Michael Ellis: Toyon

Green bushes with bright red berries are associated with Christmas, and Michael Ellis says the Bay Area has three of them.

Right now, there are three evergreen shrubs that are chock full of bright reddish berries. Scattered throughout cities, suburbs, parks and other wild places are Pyracantha, Cotoneaster and Toyon.

Pyracantha is a non-native ornamental plant from Eurasia. The name is derived from ancient Greek. Pyr for fire and akantha — for thorn. Fire Thorn.  And those sharp thorns hurt, and those berries are bright red-orange.

So, do robins and cedar waxwings really get drunk on Pyracantha berries? Those birds arrive here in late fall and winter. They are starving and pig out on the fruits, sometimes eating 20% of their own weight at one sitting. The seeds also contain a bit of cyanide. So not only are they stuffed, sluggish and top heavy (me at Thanksgiving) but also slightly poisoned (not me). So, no wonder some fly into windows and stagger around the yard. The berries are not fermented so there is no need for an avian AA.

Cotoneaster (for years I said cotton Easter) is native to Europe and Asia, especially the Himalayas. Many of the multiple species are supremely adapted to the Bay Area. And while they do provide food for native wildlife they tend to be super invasive to the detriment of native flora. The hills above Muir Woods and Mt. Davidson in San Francisco are infested with it.

Toyon is the only native of the three. Of course, it’s my favorite and it can become tree-sized. This plant was important to the original human inhabitants here. In fact, the name is Costanoan. Properly prepared the berries are edible (that is somewhat edible in my opinion). But don’t eat the seeds. They, too, have cyanide.

As southern California became more populated, it was traditional for folks to clamber all over the hillsides collecting Toyon for Christmas decorations. It is thought that the name Hollywood came from misidentified toyon since holly did not grow there. To this day the other common name for toyon is Christmas berry.

This is Michael Ellis with a Perspective.

Michael Ellis is a naturalist. He lives in Santa Rosa.