Photo copyright © 2018 Mariposa Native Plants.
A evergreen native shrub or small tree from the Rose Family, Toyon produces bright, red-orange, or sometimes yellow, berries in the fall. The leaves are somewhat leathery blades, alternate, finely serrated along the edges, and are anywhere from 1.5-4 inches (4-10 cm) long. The flowers are white, appearing in the late spring or summer. Toyon can grow into a small tree, especially if carefully pruned, and some of the largest specimens in California reach heights of 30 feet (10 meters).
A close-up of H.arbutifolia in the early autumn, showing the attractive berry clusters. Birds--among them cedar waxwings, mockingbirds, finches, flickers, and robins--feed on the berries. Toyon is thus not only one of the most beautiful landscaping plants, it is also an important native shrub to wildlife. Photo copyright © 2020 Mariposa Native Plants.
Another photo of a Toyon shrub, this one along West Whitlock Road in Mariposa, showing the berries and chapparal companion plants. Behind the Toyon is a Valley Oak (Quercus lobata), which has begun to lose its leaves for the winter. Further back in the image is a Gray Pine (Pinus sabiniana), with a couple of its typically large pine cones near the top. Photo copyright © 2020 Mariposa Native Plants.
H.arbutifolia grows throughout the California coast ranges and in the northern and central Sierra foothills. Elevation: sea level to 8,000 ft. (2500m). Sun: full or partial. Temperature: cold tolerant to -5°F (-20°C). Soil: clay, sandy, rocky, or serpentine; pH 5-8. Mariposa County environments: foothills to 2,500 ft.; lower mountains, 2,500-4,000 ft.; and mountains 4,000-7,000 ft.
Easy to care for once established. Toyon prefers a site that is well-drained. As always, try to avoid breaking the root ball when planting from the container. The water requirements are low, and the plant should only be given a gallon (4 liters) of water every two weeks in the summer. Once established, it needs no summer water. H.arbutifolia is very fire resistant; it can safely be planted near structures. It also grows quickly and can be a useful plant for erosion control and bank stabilization. Toyon also grows back quickly and robustly after a fire.
This photo shows a Toyon plant along the Hite's Cove Trail regrowing after the Briceburg Fire. This fire was very hot, and this entire area was covered with ash after the October 2019 fire. The plant itself was completely burned up above ground, but the deep root system survived. To the left is a rebounding Yerba Santa plant, Eriodictyon californicum. Photo copyright © 2020 Mariposa Native Plants.
As noted, birds feed on H.arbutifolia berries in the fall and winter. Also, bears and coyotes eat the berries, dispersing the seeds in their scat, which helps to propagate the plant. Toyon is deer and gopher resistant.
Fireblight: Fireblight affects both fruit trees, such as apples and pears, as well as native shrubs, including Toyon. The disease is caused by a bacterium, Erwinia amylovora. The most obvious symptom is that the plant appears to have been scorched (hence the common name), with stems wilted and leaves twisted and blackened. To manage fireblight, do not irrigate the Toyon when it blooms and avoid heavy pruning. The key idea is to avoid excessive new growth, which are the plant parts most susceptible to infection by the bacteria. Prune away infected branches, remove them from the vicinity of affected trees, and burn them when fire season allows. For more information on fireblight, and its mitigation, see the UC Integrated Pest Management page at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7414.html.
There is an old story that Hollywood, CA received its name from the Toyon trees that covered the Hollywood Hills to the north of the city. The Toyon berry can ferment late into the fall, and sometimes the birds that feed too heavily off the tree at such a time become inebriated from the small amount of alcohol present in the fruit.
Toyon is the name given to the plant by the Ohlone Indians. Native Americans ate the berries, but generally after cooking them to remove the bitter taste and break down the toxic cyanogenic glycocides that the berries contain.