Plant of the Month: Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia
Nursery Specialist, Lynne Klocke, next to a mature Toyon with immature berries growing by the Willow Pond at Turtle Bay
Lynne Klocke, Turtle Bay’s Nursery specialist, was asked for her choice for Plant of the Month for August. Her choice is the wonderful Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia. Asked for her reasons, Lynne mentioned the Toyon’s versatility. Toyon has many valuable virtues as a native habitat plant; it has flowers in late spring for pollinators and berries in winter for birds and mammals. As a landscape plant specifically for human purposes, it is evergreen, very drought tolerant (once established), thrives in either sun or shade, and can be pruned as a large shrub (works great as a privacy screen) or a multi-trunked small tree. The year-round interest is highlighted in late spring - winter with the formation of the flowers and then berries.
A local native, Toyon also grows throughout a large portion of California. Hollywood is another common name for Heteromeles arbutifolia, of which Hollywood, CA is the namesake.
Toyon trained as small tree in Botanical Gardens’ West parking lot
Toyon with pollinator-attracting flowers in Nursery Specialist’s Lynne Klocke’s home garden in late spring
Same Toyon with berries in Nursery Specialist’s Lynne Klocke’s home garden in late fall
Toyon is available in our Nursery now. Click the button below to see our updated inventory list along with growing information.
Caring for Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia:
Plant in well-draining soil.
If you don’t have well-draining soil, create small (or large) raised planting areas.
Water weekly until established (1-2 years), then no water to water sparingly, if needed, in summer.