Ceanothus Fendleri, Fendler's Ceanothus

Ceanothus fendleri occurs most extensively in the Four Corners states, in mountainous locations at medium to high elevations. Plants are shrubs, with rigid, thorn-tipped branches, densely covered by short white hairs. Branches are round in cross-section. The evergreen leaves are crossed by three prominent parallel veins, and are attached by very short stalks. Upper leaf surfaces are dark green and shiny, while lower surfaces are paler, and densely woolly-hairy. Leaf margins may have a few tiny teeth towards the tip, but are usually untoothed.

The white or pale pink flowers are arranged in elongated clusters, from the tip of the branches and from the upper leaf nodes; they have a slender nectary tube at the base, a broad hypanthium, five small sepals, five spatulate petals and six stamens, toped by yellow-brown anthers. All flowers in a cluster tend to bloom at the same time.