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Frangula californica 'Eve Case' (Coffeeberry) - A selection of the California native Coffeeberry. This evergreen shrub is more compact than the species but can still be seen growing to a large mound to 8 to 10 feet by as wide, though 4-6 feet tall is more common and size can be maintained by selective pruning. It has 3-inch-long dark green leaves on reddish stems and inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers that are followed by showy berries that are first green then red and finally black when ripe.
Grows well in full sun or light shade. A hardy shrub that can grow in most soils, but best in a sandy well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established and cold hardy to 5° F and possibly a bit colder. Can be pruned to shape of even trained up as a small tree. A great plant for the natural California garden and useful on a slope for erosion control. Its flowers and fruit are attractive to wildlife, yet it is relatively resistant to predation by deer.
This plant was introduced in 1975 by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation. It was the result of a complex seedling selection process directed by Barrie Coate utilizing as a parent Rhamnus californica 'Seaview', a cultivar introduced by the Saratoga Horticultural Foundation in 1957. The name for this cultivar honored Dr. Eve Case in who yard the plant was discovered. Dr. Case at that time was a co-owner of Homestead Nursery in Santa Clara. For more information on the species see our listing of Frangula californica. We also grow the cultivars 'Leatherleaf'. and 'Mound San Bruno'.
Though we have long listed this plant as a cultivar of Rhamnus californica, recent nomenclatural changes have given rise to a name change for this species to Frangula californica - for more information about this name change and also about why we list this plant as being poisonous, see our main listing for Frangula [Rhamnus] californica.
Information displayed on this page about Frangula californica 'Eve Case' is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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