Pt. Reyes Ceanothus is easily the most widely planted Ceanothus ground cover, and for good reason! This beautiful evergreen is as tough as they come, excels in hot dry situations, on slopes, and delights the bees when the plant gets absolutely covered in violet blue flowers each March. Stems root as they touch the ground making it a valuable erosion control ground cover. And it fixes nitrogen too! Perfect for the parking strip.

A very useful and beautiful genus of shrubs native to the West Coast, mostly in the California and Southern Oregon Coast Range, Ceanothus boast evergreen foliage, gorgeous purple to blue, sometimes white, flowers and can tolerate the worst soil conditions so long as they are well draining. As nitrogen fixing shrubs they also fix nitrogen in the soil and are excellent companion plants for other woody plants.

Latin Name: Ceanothus gloriosus ‘Pt. Reyes’
Site and Soil: Well draining unamended soils in full sun
Hardiness: Hardy to about 0 F.
Size at Maturity: 1-2′ high by about 3-4′ wide
Bloom Time: Late winter into spring
Pests & Diseases: None that we have observed
USDA Zone: 7

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Originally from the Russian Far East, Red Gem Goumi was brought to the Main Botanic Garden in Kiev, Ukraine. It is valued for its productivity and high quality, very flavorful fruit.

Native to the Russian Far East, China and Japan, Goumi is a very popular fruit in these regions and is now widely planted in many European and American gardens. Goumi forms a medium size shrub growing to 6 ft in height with attractive, silvery green foliage. It’s white flowers bloom in the middle to the end of May and are very fragrant and loved by bees making it a fantastic pollinator. The juicy, scarlet-red fruit is speckled with silver and ripens in July. Aromatic with a flavor reminiscent of pie cherries, it is very good eaten fresh and also makes tasty preserves.

As with other species in the genus Elaeagnus, E. multiflora plants are actinorhizal, growing in symbiosis with the actinobacterium Frankia in the soil. These bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen, making it available in usable form for the host plant, and indirectly for other nearby plants. This feature allows the plant to grow in poorer soils than it could otherwise.

Goumi likes full to half day sun, well drained soil and usually begins bearing the 2nd year after planting. It is hardy to minus 25 degrees F., USDA Zone 4, and is pest and disease resistant. While Goumi is partially self-fertile, planting two varieties will produce crops.

Latin Name: Elaeagnus multiflora
Site and Soil: Goumi likes full to 1/2 day sun and well-drained soil.
Pollination Requirements: Partially self-fertile. Plant Red Gem Goumi  with Sweet Scarlet Goumi for cross-pollination and heavier crops.
Hardiness: Hardy to minus 25° F
Bearing Age: 2-3 years after planting
Size at Maturity: 5-6 ft.
Taste: Flavorful, sweet-tart, juicy
Fruit Skin: Red speckled with silver
Flower Color: White
Bloom Time: May
Ripening Time: July
Yield: 10-15 lbs.
Pests & Diseases: Goumi is not bothered by pests or diseases.
USDA Zone: 4-8

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Selected at the Main Botanic Garden in Kiev, Ukraine, Sweet Scarlet Goumi is prized for its large, sweet, and tasty fruit.

Native to the Russian Far East, China and Japan, Goumi is a very popular fruit in these regions and is now widely planted in many European and American gardens. Goumi forms a medium size shrub growing to 6 ft in height with attractive, silvery green foliage. It’s white flowers bloom in the middle to the end of May and are very fragrant and loved by bees making it a fantastic pollinator. The juicy, scarlet-red fruit is speckled with silver and ripens in July. Aromatic with a flavor reminiscent of pie cherries, it is very good eaten fresh and also makes tasty preserves.

As with other species in the genus Elaeagnus, E. multiflora plants are actinorhizal, growing in symbiosis with the actinobacterium Frankia in the soil. These bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen, making it available in usable form for the host plant, and indirectly for other nearby plants. This feature allows the plant to grow in poorer soils than it could otherwise.

Goumi likes full to half day sun, well drained soil and usually begins bearing the 2nd year after planting. It is hardy to minus 25 degrees F., USDA Zone 4, and is pest and disease resistant. While Goumi is partially self-fertile, planting two varieties will produce crops.

Latin Name: Elaeagnus multiflora
Site and Soil: Sweet Scarlet Goumi likes full to 1/2 day sun and well-drained soil.
Pollination Requirements: Partially self-fertile. Plant Sweet Scarlet Goumi with Red Gem Goumi  for cross-pollination and heavier crops.
Hardiness: Hardy to minus 25° F.
Bearing Age: 2-3 years after planting
Size at Maturity: 5-6 ft. in height
Taste: Sweet
Fruit Skin: Red, speckled with silver
Fruit Size: Large
Bloom Time: May
Ripening Time: July
Yield: 10-15 lbs.
Pests & Diseases: Goumi is not bothered by pests or diseases.
USDA Zone: 4-8

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