Toyon Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Heteromeles arbutifolia (Lindley) Roemer
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) is a common perennial bush native to Southern California. Its range stretches from the San Francisco Bay area to Baja California. It is also known by the common names Christmas berry, and California holly. Toyon berries are acidic due to a small, but significant, amounts of hydrocyanic acid, the same poison contained in peach pits. The deadly substance is removed by mild cooking.
The handsome shrub typically grows from 5 to 10 feet (rarely up 20 or even 30 feet in shaded conditions) and has a round top. Its evergreen leaves are sharply toothed, alternate, have short petioles, and are 2 - 4 inches in length. Toyon is a prominent component of the coastal sage scrub plant community, and is a part of drought-adapted chaparral and oak woodland habitats. In the early summer it produces small white flowers in terminal panicles. The five petals are rounded and have no scent. They are visited by butterflies, and have a mild, hawthorn-like scent. In the winter the bush produces large quantities of red berries, 0.2- 0.4 inches across.
The fruit are consumed by local birds, including mockingbirds, robins, cedar waxwings, as well as land animals including coyotes and bears. The berries also provided food for local Native American tribes, such as Chumash, Tongva, and Tataviam. Some berries, though mealy, astringent and acid when raw, were eaten fresh, or mashed into water to make a beverage. Most were dried and stored, then later cooked into porridge or pancakes. Later settlers added sugar to make custard and wine. The berries also can be made into a jelly. The Indians also used a tea made from the leaves as a stomach remedy, the leaves and berries for dyes, and the very hard, close-grained wood for various purposes.
In the 1920's, collecting toyon branches for Christmas became so popular in Los Angeles, California that the State of California passed a law forbidding collecting on public land. Some believe (incorrectly) that Hollywood, California derives its name from the numerous "California Holly" bushes which cover the Hollywood Hills.
Toyon can be grown in domestic gardens in well drained soil, and is cultivated as an ornamental as far away as Southern England. It can survive temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The bush is handsome all year round and the bright red berries in winter are a special reward (even if the birds devour them all the first day they turn ripe). It is susceptible to fireblight. It survives on little water, making it suitable for xeriscape gardening, and is less of a fire hazard than some chaparral plants.
This is an Article on Toyon. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Toyon