Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbs
Origin
California
Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Heteromeles arbutifolia
-
Number of Varieties
3300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Foot Hills, low mountains, Woodlands
Sandy areas, Stony hillsides, Upland soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm5.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Purple, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require water in summer, Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Solid Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Diseases, Root Pathogen
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Flies
Allergy
Acidic
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Body Ache, Stomach pain
Folklore
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Sauces
Decoration Purposes, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Edging, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
HETEROMELES arbutifolia
THYMUS serpyllum
Common Name
Christmas Berry, California Holly
Creeping Thyme, Breckland thyme, Breckland-garden, Mother-of-thyme, Wild thyme
In Hindi
Toyon
Creeping Thyme
In German
Toyon
Feldthymian, Quendel
In French
Toyon
Serpolet, Thym sauvage
In Spanish
Toyon
Serpol, Tomillo
In Greek
Toyon
Creeping Thyme
In Portuguese
Toyon
Tomilho
In Polish
Toyon
Creeping Thyme
In Latin
Toyon
Creeping Thyme
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Lamiales
Family
Rosaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Heteromeles
Thymus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Maleae
Mentheae
Subfamily
Amygdaloideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
6259
1
27800
👆🏻