Ceanothus impressus Ceanothus impressus Ceanothus impressus, with the common name Santa Barbara ceanothus, is a species of flowering shrub. This "Ceanothus" is endemic to the Central Coast of California, where it can be found on coastal slopes and mesas. Other common names are blueblossom ('blueblos') and California lilac, although the plant is not a lilac ("Syringa"). This expansive shrub may exceed three meters-10 feet in height and approach seven m.-28 feet in width. It is thickly branched with dark brown twigs and stem. The evergreen leaves are about 2 centimeters long and oval shaped, highly ridged and wrinkled and curling under along
Flowering Orchards new, now the orchards have almost finished blossoming." Flowering trees represented a source of spiritual renewal for Van Gogh; in 1883 he had written of the symbolism of the flowering tree, seeing the evidence of rebirth like the "man who finally produces something poignant as the blossom of a hard, difficult life, is a wonder, like the black hawthorn, or better still the gnarled old apple tree which at certain moments bears blossoms which are among the most delicate and virginal things under the sun." In 1888 Van Gogh became inspired in southern France and began the most productive period