Ceanothus ferrisiae grows erect to a maximum height approaching. The woody parts are reddish in color when new and agegray. The evergreen leaves are oppositely arranged and measure up to long. They are firm, flat, and generally toothed along the edges. The upper surface is hairless and deep green and the underside is paler in color and fuzzy in texture. The inflorescence is a small cluster of white flowers which bloom in the winter. The fruit is a rough, horned capsule just under a centimeter wide.
There are about 6000 individuals remaining in five occurrences. The plant is threatened by loss and degradation of its habitat, which is being cleared for construction and used for dumping. The species also seems to have low recruitment.