toyon

[ toi-on, -ohn ]

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of toyon¹

1840–50, Americanism; variant of tollon < Mexican Spanish tollón

Example Sentences

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

“The garden goes dormant in the summer but doesn’t die. Drought-tolerant plants are survivors. The sugar bush, toyon, manzanita, coffee berry, ceanothus and hummingbird sage hold their vivid green color year-round,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Los Angeles Times

This I had to see, but I didn’t, because it was too early in the year, and also because I couldn’t find any toyon at all.

From Los Angeles Times

TreePeople is offering five varieties of native trees saplings for “adoption” — only one per household — including coast live oak, scrub oak, valley oak, toyon and southern black walnut.

From Los Angeles Times