Home and Landscape
Toyon
- Toyon (Christmas berry) —Heteromeles arbutifolia
- Family Rosaceae (Rose family)
Plant Identification
Toyon, or Christmas berry, is a widely adapted evergreen shrub or large tree mostly identified by its thick, leathery, glossy dark green leaves. In winter, bright red berries adorn the plant. Flat clusters of small white blooms form during June and July. This plant is valuable as a screen, small multitrunked tree, or hedge and bank planting.
Optimum conditions for growth
Toyon does best in full sun to partial shade. It tolerates dry summer conditions but performs better and sets more fruit if irrigated occasionally and pruned to stimulate more 1-year-old wood on which berries are produced.
