This Ceanothus 'Sierra Blue' was one of the first California native shrubs I planted in the yard, about 20 years ago, and one of my favorites. Last year it started looking a little rough, and this spring it simply expired, after its final impressive display of the large sky-blue flowers that were always as popular with the pollinators as they were with me. There was no obvious event or disease that did it in – perhaps simply old age. It always received my benign neglect: no summer water, no fertilizer, limited pruning. Just what is supposed to keep a ceanothus happy. I'll miss it.
