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Hollyleaf Redberry
Rhamnus ilicifolia
  
38 Nurseries Carry This Plant

About Hollyleaf Redberry (Rhamnus ilicifolia) 38 Nurseries Carry This Plant Hollyleaf Redberry (Rhamnus ilicifolia) is an evergreen native shrub that grows in the foothills and mountains of southern and central California, the Sierra foothills, and the foothills west of Sacremento Valley. It primarily grows at elevations from 500 to 6600 feet. It was formerly considered a subspecies of Rhamnus crocea but is now considered a separate species. Their ranges overlap considerably, and they resemble each other superficially.

This plant is reasonable to grow if properly sited. Plant in part shade or full sun on rocky slopes, or at least with plenty of rocks surrounding it. It seems to prefer part shade in the drier parts of its range.

It can tolerate summer water up to 1x per month. However once established, it's usually happiest without any supplementary water, but in a spot where it can run its roots over to an irrigated area or a place with a little more natural moisture, such as a creek or rain gully. The flowers are inconspicuous; the plant is grown primarily for its springtime bright and shiny red berries. These berries are an important food source for birds.

This plant has small leaves with sharp points along their edges, resembling small holly leaves (thus its common name). These leaves give this plant significant deer resistance. This shrub is quite versatile in garden landscapes, from wildlife habitat to erosion control to hedges and barriers.

In optimal conditions, Hollyleaf Redberry can grow from a 1-gallon container to 3 feet tall in two years.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Shrub

Size
Size
1 - 9 ft tall
3 - 9 ft wide

Form
Form
Mounding

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Slow

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Flower Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Cream

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Winter, Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Numerous birds, as well as other wildlife, are attracted to the berries.

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 19 likely * ) SHOW ALL
*
Papilio eurymedon Image
Pale Tiger Swallowtail Papilio eurymedonPapilio eurymedon
*
Lycaena hermes Image
Hermes Copper Lycaena hermesLycaena hermes
*
Hyalophora euryalus Image
Ceanothus Silkmoth Hyalophora euryalusHyalophora euryalus
*
Antheraea polyphemus Image
Polyphemus moth Antheraea polyphemusAntheraea polyphemus
*
Hemileuca eglanterina Image
Elegant Sheepmoth Hemileuca eglanterinaHemileuca eglanterina
*
Spilosoma vestalis Image
Wandering Tiger Moth Spilosoma vestalisSpilosoma vestalis
*
Spilosoma virginica Image
Virginian Tiger Moth Spilosoma virginicaSpilosoma virginica

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Extremely Low, Very Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries
Carried by 38

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 0° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast, Medium

Soil Description
Soil Description
Tolerates a variety of soils but prefers rocky well-drained soil. Soil PH: 6.0 - 7.5

Common uses
Common uses
Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia), Woolly Bluecurls (Trichostema lanatum), Climbing Penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia), California Encelia (Encelia californica), California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), Coast Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Sage (Salvia species), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos species), Yucca species, Dudleya species, and cactus species

Propagation
Propagation?
For propagating by seed: Fresh seeds need no treatment; stored seeds 2.5 to 3 months stratification.

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
7*, 9*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20, 21, 22, 23

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Rocky slopes, canyons as part of Chaparral, Oak Woodland, and Ponderosa Pine Forest

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 2.7" - 79.1", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 3.07", Coldest Month: 32.9" - 59.1", Hottest Month: 55.3" - 88.3", Humidity: 0.26" - 39.15", Elevation: -180" - 8003"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Rhamnus crocea ssp. ilicifolia
Common Names: Evergreen Buckthorn


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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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