Virginia Tech Dendrology

toyon Rosaceae Heteromeles arbutifolia (Lindl.) M. Roem. Listen to the Latin symbol: HEAR5
Leaf: Alternate, evergreen, oblong to lanceolate, 2 to 4 inches long, sharply serrated and bristle tipped, leathery, shiny dark green above, yellow-green beneath.
Flower: Showy, spike-like, many branched, terminal cluster of small (1/4 inch) white flowers, appearing in late spring and early summer.
Fruit: Small (1/4 inch) red (occasionally yellow) pome ripening in late summer and fall, persistent in winter.
Twig: Slender, yellow-green to reddish brown to gray, initially quite hairy, but later becoming smooth.
Bark: Smooth, reddish gray with small lenticels.
Form: Large shrub to small tree typically with a short trunk and numerous limbs.
 leaf flower fruit twig bark form1 map
Additional Range Information: Heteromeles arbutifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting toyon.
External Links: USDAFS Additional Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material © 2017 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson