toyon

American  

[toi-on, -ohn] / ˈtɔɪ ɒn, -oʊn /

1. an evergreen, rosaceous shrub or small tree, Heteromeles arbutifolia (orPhotinia arbutifolia ), of California and northern Mexico, having clusters of small, white flowers and bright red berries.

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Etymology

Origin of toyon

1840–50, variant of tollon < Mexican Spanish tollón

Example Sentences

“I love seeing the deep, rich green of the toyon next to the pale green of the sage, dudleyas, sagebrush and the olive tree,” Smee says.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Oh, and a now-large toyon and mountain mahogany on either side to provide partial shade.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2024

There’s a scent garden filled with fragrant sages created by landscape designer Margaret Oakley Otto, tall sugar bush and toyon shrubs covered with berries and the dried remains of summer’s wildflowers.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2022

It notes that the Heteromeles arbutifolia, or toyon California holly tree, is native to these hillsides and that “Hollywood was named for this plant.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2022

He threaded among willows and sycamores and wild blackberry vines in the riverbed, patted the trunks of live oak and scrub oak, madrone, laurel, toyon.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck