coffeeberry

American  

[kaw-fee-ber-ee, kof-ee-] / ˈkɔ fiˌbɛr i, ˈkɒf i- /

noun

plural

coffeeberries

1. an evergreen shrub, Rhamnus californica, of the buckthorn family, common in the western U.S., having small, greenish flowers and red fruit that turns black, grown as a bee plant.

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Etymology

Origin of coffeeberry

An Americanism dating back to 1655–65; coffee + berry

Example Sentences

Monkey flowers in orange and red, scarlet bugler, purple and white sages and coffeeberry shrubs are coming into their own.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2025

Acres of terraced growing areas and multiple greenhouses produced many native plants grown from seed collected around the park such as sumacs, ceanothus, yellow-blooming flannel bush, manzanitas, barberries, monkeyflowers, Catalina cherry, toyon and coffeeberry.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2024

Other shrubs such as currants, toyon, coffeeberry and lemonade berry have lots of flowers in the spring and colorful berries in the late summer and fall.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2021