How much water does California Buckthorn need?

California Buckthorn does well with low water once it is established, tolerating dry summers typical of chaparral and woodland climates in the western United States.

What light conditions suit California Buckthorn best?

This shrub grows well in part sun and can also handle brighter, fuller sun exposure or somewhat shadier part shade spots, depending on local heat and moisture.

When does California Buckthorn bloom?

California Buckthorn typically flowers from April through June, producing small, inconspicuous blossoms.

Do pollinators visit California Buckthorn flowers?

Yes, its blooms attract bees and butterflies, which visit for nectar during the spring bloom period.

California buckthorn

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Frangula californica

Last reviewed: October 2026

California Buckthorn is an evergreen shrub that thrives in chaparral, woodland, and canyon settings across the dry West, blooming from April through June with small greenish flowers.

Toxicity unknown

California buckthorn (Frangula californica) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

low

Size

36"–180" H × 36"–120" W

Bloom

Mar, Apr, May

Native to

AZ, CA, NM, NV and 1 more states

Pollinators

bees, flies

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast Range Northwestern Forested Mountains Sierra Nevada Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains Central California Valley Southern California Mountains Central Basin and Range Mojave Basin and Range Arizona/New Mexico Mountains Chihuahuan Deserts Madrean Archipelago Sonoran Basin and Range Southern California/Northern Baja Coast

A dense, rounded evergreen shrub with glossy oval leaves and small greenish flowers followed by red berries that ripen to black. Widely adaptable across chaparral, woodland understory, and coastal scrub, and easily shaped into a clean hedge.

Growing California buckthorn

Grow California buckthorn in part sun and low water. Mature plants reach 36 to 180 inches tall and spread 36 to 120 inches wide.

Wildlife value

Host plant for pale swallowtail.

Berries feed songbirds and small mammals through summer and fall, and the foliage hosts pale swallowtail caterpillars.

Common questions

How much water does California Buckthorn need?: California Buckthorn does well with low water once it is established, tolerating dry summers typical of chaparral and woodland climates in the western United States.
What light conditions suit California Buckthorn best?: This shrub grows well in part sun and can also handle brighter, fuller sun exposure or somewhat shadier part shade spots, depending on local heat and moisture.
When does California Buckthorn bloom?: California Buckthorn typically flowers from April through June, producing small, inconspicuous blossoms.
Do pollinators visit California Buckthorn flowers?: Yes, its blooms attract bees and butterflies, which visit for nectar during the spring bloom period.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

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Common plant problems, and what to check first

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