering, the Yankee Point California Lilac is a fairly complicated plant to take care of.
This is mostly because it has a not so straightforward watering schedule and somewhat irregular watering needs.
Specifically, most experts agree that the Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ requires you to reduce watering once it is established.
Which is why it is considered a plant with relatively average needs in terms of water.
Watering
As a rule of thumb, you should remember to keep your Yankee Point California Lilac in soil with moist but well-draining to well draining characteristics, as these will guarantee the right conditions for your plant to grow and thrive.
When you consider this, this is why you should aim to choose soil that has good drainage, and occasionally dry properties to keep the right moisture levels at all times.
But, if you want a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution to watering your Yankee Point California Lilac then you should consider the famous ‘finger’ test. To perform this test, you just need to put your finger in your plant’s soil and determine if it’s moist or not. If it is, then don’t water; if it isn’t, then please do. In any case, this test will allow you to know if your Yankee Point California Lilac needs or does not need water, every time.
Soil Mix
As mentioned earlier, the Yankee Point California Lilac prefers to have soil with good drainage, and occasionally dry properties at all times, reason why you need to make the soil mix out of sand, loam, and clay.
This is why most experts agree that the Yankee Point California Lilac requires soil with loam (silt), sand, and shallow rocky, which will give you the right conditions it needs.
In addition to this, expert gardeners recommend having preferably neutral to alkaline soil.
Light and Exposure
In terms of light & exposure, the Yankee Point California Lilac requires full sun in order for it to thrive under the right conditions.
Most experts agree that this shrub will do well as long as you keep it in full sun, and it will be able to grow properly.
Specifically, we recommend that you place your Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ in little to partial shade (only 2-6 hours of direct sunlight a day), to full and direct sun (more 6 hours of direct sunlight per day).
Season
Being an evergreen plant, the Yankee Point California Lilac will be present year round in your garden.
But, you can expect it to have its ‘prime-time’ during the summer (early, mid, late), and during the fall.
Flowers
You can expect your Yankee Point California Lilac to flower around the spring and in the summer months from April to June (spring), and from July to September (summer).
In particular, this shrub is well known for its long bloom season and showy flowers around the plant enthusiast community.
The Yankee Point California Lilac produces some beautiful blue, or pink and purple/lavender flowers around this time of year.
Foliage
The leaves from the Yankee Point California Lilac have a beautiful dark green color during most of the year.
In particular, they have a simple arrangement with a alternate organization in its leaves.
You can expect the leaves from your Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ to be around (1-3 inches) in size.
Attracts, Tolerance and Resistance
The Yankee Point California Lilac is well known for being able to attract butterflies, birds and hummingbirds, so keep that in mind when choosing your plant, as you’ll likely end up finding one or another in your garden.
Additionally, it has a special tolerance for drought and animals like rabbit and deer, so don’t worry if any of these come along, your Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ will be fine.
Garden
How should you then organize your garden to include your new Yankee Point California Lilac? Here are some recommendations by expert gardeners.
Most Ceanothus Griseus Var. Horizontalis ‘Yankee Point’ owners agree that this shrub will look great in most mediterranean, cottage and rustic gardens of all types.
Other owners consider that they complement well most gardens of informal and cottage, and in mediterranean garden styles.
In particular, the Yankee Point California Lilac’s best location within your garden is in small gardens, beds and borders, and in wall-side borders, others use it for landscaping in a erosion control, border, mass planting, coastal exposure, ground cover, or a rock garden.
Companion Plants
Yankee Point California Lilac’s do well with some other plants beside it. One good companion plant is the Lagerstroemia, which will pair up nicely with your leafy friend.
Others consider that a nice Rhaphiolepis will work well too, so choose whichever you find works best for you!
Conclusion
Even though we covered a lot of care information for your Yankee Point California Lilac, remember the basics: sunlight, soil and water, as these should be enough to grow a healthy plant at home.
Related Questions
How fast does Ceanothus Yankee Point grow?
Ceanothus Yankee Point is a fast-growing variety that typically reaches a height of 10 feet within three years. It is prized for its rapid growth and for the beautiful blue flowers that it produces in late spring.
Is Ceanothus Yankee Point A climber?
Yes, Ceanothus Yankee Point is indeed a climber. This fast-spreading evergreen shrub can quickly cover fences, trellises, and other structural supports. Possible uses in the landscape include providing screening or privacy, stabilizing slopes, or softening the hard lines of concrete walls and patios. An interesting feature of Ceanothus is that it is frost resistant, so it can be planted in colder areas where other plants might struggle to survive.
Is California Lilac Yankee Point evergreen?
Yes, California Lilac Yankee Point is evergreen. It is a shrub that can grow to be about six feet tall and wide. It has dark green leaves and produces blue flowers in the springtime.
Can you cut Ceanothus back hard?
Yes, Ceanothus can tolerate hard pruning. If you want to keep your Ceanothus looking neat and tidy, then you can cut it back quite hard. This will encourage new growth, which will make your plant look fuller and healthier. Just be sure to prune in early spring before the plant begins to put on new growth.
Why do Ceanothus leaves turn yellow?
It’s most likely an issue with watering – either overwatering or underwatering. Ceanothus are drought tolerant plants, but they still need some water to stay healthy. If you’re not sure how much water your plant needs, try this test: take the pot off the soil and see if it’s wet. If it is, your plant doesn’t need any more water; if it’s dry, give it a good soak until water starts running out of the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot.
Yellow leaves can also be a sign of nitrogen deficiency, so make sure to fertilize your plant with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) every 2-3 months.
What is the lifespan of a Ceanothus?
The lifespan of a Ceanothus can vary depending on the species and where it is growing. In general, these plants have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. However, if the plant is growing in ideal conditions (plenty of sun, good drainage, etc.), it could live up to 20 years or more. On the other hand, if the plant is growing in poor conditions, it may only last 5 years or less. Ultimately, it is important to give your Ceanothus the best possible growing conditions to maximize its lifespan.
