Latin Derivations:

• Genus: Rhamnus, an ancient Greek name for the buckthorn (ref. genus Rhamnus)
• Species: californica, of or from California

Family Characteristics (Rhamnaceae or Buckthorn family):

• Leaves simple, generally alternate. Often clustered on short-shoots.
• Shrub, vine, tree, generally erect, often thorny.
• Fruit is a capsule or drupe.

Characteristics:

• Fruit/Seeds: Clusters of berries, beginning green, ripening to orange/red and finally black in August - October.
• Stem: Bark bright gray or brown; twigs glabrous (without hair, smooth) to finely hairy.
• Leaves: Light green when young, maturing to dark green, often with red tips; smooth, leathery, 2 - 4 inches long; edges curl under during dry summers to conserve moisture. Ovate to elliptic.
• Flowers: White, star-shaped, sepals only, from green buds, in clusters at tip of branches. Bisexual. Five petals, five sepals.
• Habit: 2 - 6 feet tall, compact evergreen shrub with red-purple stems.

Habitat: Frequent member of coastal chaparral and sage scrub community. Also locally abundant on cool, fog-dominated sites along the central Coast Range where it occurs beneath mixed-hardwood.

Interesting information:

• Coffeeberry is distributed throughout much of California and is generally considered a staple browse of both big game and livestock.
• The fruits of coffeeberry are extensively utilized by numerous wildlife species, particularly birds.
• Palatability of plant depends upon stem age and community associates.
• Coffeeberry is useful for erosion control on dry, steep hillsides. 
• Seeds should be collected in fall, approximately 2 weeks before fully ripe and then pulp removed prior to sowing.
• Also used as ornamental because shiny, colorful berries contrast nicely with the light green foliage.

Ethnobotanical Information:

• Coffeeberry bark is a popular herbal remedy for chronic constipation.
• Both it and Rhamnus crocea - Spiny Redberry - are sold commercially under the name of Cascara Sagrada. 
• The preparation is tricky (it involves aging it for a year followed by extensive heat treatment and tincture preparation) so it is not recommend to just chew on some raw stuff.
• Berries were gathered historically by West coast Indian tribes for culinary as well as medicinal purposes. The berries are sweet and edible.
• Superficially resemble commercial coffee bean, however, attempts at using coffeberry as coffee substitute have not be successful.

(Photos: ©2008 Eric Poelzl, NPS)