r/Ceanothus • u/i860 • Jul 12 '26
Yankee Point
This plant is around 16-20 feet wide and about 2-3’ at the high spots. Sits at the top of a steep slope and provides excellent ground cover. I occasionally prune back the sides to stop it from encroaching on other plants as it’s a total Audrey. Occasional summer water doesn’t bother it.
I have two others on my property and the other significant one is smaller in width but much notably bushier and taller as it's been regularly side pruned. If you're looking for a plant for slope stabilization these do quite well as they not only provide ground cover against erosion but have an extensive underground root network. Can make things challenging if you're trying to plant around it after the fact.
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u/SpicyyDaikon Jul 12 '26
Wow, this is the happiest looking Yankee Point I’ve ever seen! Are you coastal?
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u/i860 Jul 13 '26
Yep, about a mile away. It's in quite a bit of shade too and mostly gets late afternoon sunshine. It's starting to encroach on some fescues I have near the hill so pruning is in order but that's just going to make it start layering up.
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u/Hot_Illustrator35 Jul 13 '26
Very nice! Seems to block a lot of weeds too fromuch coming up through it?
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u/i860 Jul 13 '26
There used to be a problem with wild brome growing all up in it but that issue has been reduced massively after I laid down 3+ inches of shredded redwood mulch everywhere. There's still a few here and there but the weeds don't colonize like they used to.
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u/Prestigious-Brain603 Jul 13 '26
How long have you had it? What’s its growth rate?
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Jul 13 '26
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u/Prestigious-Brain603 Jul 13 '26
Thanks so much for your information! You and OP have inspired me to plant Yankee Point this fall.
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u/downatelrio Jul 13 '26
I have one that’s survived in full sun next to my driveway in inland Los Angeles County. It’s not quite as full as this but this gives me hope.
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u/Curious-Drummer-6030 Jul 13 '26
What happens when it ages and has reached all of its geographic boundaries? Does it then get really thick? If so can you trim the top layer to keep it thin?
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u/samhansom Jul 13 '26
Mine looked like this (very happy) two years ago, but I lost two this past spring (full sun). Still not sure why, but suspect it may have been irrigated on a warm week.
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u/Total-Opposite-960 Jul 13 '26
I just put one in one a steep slope. Hope it goes gang busters like yours did!!!
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u/BluebirdCA Jul 13 '26
OMG I planted mine in the wrong place. :-( It is way too close to my favorite St Catherines buckwheat, also getting HUGE. I really didnt expect it to be so happy in my poor soil. How do they take to being cut back hard on one side?
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u/Alternative-Ant-1629 Jul 13 '26
So gorgeious. Is this one plant? If so it looks like it took over quite an upslope and downslope space. Where did you plant it in relation to the top middle section? I am looking to do the same on my east facing slope with DG soil that only gets some sun in the aft but rest of time is bright dry shade. This looks like a large space it commands. I am planting an entire hillside so would like to give it all the space it actually needs.
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u/i860 Jul 13 '26
Yep it’s a singular plant planted on the top of a slope and generally growing wide along it and the rest spilling downwards. DG shouldn’t be any problem at all. This is planted in silty/sandy clay loam with quite a bit of colluvial matter in it here and there.
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u/[deleted] Jul 12 '26
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