Heteromeles arbutifolia (Toyon)
Credit: Rachel Prunier
about the species
Toyon (aka Christmas berry or California holly) is a large evergreen shrub in the rose family. It is widely distributed across California and Baja California in the coastal ranges and foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. It is often dominant in chaparral and oak woodland communities. It produces large clusters of bright red fruit (called pomes) that are an important winter food source for birds and mammals and its prolific flowers are a nectar and pollen source for native bees. It is fire adapted, resprouting from surviving tissue after fires.
why species was selected
Toyon is a widespread and iconic California chaparral and woodland species. It is ecologically significant, providing food sources for native species. Understanding its genomic diversity will allow the identification of corridors and barriers to dispersal, as well as locally adapted genotypes of a common and important plant, empowering conservationists to identify regions of priority for conservation.
