Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tree
Origin
California
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Heteromeles arbutifolia
-
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Foot Hills, low mountains, Woodlands
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-104-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange Red
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require water in summer, Requires watering in the growing season
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Solid Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Diseases, Root Pathogen
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Acidic
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Body Ache, Stomach pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Sauces
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
HETEROMELES arbutifolia
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Christmas Berry, California Holly
River Birch
In Hindi
Toyon
River Birch
In German
Toyon
Fluss Birch
In French
Toyon
Birch river
In Spanish
Toyon
river Birch
In Greek
Toyon
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Toyon
river Birch
In Polish
Toyon
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Toyon
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rosales
Fagales
Family
Rosaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Heteromeles
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Maleae
-
Subfamily
Amygdaloideae
-
Number of Species
63
1
27800
👆🏻