Prunus ilicifolia
Holly leaf cherry
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Prunus ilicifolia (Holly leaf cherry) is a native California shrub / tree in the Rosaceae family, recognized by Only evergreen CA Prunus; holly-like ovate-round leaves, unarmed, fleshy cherry.
Holly leaf cherry is a California native shrub found in coastal and interior mountain ranges in chaparral, woodland, and forest habitats. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small white to pale yellow flowers in delicate racemes. Growing as an evergreen shrub 3 to 15 meters tall with multiple stems, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its leathery, glossy leaves are ovate to round, 16 to 120 millimeters long, with edges that can be entire or spiny-serrate and rounded tips. The fruit develops as a fleshy, thin-pulped cherry 12 to 25 millimeters long, ranging in color from red to blue-black when ripe.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Only evergreen CA Prunus; holly-like ovate-round leaves, unarmed, fleshy cherry
Habitat and range
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Imperial, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Orange, Monterey, San Francisco, Ventura, Kern, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Benito, Merced, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Fresno, Napa, Contra Costa, Mendocino, Solano, Sacramento
How to tell it apart
vs Quercus: Prunus has simple leaves with fine teeth; oak leaves are lobed or have coarse rounded teeth.; vs Rhamnus: Prunus has fleshy fruits with single hard pits; buckthorn has berry-like fruits with multiple seeds.; vs Malus: Prunus fruits have a single hard pit; apple fruits have a papery core with multiple seeds.; vs Frangula: Prunus has cup-shaped flower base that falls off; alder buckthorn has persistent berry-like fruit base.; vs Pyrus: Prunus produces single-pitted drupes; pear produces pome fruits with papery seed chambers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Prunus ilicifolia native to California?
Yes. Prunus ilicifolia is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Prunus ilicifolia grow?
Prunus ilicifolia occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Imperial, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Orange and other counties.
What plant family does Prunus ilicifolia belong to?
Prunus ilicifolia is in the Rosaceae family, genus Prunus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.