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Heteromeles
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) is the only species in its genus, a rounded evergreen shrub or small tree grown for its glossy leaves and bright red winter berries. It is best given part shade and very little water once established, which suits it to dry gardens.
Heteromeles arbutifolia (, more commonly by Californian botanists), commonly known as toyon, is a perennial evergreen shrub or small tree with distinctive red fruits native to California, Oregon and Mexico. It is the sole species in the genus Heteromeles.
Toyon pomes are acidic and astringent, and contain a small amount of cyanogenic glycosides, which break down into hydrocyanic acid on digestion. This is removed by mild cooking. Most fruit from plants in the family Rosaceae, including apples, apricots, peaches, cherries, and plums, contain cyanide.
A 2016 study found 5 g of the dried berries (used as a treatment for Alzheimer's) to be safe. The study also found no cyanogenic compounds in the plant.
It is native to extreme southwest Oregon, California, and the Baja California Peninsula.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Heteromeles by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
