Toyon is a beautiful perennial shrub native throughout the western part of California and the Sierra foothills. It is a prominent component of the coastal sage scrub plant community, and is a part of drought-adapted chaparral and mixed oak woodland habitats. It is also known by the common names Christmas berry and California Holly from the bright red berries it produces. The city of Hollywood was name for this plant.
It often grows to about 8 feet tall, but there are some spectacular specimens in the Los Padres National Forest that are over 30 feet tall. Its leaves are evergreen, alternate, sharply toothed, and are 5 cm in length and 2 cm wide. In the early summer it produces small white flowers 6 mm diameter in dense bunches, The five petals are rounded. The fruit is small, bright red and berry-like, produced in large quantities, maturing in the fall and persisting well into the winter. The flowers are visited by butterflies and other insects, and have a mild, hawthorn-like scent. The berries are consumed by birds, including mockingbirds, American robins, and cedar waxwings. Mammals including coyotes and bears also eat and disperse the berries.
Toyon berries are acidic and astringent, and contain a small amount of cyanogenic glycosides, which break down into hydrocyanic acid on digestion. This is removed by mild cooking. Raw berries are mealy, astringent and acid, though were eaten fresh, or mashed into water to make a beverage by Native Americans.
Toyon are beautiful plants and easy to grow. If properly situated, they can grow very quickly, up to 10 feet in three years. They like sun or part shade, though they tend to do better in part shade in the southern, drier part of their geographic range. They can handle a wide variety of soils, including clay, sand and serpentine, but need more moisture than most chaparral shrubs. They do well near seasonal creeks, seeps, bottom of slopes, or near irrigated areas. These plants tolerate a fair amount of summer water, up to 1x per week if the drainage is good. Toyon can be planted near houses since they are fire retardant when given enough moisture. They are an excellent hedge plant.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 2x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to -5° F
Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils. Tolerates Serpentine Soil. Soil PH: 5.0 – 8.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens
Companion Plants: Lemonadeberry (Rhus integrifolia), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos species), Ceanothus species, Milkweed (Asclepias species), Giant Wild Rye (Elymus condensatus), Sand Aster (Corethrogyne filaginifolia), Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Monkeyflower (Mimulus species), Encelia californica, Buckwheat (Eriogonum species), Heartleaf Keckiella (Keckiella cordifolia), Penstemon species, Salvia species, Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum).
Maintenance: Susceptible to fireblight
Sunset Zones: 5, 7*, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Natural Setting:
Site Type: Toyon is a common plant in chaparral and is found along creeksides, bottoms of slopes, north facing slopes, and canyons
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 7.0″ – 128”
Flowering Currant or Red-flowering Currant is a species in the Grossulariaceae (Currants and Gooseberries) family that is native to western coastal North America from central British Columbia south to central California. It is a deciduous shrub growing up to 13 feet tall. The bark is dark brownish-grey and the leaves are 1-3 inches long and broad. When young in spring, they have a strong resinous scent. The flowers are produced in early spring at the same time as the leaves emerge, on racemes of 5-30 flowers; each flower is 5-10 millimeters in diameter, with five red or pink petals. The fruit is a dark purple oval berry 1 centimeter long, edible but with an insipid taste, best left for the birds. Near the coast it is flexible as to water and exposure. Inland it prefers more water and shade.
Landscaping Information: Sun: Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 3x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 5° F
Soil Drainage: Medium
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils. Soil PH: 5.5 – 7.0
Common uses: Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion Plants: Trees: Maples (Acer sp.), Alders (Alnus sp.), Giant Chinquapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla), Ash (Fraxinus sp.), Coast Silktassel (Garry elliptica), Pines (Pinus sp.), Cottonwood (Populus sp.), Oaks (Quercus sp.), and Bay Laurel (Umbellularia californica)
Shrubs: Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.), Ceanothus sp., Dogwood (Cornus sp.), Coffeeberry (Frangula sp.), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), and Snowberry (Symphoricarpos sp.)
Natural Setting: Site Type: Found along the coast and in the Coast Ranges, often on north facing slopes. It occurs in several habitats including chaparral, forest and woodland.
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 2.7″ – 154.7″
About Mound San Bruno Coffeeberry, Frangula californica ‘Mound San Bruno’
Rhamnus californica ‘Mound San Bruno’ (San Bruno Coffeeberry) – A very nice selection of the California native Coffeeberry. This evergreen shrub is more compact than the species, and can typically be found growing to 4-6 feet tall and twice as wide as it is tall with leaves that about half the size typical of the species. Originally thought to make a small mound to only 3 feet tall however the largest plant that we know of has grown to 6 feet tall and is nearly 14 feet wide and we have been told of plants reaching 8 feet tall. The greenish-white flowers are inconspicuous but they do produce many dark red, almost black, berries. Grows in full sun or light shade. Drought tolerant once established. Cold hardy to 5° F and possibly a bit colder. A hardy fast growing shrub that can grow in most soils, but does best in a sandy soil – more of a challenge in heavier soils and away from the coast. This selection was made by Roger Raiche from plants growing on San Bruno Mountain.
Landscaping Information: Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15° F
Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow
Soil Description: Tolerates a wide variety of soils. Soil PH: 5.0 – 8.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion Plants: Because the species is found in various habitats throughout the state and is tolerant of garden conditions, it can be combined with a wide variety of trees and shrubs.
Maintenance: Takes pruning well. Upright forms may be pruned to form a hedge.
About Coffeeberry (Frangula californica)
The California Buckthorn is also called coffeeberry because its berries contain seeds which look like coffee beans. It is a fairly common plant native to California and southwestern Oregon. It is a dense evergreen shrub growing to 6-15 feet tall, with dark red branches. The leaves are an attractive dark green with reddish tint, 1-3 inches long, with a curl under at the edges. The flowers are inconspicuous, small and greenish-white with five petals; they are produced in clusters of 5-60 together. The plant is prized more for its fruit, a berry 10-15 millimeters in diameter, which turn red, then purple and finally black over the summer. It is valued by birds. This plant is beautiful and easy to grow. It tolerates a wide variety of soil types, and likes either full sun or part shade. It is moderately garden tolerant, and is OK with light summer water up to 2x per month. Coffeeberry has a dense form and is easy to prune. It makes a great and fire resistant hedge. There are six subspecies, some of which are restricted to certain parts of its range or certain growing requirements. There are also a number of horticultural varieties including ‘Eve Case’ (this plant) and ‘Mound San Bruno’. Check for the one that best fits your locations and conditions.
Epilobium canum is a beautiful species of willowherb, native to the California foothills and coastal areas. It is a perennial plant, notable for the profusion of bright scarlet flowers in summer and autumn – it’s usually the only native California plant in an area flowering at the height of summer. They tend to die back and go dormant in the winter. Other common names include California-fuchsia (from the resemblance of the flowers to those of Fuchsias), Hummingbird Flower, and Hummingbird Trumpet (the flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds). Epilobium canum is often found by seasonal creeks, seeps and spring, particularly in the drier southern part of its range.
California Fuchsia is easy to grow. It does best and will flower most profusely in full sun. In the wetter, northern part of its range or near the coast, this plant will typically require no supplemental water after established. In the drier, hotter, inland southern areas, it will often die without summer water unless planted close to an irrigated or other wet area. You can water it 1x/month without much danger. Plants tend to get straggly after flowering by late fall or early winter. Best to cut them back to the ground as soon as the flowers are spent, and they’ll come back lush and healthy in the spring. Otherwise, they’ll look straggly and unhealthy the next year, and are more likely to die. This plant will readily self-seed, so once you get this species established, it will usually start springing up around your garden. It also spreads by rhizomes. There’s probably no better California native plant for attracting hummingbirds.
Landscaping Information: Sun: Full Sun
Moisture: Very Low, Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy, Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 0° F
Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium, Slow
Soil Description: Tolerates clay and sand. Tolerates Serpentine Soil. Soil PH: 6.0 – 8.0
Common uses: Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Hummingbird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens
Companion Plants: Milkweed (Asclepias species), Giant Wild Rye (Elymus condensatus), Sand Aster (Corethrogyne filaginifolia), Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Monkeyflower (Mimulus species), Encelia californica, Buckwheat (Eriogonum species), Heartleaf Keckiella (Keckiella cordifolia), Penstemon species, Salvia species, Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)
Maintenance: Cut or mow to base in fall or early winter to stimulate for new growth. Unwanted rhizomes can be pulled at any time.
Natural Setting: Site Type: This species is found in a number of natural settings over a large part of the state. Near the coast it is found on slopes, bluffs or canyons as part of chaparral or coastal sage scrub. In more inland areas including the Sierras it is found in slightly damper slopes and flats, often near seasonal creeks, often as part of pine or fir forest.
