Not a true holly, Heteromeles arbutifolia (also known as toyon, or California holly) is a keystone native shrub in California’s chaparral and coastal sage scrub ecosystems. This ecoregion covers over 12,000 square miles of coastal terraces, plains, and foothills between Santa Barbara County and northeastern Baja California (1)(2)

The Chumash call this shrub qwe’ and they use it for a myriad of purposes ranging from bows and arrowheads, to medicine and food. Watch the video on this page to see a Chumash toyon bow at work!

Toyon is a critical source of food and shelter for birds, mammals, and insects. (1) It rapidly resprouts after wildfires and helps stabilize soil on slopes and hillsides. Its bright red berries are a vital winter food source in the coastal mountain ranges.

In 2012, the iconic toyon, was chosen as the official plant of the city of Los Angeles.(3)

(1) https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/53405-Heteromeles-arbutifolia
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_coastal_sage_and_chaparral
(3) https://www.dailynews.com/2012/04/17/drought-tolerant-toyon-is-los-angeles-official-city-plant/