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Ceanothus herbaceus

Raf.

Prairie Redroot

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.155450
Element CodePDRHA040K0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRhamnales
FamilyRhamnaceae
GenusCeanothus
Synonyms
Ceanothus ovatusauct. non Desf.
Other Common Names
Céanothe à feuilles étroites (FR) Jersey tea (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Called Ceanothus ovatus in most older floras; see Voss for discussion of correct name.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-07-10
Change Date1984-02-29
Edition Date2025-07-10
Edition AuthorsJohnson, J. (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Ceanothus herbaceus is a small shrub that is found from northern Mexico, through the central and eastern United States, to southern Canada. With a broad range, large number of occurrences, and tolerance of moderate disturbance, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Ceanothus herbaceus is found from northern Mexico, through the central United States in the Great Plains from Texas and Louisiana, north to Wyoming and Iowa, and in the Great Lakes region from Minnesota to New York, extending into Vermont and scattered in the Appalachians south to Tennessee, and in Canada from southern Manitoba to southern Quebec (FNA 2016, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 900 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Land-use conversion and habitat fragmentation are moderate threats to this species (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002). Some occurrences experience problematic levels of deer browsing and impacts from roadside maintenance, including mowing and herbicide treatment (NatureServe 2025).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Prairie redroot is a highly branched shrub with stems up to 1 m high. The alternate, lance-shaped to narrowly elliptic leaves are 2-6 cm long and have serrated edges; they are glabrous on top but hairy beneath. Numerous white flowers are born in congested, rounded inflorescences that terminate the growing branches. Each flower is ca. 2-3 mm high with 5 calyx lobes and 5 petals that have a linear basal portion and a hood-shaped blade. There are 5 stamens and a 3-lobed ovary. The fruit is a glossy, brown, 3-lobed, globose capsule that is 3-5 mm wide.

Diagnostic Characteristics

The combination of simple alternate leaves, hood-shaped petals, and 3-lobed fruit help identify this as CEANOTHUS. C. HERBACEUS can be distinguished from other members of the genus by its narrower leaves, which are less than 2 cm wide and not shiny on the upper surface. A hand lens may be necessary for positive determination.

Habitat

Ceanothus herbaceus grows on "open rocky areas or on sandy soils, slopes and bluffs in shrublands, prairies, and forests" (FNA 2016).

Ecology

This species is known to persist in mowed roadsides and areas that are repeatedly burned, though this disturbance may reduce reproduction in the same year (NatureServe 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
LouisianaS1Yes
South DakotaSNRYes
MontanaSHYes
TexasSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
IllinoisS2Yes
MissouriSNRYes
VermontS1Yes
ColoradoS3Yes
KentuckyS1Yes
OhioS1Yes
New YorkS1Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
IndianaS1Yes
District of ColumbiaS1Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
West VirginiaSHYes
WisconsinSNRYes
KansasS4Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
IowaS4Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
WyomingS1Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS3Yes
OntarioS4Yes
ManitobaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownModerate (short-term)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver ParkBlack Hills National Forest5,010
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2016. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 12. Magnoliophyta: Vitaceae to Garryaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 603 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  7. Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).