Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) Login         


        Description
  • CA Bloom Jun - Aug
  • This evergreen shrub (or small tree) grows to 15 feet or more.
  • Leaves are about 3 inches long, shiny dark green above and paler below.
  • Bright red berries (pomes) appear Nov - Feb
  • Toyon is found along the coast and the western Sierra foothills, in chaparral and mixed oak woodlands. It is drought tolerant.
  • CA native
  • AKA Christmas Berry
  • Rose Family (Rosaceae)



Shiny, dark-green, toothed leaves and large clusters of red berries make this plant easy to spot.



White 5-petaled flowers cluster at the end of branches in summer.


Flowers turn into orange and red berries, which stay on the plant well into winter.

   Photo Gallery (74 ) click any picture to enlarge
    

"Toyon" was adopted into Spanish based on Indigenous plant names. Another common name is Christmas Berry. Thousands of bright red berries can ...
Here's a classic Toyon look — lots of stiff, toothed leaves and lots of small, white, 5-petaled flowers.
Leaves are [[alternate]], dark green, shiny, and sharply toothed. Stems are reddish brown, providing a nice contrast.
Leaves are paler underneath. Notice the many lateral veins that branch out from the mid vein, often ending in a tooth at the margin.
Bark is grey, starting smooth and developing shallow ridges with age.
Branches and twigs are covered in fine, short hairs.