A lot of Ceanothus have been badly affected by the severe winter, many are dead. Scrape a bit of bark off to determine if it is dead.

We've lost ours - winter 08/09 weakened it & the last winter finished it off.

Sorry to be thick but what would I expect to find under the bark? (I am not much of a gardener). It's not looking too good though from what you say. Thanks Wyeboy and Meanie for the responses though.

I'd have expected signs of life somewhere on it by now if it had survived the winter, even just at the base of the trunk somewhere. Peel back the bark at the base - if it looks dead, brown and dry, its dead, if its dampish, whitish green inside, its not dead.

We have gone through quite a few Ceanothus over the years. Wind rock in a gale killed a very large one. Another just went brown and expired. We had to remove one, as it got too large. I cut it back and it didn't like it. If pruned too far back they seem not to like it. We have a replacement survived winter but not too happy. Unfortunately it has a full grown Hawthorn as a neighbour.

Thanks to all. I scraped a bit of bark. Wood was white but a bit dry as compared to a cherry where the underbark was green and wood felt moist. I also notice a main trunk has a big split in it, which would be about half the bush if I chopped off. Looks like time for a new one.