Taxon Report

Ceanothus roderickii Knight

Pine Hill ceanothus

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Ceanothus roderickii, commonly known as Pine Hill ceanothus, is a perennial evergreen shrub in the Rhamnaceae that is found only in California. It occurs within Chaparral, and Cismontane woodland, growing at elevations from 245 to 1090 meters. Ceanothus roderickii is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Ceanothus roderickii Knight
Common Name:	Pine Hill ceanothus
Family:	Rhamnaceae
Element Code:	PDRHA04190
USDA Plants Symbol:	CERO4
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial evergreen shrub
Blooming Period: Apr-Jun	Apr-Jun
Elevation:	245-1090 (805-3575)
General Habitats:	Chaparral, Cismontane woodland
Microhabitat:	Gabbroic (sometimes), Serpentine (sometimes)
Microhabitat Details:	nutrient-deficient forms of gabbro-derived soils characterized by low concentrations of available K, P, S, Fe, and Zn

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	1B.1
Global Rank:	G1
State Rank:	S1
State List:	CR
Fed List:	FE
Other Status:	SB_CalBG/RSABG; SB_SBBG
CRPR Changes:	changed from 1B.2 to 1B.1 on 2014-01-30

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	9
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	1
Good (B)	2
Fair (C)	2
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	4

Location


California Endemic: True
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
El Dorado (ELD)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Clarksville (3812161), Pilot Hill (3812171), Shingle Springs (3812068)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	9
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	6	67 %
Development	6	66%
Road/trail construction/maint.	4	44%
Erosion/runoff	3	33%
Non-native plant impacts	3	33%
ORV activity	2	22%
Vandalism/dumping/litter	2	22%
Wood cutting or brush clearing	1	11%
Recreational use (non-ORV)	1	11%
Improper burning regime	1	11%

Notes




Threats:
Threatened by residential development, road widening, vehicles, illegal dumping, and alteration of fire regimes. Possibly threatened by herbivores and non-native plants.
Taxonomy:
See Four Seasons 2(4):23-24 (1968) for original description.

Selected References

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 15 November 2025].