Toyon
Heteromeles arbutifolia
The Hollywood hills were named for its winter berries.
Hardiness: zones 8 to 10
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 12 ft tall, 12 ft wide
From: California
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: pollinators, wildlife.
Native to: California. Hardy in zones 8 to 10.
The story
Toyon is the only California shrub still commonly called by its Ohlone name. Its red winter berries looked like holly to newcomers, and the hillsides covered in it are said to have given Hollywood its name.
Planting
Full sun or light shade and well-drained soil. Plant in fall with the rains.
Growing
Water through the first two dry seasons, then leave it to the weather.
Harvest and use
White summer flowers for bees, and December berries for cedar waxwings, robins and mockingbirds. California peoples ate the berries cooked or dried, never raw.
What to watch for
Fire blight in wet springs. Raw berries are bitter and upset the stomach; they need cooking.
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home