Print Report

A3936 Ceanothus velutinus Shrubland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance consists of shrublands where Ceanothus velutinus is the major dominant. Mature stands have a uniform layer of tall shrubs 1-2 m in height. It occurs on montane slopes in the western U.S., including the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Snowbrush Ceanothus Shrubland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Snowbrush Ceanothus Chaparral

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance consists of stands dominated by Ceanothus velutinus. The vegetation in mature stands is dominated by a uniform layer of tall shrubs 1-2 m in height. There may be a few scattered Amelanchier sp., Artemisia tridentata, Cercocarpus spp., Mahonia repens, Prunus virginiana, Rosa spp., Spiraea betulifolia, and /or Symphoricarpos spp. In California, associated species can include Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos viscida, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus cuneatus, Chrysolepis sempervirens, Holodiscus discolor, Prunus emarginata, Quercus sadleriana, Quercus vacciniifolia, and Symphoricarpos mollis. This alliance occurs throughout the western U.S., including the Black Hills of South Dakota. Typical occurrences are an acre or two in size and are somewhat isolated, as they are usually part of a mosaic of post-burn vegetation types. Sites range from moderate to steep (14-73% slope) and tend to prefer cooler north or east aspects. Parent materials are variable, and soils are well-drained, rocky and generally coarse in texture.

Diagnostic Characteristics: Shrublands dominated by Ceanothus velutinus.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: Ceanothus velutinus grows throughout much of the western U.S., where it is associated with many forest types from South Dakota to the Pacific coast. Stands develop along mountain slopes after disturbances such as fire or logging. The two varieties, the inland var. velutinus with velvety leaves and the coastal, taller var. hookeri, have similar ecologies (Fross and Wilken 2006), so we include both in the alliance. Most of the major habitat typing studies in the western U.S. do not characterize seral types, so it should not be any surprise that this type is poorly described and sampled. The alliance concept remains somewhat tentative and needs review as more data become available. This type is likely to be widespread in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, west into areas of the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin mountains, and the Cascades. Communities of Ceanothus fendleri should probably be included in this group and alliance.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: This alliance consists of stands dominated by Ceanothus velutinus. There may be a few scattered Amelanchier sp., Artemisia tridentata, Cercocarpus spp., Mahonia repens, Prunus virginiana, Rosa spp., Spiraea betulifolia, and /or Symphoricarpos spp. In California, associated species can include Arctostaphylos patula, Arctostaphylos viscida, Ceanothus cordulatus, Ceanothus cuneatus, Chrysolepis sempervirens, Holodiscus discolor, Prunus emarginata, Quercus sadleriana, Quercus vacciniifolia, and Symphoricarpos mollis. A variety of herbaceous species may be present and may occur in the looser "openings" in the shrub layer, but Ceanothus velutinus can form a dense canopy and shade out the ground layer.

Dynamics:  Most stands are known to respond to fire by prolific reseeding, in some cases germinating from soils after many years post-fire. It is considered an early-seral shrubland for this reason. Ceanothus velutinus is a slow-growing shrub; it may take 20 years following fire before the shrub will dominate a stand.
Environmental Description:  Stands of this alliance occur on dry hillsides, often with thin soil.
Geographic Range: This alliances occurs in the western U.S., possibly into Alberta and British Columbia, and is currently known from South Dakota (Black Hills) west to California. It has not been reported from Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, or Utah but probably occurs in those states.

Nations: CA?,US

States/Provinces:  AB?, BC?, CA, CO, SD, WY


Confidence Level: Moderate

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.2 Temperate Grassland & Shrubland Formation F012 2.B.2
Division 2.B.2.Ng Western North American Interior Chaparral Division D061 2.B.2.Ng
Macrogroup 2.B.2.Ng.1 Greenleaf Manzanita - Snowbrush Ceanothus - Huckleberry Oak Montane Chaparral Macrogroup M094 2.B.2.Ng.1
Group 2.B.2.Ng.1.a Greenleaf Manzanita - Pinemat Manzanita - Snowbrush Ceanothus Montane Sclerophyll Scrub Group G282 2.B.2.Ng.1.a
Alliance A3936 Snowbrush Ceanothus Shrubland Alliance A3936 2.B.2.Ng.1.a
Association CEGL002167 Snowbrush Ceanothus Shrubland CEGL002167 2.B.2.Ng.1.a
Association CEGL003144 Snowbrush Ceanothus - Bitter Cherry - Big Sagebrush Shrubland CEGL003144 2.B.2.Ng.1.a
Concept Lineage: includes A.787

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Ceanothus velutinus (Tobacco brush or snow bush chaparral) Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009) [37.210.00]
= Ceanothus velutinus Shrubland Alliance (CNPS 2017) [37.210.00]
>< Mixed Montane Chaparral (#37510) (Holland 1986b)
>< Tobacco Brush Chaparral (#37533) (Holland 1986b)
= Tobacco brush series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
Concept Author(s): M.S. Reid, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.S. Reid

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 12-18-14
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  • Bolsinger, C. L. 1989. Shrubs of California''s chaparral, timberland, and woodland: Area, ownership, and stand characteristics. Research Bulletin PNW-RB-160. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Experiment Station, Portland, OR.
  • CNPS [California Native Plant Society]. 2015-2017. A manual of California vegetation [online]. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://vegetation.cnps.org/].
  • Cheng, S. 2004. Forest Service research natural areas in California. General Technical Paper PSW-GTR-188. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, CA.
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  • Faber-Langendoen, D., and Midwest State Natural Heritage Program Ecologists. 1996. Terrestrial vegetation of the midwest United States. International classification of ecological communities: Terrestrial vegetation of the United States. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.
  • Fross, D., and D. Wilken. 2006. Ceanothus. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 272 pp.
  • Hanes, T. L. 1977. Chaparral. Pages 417-469 in: M. G. Barbour and J. Major, editors. Terrestrial vegetation of California. Wiley-Interscience, reprinted 1988 by the California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., M. Schindel, S. San, P. Moore, and D. Hickson. 2003a. Classification of the vegetation of Yosemite National Park and surrounding environs in Tuolumne, Mariposa, Madera and Mono counties, California. Unpublished report by NatureServe in cooperation with the California Native Plant Society and California Department of Fish and Game, Wildlife and Habitat Data Analysis Branch, Sacramento, CA.
  • Riser, R. J., and M. Fry. 1994. Montane shrubland--SRM 209. Page 18 in: T. N. Shiflet, editor. Rangeland cover types of the United States. Society for Range Management, Denver, CO.
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  • Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
  • Winward, A. H. 1994. Snowbrush--SRM 420. Page 58 in: T. N. Shiflet, editor. Rangeland cover types of the United States. Society for Range Management, Denver, CO.