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General: California Buckthorn (Frangula californica) is an evergreen, upright, bright green, leafy shrub with coffee-bean-like fruits. The leaves are elliptical, 1-3 inches long, and thick.
California Buckthorn is an uncommon component of shrub communities on well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils in washes and on upper bajadas and moderate slopes into the lower mountains in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub and Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zone.
Around Las Vegas, look for this species in the Willow Springs area at Red Rock Canyon NCA.
Family: Buckthorn (Rhamnaceae).
Other Names: Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica. |
California Buckthorn: note fresh spring leaves emerging |
Plant Form: Upright, multi-stemmed shrub to subtree.
Height: Usually to about head-high, to 15 feet.
Bark: Smooth, reddish gray to gray.
Stems: Branches alternate, flexible; sometimes tipped with a spine.
Leaves: Simple, alternate, elliptical, 1-3 inches long, thick; evergreen. |
California Buckthorn berries |
Flowers: Inflorescence of up to 60 inconspicuous flowers in clusters at leaf axils. Flower: Small with 5 yellow-green triangular petals.
Seeds: Fruit: drupe (like a cherry: a fleshy fruit with a pit), about 1/2-inch diameter, green, aging to red, then black when ripe; 2-4 stones per fruit.
Habitat: Dry, well-drained sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils in canyons and on upper bajadas and moderate slopes in the lower mountains.
Elevation: Below about 7,500 feet.
Distribution: California, Nevada, to southwestern Oregon.
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California Coffeeberry flower buds |
California Coffeeberry flower buds |
California Coffeeberry flower and flower buds |
California Coffeeberry flower and flower buds |
California Coffeeberry flower and flower buds |
California Coffeeberry flower and flower buds |
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California Coffeeberry developing fruits |
California Coffeeberry developing fruits |
In some years, California Coffeeberry produced many fruits |
In some years, California Coffeeberry produced many fruits |
In some years, California Coffeeberry produced many fruits |
In some years, California Coffeeberry produced many fruits |
California Coffeeberry ripening fruits |
California Coffeeberry failed, ripening, and ripe fruits |
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