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 2.7″ – 124.0″
This plant is on several fire resistant plant lists, including FireSafe Marin and County of San Diego.
About Eve Case Coffeeberry, Frangula californica ‘Eve Case’
The ‘Eve Case” variety of Rhamnus californica is a specially bred cultivar that provides a more manageable and compact shrub. This shrub is limited to a height of three to eight feet tall, and having a smaller width at about 5 feet wide in diameter. This shrub would be a better choice of Rhamnus californica for pots or container hedges, due to its smaller size and dense, large leaf foliage
Landscaping Information: Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15° F
Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium, SLow
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils. Soil PH: 5.0 – 8.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens
Companion Plants: Because the species is found in various habitats throughout the state and is tolerant of garden conditions, it can be combined with a wide variety of trees and shrubs.
Maintenance: Takes pruning well. Upright forms may be pruned to form a hedge.
About Coffeeberry (Frangula californica)
The California Buckthorn is also called coffeeberry because its berries contain seeds which look like coffee beans. It is a fairly common plant native to California and southwestern Oregon. It is a dense evergreen shrub growing to 6-15 feet tall, with dark red branches. The leaves are an attractive dark green with reddish tint, 1-3 inches long, with a curl under at the edges. The flowers are inconspicuous, small and greenish-white with five petals; they are produced in clusters of 5-60 together. The plant is prized more for its fruit, a berry 10-15 millimeters in diameter, which turn red, then purple and finally black over the summer. It is valued by birds. This plant is beautiful and easy to grow. It tolerates a wide variety of soil types, and likes either full sun or part shade. It is moderately garden tolerant, and is OK with light summer water up to 2x per month. Coffeeberry has a dense form and is easy to prune. It makes a great and fire resistant hedge. There are six subspecies, some of which are restricted to certain parts of its range or certain growing requirements. There are also a number of horticultural varieties including ‘Eve Case’ (this plant) and ‘Mound San Bruno’. Check for the one that best fits your locations and conditions.
View Calflora for more information. The image shown is for Coffeeberry (Frangula californica). Google has a selection of images which we can’t post due to copyright ownership.
The Coast Live Oak is a beautiful evergreen oak that grows predominantly west of the central valleys, as far north as Mendocino County, and as far south as northern Baja California in Mexico. This tree typically has a much-branched trunk and reaches a mature height of 10-25 meters. Some specimens may attain an age exceeding 250 years, with trunk diameters up to three or four meters. Its form is highly variable, and younger trees are often shrubby. The trunk, particularly for older individuals, may be highly contorted, massive and gnarled. The crown is broadly rounded and dense, especially when aged 20 to 70 years; in later life the trunk and branches are more well defined and the leaf density lower. The leaves are dark green, oval, often convex in shape, 2-7 cm long and 1-4 cm broad; the leaf margin is spiny-toothed, with sharp thistly fibers that extend from the lateral leaf veins. The outer layers of leaves are designed for maximum solar absorption, containing two to three layers of photosynthetic cells. Flowers are produced in early-to-mid spring; the male flowers are pendulous catkins 5-10 cm long, the female flowers inconspicuous, less than 0.5 cm long, with 1-3 clustered together. The fruit is a slender reddish brown acorn 2-3.5 cm long and 1-1.5 cm broad and matures about 7-8 months after pollination (most red oak acorns take 18 months to mature). They will attract a variety of birds and butterflies.
The Coast Live Oak is one of the only California native oak that actually thrives in the coastal environment, although it is rare on the immediate shore; it enjoys the mild winter and summer climate afforded by ocean proximity, and it is somewhat tolerant of aerosol-borne sea salt. The coastal fog supplies relief from the rainless California summer heat. It is the dominant overstory plant of the Coast Live Oak woodland habitat, often joined by California Bay Laurel and California Buckeye north of Big Sur. Associated understory plants include Toyon, various manzanitas, and Western Poison-oak. Normally the tree is found on well drained soils of coastal hills and plains, usually near year round or perennial streams. It’s also often found in rocky hillsides that capture and hold more moisture. It may be found in several natural communities including Coast Live Oak woodland, Engelmann Oak woodland, Valley Oak woodland and both northern and southern mixed evergreen forests. While normally found within 100 kilometers of the Pacific Ocean at elevations less than 700 meters, in southern California it occasionally occurs at up to 1,500 meters in altitude.
Coast Live Oaks are fairly easy to grow. Water 1x per week the first year after planting, decreasing to about 1x per month after the first year, until the tree is about 10 feet tall. After that, it’s best to avoid direct summer water entirely. In areas with less rainfall, best to plant Coast Live Oaks near an irrigated area. They’ll get the water they need by stretching their roots out to the wetter area, but they’ll keep the area close to their trunk nice and safely dry. Once they get their roots into the wetter areas, they’ll grow rapidly and stay healthy looking all year round. Coast Live Oaks prefer to have their roots shaded, so it’s a good idea to surround young specimens with mulch, rocks, or smaller native plants that won’t crowd out the young tree but will provide shade to the roots. The best mulch is a thick layer of oak leaves. Don’t fertilize oaks. They’ll amend the soil over time with their own leaves and build the natural mycorrhizal fungus in the soil they need to thrive. Gradually, they become islands of natural fertility that improve the health of the nearby plants.
Landscaping Information: Sun: Full Sun, Part Shade
Moisture: Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x / month once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 15° F
Soil Drainage: Medium
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils but prefers a deep, well draining loam which it usually develops over time from leaf drop
Soil PH: 4.0 – 8.0
Common uses: Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens
Companion Plants: A wide variety of species work as either understory or companion plants with Coast Live Oak, including Coyote Brush; California Buckwheat; Coast Sagebrush; Toyon; California Coffeeberry; Woolly Bluecurls; Snapdragon Penstemon; Fuchsia-flower Gooseberry; California WildRose; Manzanita sp.; Ceanothus sp.; Salvia sp. and annual wildflowers including Poppy sp. and Chinese Houses.
Site Type: Coast live oak occurs in a number of natural settings over a large part of the state, usually below 3,000 ft.. It is often seen in valleys and slopes near (but not in) streams where it is the dominant species in live oak woodland. Chaparral or coastal sage scrub are frequently upslope, with riparian vegetation in the stream. In other areas it is found among numerous other tree species (including other oak spacies) as part of foothill woodland or mixed evergreen forest. It is occasionally found in native grassland savannahs.
Black sage is the most common sage in California, and one of the keystone species of the coastal sage scrub plant community in the southern half of the state. Black sages grows quickly up to 3 feet in height, but mature specimens can reach up to 6 feet in height and 10 feet in width. The plant has attractive dark green leaves, with raised texture that looks somewhat like a fingerprint pattern when viewed closely. The leaves are 1-3 inches long. The upper surface of the leaf is somewhat smooth, while the lower surface of the leaf is hairy. It is semi-deciduous, depending on the location and severity of drought. Leaves curl during the summer drought instead of dropping off. The plant is highly aromatic. Flower occurs in 5-1.5″ wide clusters. Flower colors vary from white, to pale blue, to lavender, or rarely to pale rose color. The plant flowers are an important food source for butterflies and hummingbirds. The seeds are an important food for quail and other birds.
Black sage is able to grow on a variety of different soils, including sandstone, shale, granite, serpentinite, and gabbro or basalt. It requires a minimum of 15″ and a maximum of 40″ of rain per year. In the drier part of its range, black sage is happier on flats, mesas or slope bottoms where there is slightly more moisture retained in the soil. Black sages tend to turn yellow and eventually die in poorly draining sites. The plant prefers sun, but tolerates part shade. The normal form of black sage can get very large. Prostrate forms of black sage grow to just 1-2 feet tall by 6 feet in width and tend to be denser than the normal form, making an excellent ground cover.
Landscaping Information:
Sun: Full Sun
Moisture: Extremely Low, Very Low
Summer Irrigation: Max 1x/month once established, Never irrigate once established
Ease of Care: Very Easy
Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 30º F
Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium
Soil Description: Tolerates a variety of soils although it is happier with good drainage. Tolerates Gabro Soil,Tolerates Serpentine Soil. Soil PH: 4.0 – 8.0
Companion Plants: Laurel Sumac (Malosma laurina), Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia), Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia), Woolly Bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum), Climbing Penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia), California Encelia (Encelia californica), California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), Coast Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), California Adolphia (Adolphia californica), Diplacus puniceus, Chaparral Bush Mallow, White Coast Ceanothus (Ceanothus verrucosus) Hollyleaf Redberry (Rhamnus species), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos species), Yucca species, Dudleya species and cactus species
Sunset Zones: 7*, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Natural Setting:
Site Type: Flats, mesas, foothills, canyons, shallow slopes, and slope bottoms as part of coastal sage scrub and chaparral
Climate: Annual Precipitation: 4.5” – 51.2”
My garden is small compared to the ones I manage in my horticulture business, but it’s still a hideaway for the birds, bees and native plants. It’s calming and is a source of tranquility for myself and my family. During difficult times, and I’m sure you have experienced them and know what I mean, the backyard can be a peaceful and serene place. Sometimes however, the garden can also create stress.
Gophers, spider mites and water bills, to name a few, can detract us from our beautiful garden. But keeping this in mind, we must remember we share this space with the critters and the insects. These are all part of the fabric of nature. Just like fertilizer and compost, gas and electricity bills, we have to budget for this special place. It doesn’t matter if it is a drought resistant native garden or even a cactus garden. There will be maintenance involved. Weeding can take us away from family and friends, however, I have found over the years, for me, the yard has been a great investment.
When I think about the hours of enjoyment I have experienced watching the birds, bees and plants in my garden grow, these times have been some of the best I ever had. So looking forward to the future and what it might hold, I’m hoping you will find that the investment of time, energy and money in your garden, is one that is well spent. Until next time, collect rain water and happy gardening.
It’s time to start thinking about planting your wildflower garden with the winter rains coming soon. As in years past, we are beginning our rainy season late with a dry fall so far. This doesn’t mean we will have a dry winter, but this dry pattern is important when it comes to sowing our wildflower garden.
The best gardens start with the onset of rain. But if we put out our seeds too soon, the birds will eat them and the sun will bake the rest. So keeping this in mind, we can still prepare the site to be planted by raking the area smooth. Soil amendment is not necessary. Go through the seeds you have acquired, which, of course, you bought at the plant sale. Get everything ready so that when the storms start to line up you are ready to sow your seeds. Two days in advance of a rain event, complete the following steps: First, rake the top one inch of soil to loosen it; Second, using a light hand, spread seeds over the area that is to be your wildflower garden; Third, using your rake, go over the area once again to ensure there is soil-to-seed contact. Finally, and the best part, ‘do the stomp’ by walking all over the area to compress the soil. Then wait for the rains to come.
It’s important to provide extra water, if necessary, at least every two weeks. Otherwise if the rains come, sit back and watch your wildflowers grow! Until next time, happy gardening! If you have any questions about sowing your wildflower garden, please contact me at: gritlys@gmail.com.
What should I plant in my yard this fall before the rains begin? People are often asking me this. I like to consider what Doug Tallamy told us at the CNPS state conservation conference a couple of years ago about planting trees and shrubs that are foraging hubs for insects and birds. He mentioned several genera that fed lots of caterpillars, which in turn feed lots of birds.
One of these was the genus Prunus. You may recognize this as a fruit tree genus including cherries, apricots, plums, and peaches. It attracts butterflies, bees, and pollinating flies. One of my favorites is the Prunus lyonii, or Catalina cherry. It has beautiful green foliage, is drought tolerant, and according to Las Pilitas nursery, it tolerates clay soils well. It is closely related to the native shrub called Islay (Prunus ilicifolia). Islay was harvested for the kernels inside of the pit. Jan Timbrook notes in Chumash Ethnobotany that one hat of islay was worth two hats of acorns.
The kernel of the cherry needs to be removed from the pit (you may eat the thin skin of fruit in the process if it is ripe first). Then you must boil the kernels and rinse the water several times, then smash the kernels and then leach like acorns to remove the cyanide that naturally occurs in the kernels. Since the native Islay was not available at the time, I decided to try this with the Catalina cherry growing in my Mom’s yard. (Catalina cherry is used in the horticultural trade and can be bought and planted easily). I gathered the pits that had accumulated on the ground, cracked them open, boiled and leached the kernels, then made little balls out of them. They kind of tasted like cooked beans, bland but nutritious. My curiosity was satisfied. I’m not crazy about the kernels as food, but I love the shrub with its gorgeous bright green foliage. The pictures below are from Morro Bay State park where it was planted between the campsites.
As I am writing this, I am thinking about the fact that we have our annual native plant sale coming up on November 2. I have been planting the plants that I have written about over the last year in my own garden, and I hope that you find some that will be perfect for yours as well. I’ll see you there on November 2.
