coffeeberry
ExplorePlants
coffeeberry
Frangula californica
Coffeeberry is a lovely shrub that grows in California. It has shiny green leaves and produces small, dark berries that birds love to eat!
Habitat: Coastal areas
Appearance
The coffeeberry is an evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green leaves and often reddish stems. Its small, greenish-white flowers develop into berries that strikingly change color from green to red, then finally to black.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRosalesFamilyRhamnaceaeGenusFrangula
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Coffeeberry berries look like coffee beans but are from a totally different plant!
Coffeeberry shrubs are super tough and can live for many decades in harsh conditions!
Its ripe black berries are a favorite food for many kinds of birds, helping them survive!
Native Americans used coffeeberry bark and leaves for traditional medicines and dyes.
Special abilities
Ability
Water Saver
Coffeeberry can survive dry spells because its tough, leathery leaves lose less water, helping it thrive in arid places.
Ability
Year-Round Green
This plant has evergreen leaves that stay green all year, letting it make food from sunlight even in winter.
Ability
Berry Signal System
Coffeeberry berries change color from red to black to show birds they are ripe and ready to eat, attracting helpers to spread seeds.
Ability
Pollinator Magnet
Its tiny, nectar-rich flowers attract many different insects, helping them pollinate other plants too!
Measurements & details
- Height
- 100-500 cm
- Spread
- 100-300 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.5-1 cm
- Bloom Season
- Spring to early summer
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- Mild
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
eats
California Thrasher
Toxostoma redivivum
Feeds on ripe coffeeberry fruit.
pollinates
European Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Visits tiny flowers for nectar and pollen.
shelters
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Finds cover in its dense branches.
Traits
Ornamental
Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
Shrub
A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
Evergreen
Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
Fruit Bearing
Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Coastal
Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Always look but don't touch the berries unless a grown-up says it's okay!
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is coffeeberry?
100-500 cm
How wide does coffeeberry spread?
100-300 cm
How big are the flowers on coffeeberry?
0.5-1 cm
When does coffeeberry bloom?
Spring to early summer
Is coffeeberry edible?
No
Is coffeeberry toxic?
Mild
What is coffeeberry's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is coffeeberry pollinated?
Insect
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