California Coffeeberry is an evergreen shrub with dark red branches that can grow to about 15 feet tall in the shade, and can spread from five to 15 feet wide. Most commonly though, it grows to about three to six feet tall.
The shrub's fruit ("berries") ripen from green to yellow, then red, then purple, and ultimately to black, typically between July and November.
Coffeeberry is a member of the buckthorn family. It is a cousin to Blue Blossom (ceanothus).
The name, ‘coffeeberry’ has nothing to do with your morning brew. The name comes from the coffee bean-like appearance of the seeds found in the berries. Various birds and small mammals relish the berries as a food source. However, coffeeberries typically are not eaten by humans as they are said to have a laxative effect.
Photo by Don Blohowiak
California Coffeeberry relies on
Sun
Water
Nutrients