Photo courtesy of Keir Morse.
When people think of California, the first image that often comes to mind is one of a glamorous old Hollywood filled with movie stars and a booming film industry. The image of vast open lands may not be the first thing people picture when thinking of California, but what if those two things are actually connected after all?
Legend has it, the name “Hollywood” stems from a plant found in California, specifically a shrub known as the toyon. This perennial shrub, native to the western part of California, is also known as the Christmas berry or California Holly for the bright red berries it produces, especially during the fall and winter. This nickname of California Holly is what allegedly sparked the idea for the name “Hollywood.”
Legend has it, the name “Hollywood” stems from a plant found in California, specifically a shrub known as the toyon. This perennial shrub, native to the western part of California, is also known as the Christmas berry or California Holly for the bright red berries it produces, especially during the fall and winter. This nickname of California Holly is what allegedly sparked the idea for the name “Hollywood.”
Photo courtesy of Keir Morse. Toyon plants, part of drought-adapted chaparral and the coastal sage scrub community, can grow to be 8 feet tall, with some rare specimens recorded at 30 feet. This beautiful plant is relatively easy to grow and can do so fairly quickly. The plant has evergreen leaves and during the summer, it produces small white flowers that are visited by butterflies and other insects. Throughout the fall and winter, the toyon produces bright red, berry-like fruit in large quantities that are consumed by several different species, including birds, coyotes and even bears.
Though toyon plants enjoy the sunshine, they do tend to grow in areas that have partial shade and can be found in several drier areas of Orange County’s open spaces. Toyon are adaptable plants and can handle a variety of soils, but do especially well when near seasonal creeks, bottoms of slopes or irrigated areas. When given proper moisture, toyon plants can be fire-retardant, which helps when located in areas prone to dry conditions and especially during peak wildfire season.
To learn more about native plants on the Landmarks, visit IRConservancy.org or follow the Landmarks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Though toyon plants enjoy the sunshine, they do tend to grow in areas that have partial shade and can be found in several drier areas of Orange County’s open spaces. Toyon are adaptable plants and can handle a variety of soils, but do especially well when near seasonal creeks, bottoms of slopes or irrigated areas. When given proper moisture, toyon plants can be fire-retardant, which helps when located in areas prone to dry conditions and especially during peak wildfire season.
To learn more about native plants on the Landmarks, visit IRConservancy.org or follow the Landmarks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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