Monumental Occasions - Decaffeinated Coffeeberry?

Kristie Ehrhardt • October 7, 2026

You may have seen it and not realized. It’s not the plant that we get our morning brew from, nor is it striking, or rare, or really anything to get excited about but coffeeberry is something that always perks (ha!) me up when I see it. 


Coffeeberry belongs to the buckthorn (Rhamnaceae) family. This family has about 55 genera and over 950 species worldwide. There aren’t many really well-known superstars in the Buckthorn family but there are a couple that you may be familiar with. California lilac (Ceanothus sp.) are important native shrub species that occur in various regions of California; sweet, delicious jujubes are members of the family as is the equally tasty Japanese raisin tree. The buckthorn bush is the source of sapgreen, a green pigment used by artists, and the alder buckthorn was historically used to make charcoal and gunpowder. 


This pretty, somewhat introverted shrub commonly intermingles with other chaparral species in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and other portions of the Inner Coastal Range and elsewhere in California. Coffeeberry (Frangula californica) is widely distributed throughout the western United States and is found not only in California but also in: Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada and Baja California. It occurs in a variety of habitats including chaparral, coastal and northern sage scrub, mixed evergreen and redwood forests and oak woodlands. It can thrive in full sun, light shade or as an understory plant. It does well on dry, sandy or rocky soils on hillsides and can tolerate drought as well as seasonal flooding. There are six subspecies of coffeeberry: Frangula californica ssp. Californica occurs in coastal regions below 9,000 feet from Oregon south to Orange County; F. c. crassifolia is found below 4,500 feet from the Klamath Mountains and the northwest Coastal Range; F. c. cuspidata grows below the 7,500 foot elevation in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Transverse and Peninsular ranges; F. c. occidentalis also occurs below 7,500 feet in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California; F. c. tomentella occurs below 7,500 feet from Oregon’s Cascades to the Sacramento Valley south to Baja California and F. c. ursina is geographically separated and only occurs in California in San Bernardino County but is also found in Arizona and New Mexico. F. c. crassifolia is the subspecies most commonly found in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region. 


It is a medium sized evergreen shrub growing from about six to 15 feet tall and about 15 feet wide under the canopy of larger shrubs and woodland communities. It has tough, sturdy roots that resist fire and strong branches that tolerate heavy pruning either by wildfires or hedge trimmers. Once pollinated their tiny flowers produce green fruit that then transitions to yellow, bright red, then purple and finally plump, shiny black colored berries from July through to about November. The fully ripened black berries contain a bean-like seed which is where the common name coffeeberry comes from. Ironically however, they contain no caffeine. 


Their deep and branching roots, a side-effect of being a California native drought tolerant plant, play a vital role in the ecosystem by holding soil in place to help prevent erosion. Their inconspicuous green flowers are an important nectar source for 52 species of bees, ten species of native butterflies, 40 different species of native moths and seven native species of hoverflies (a harmless little fly that can stay perfectly still in mid-air like a tiny helicopter) and an uncounted number of bats. Birds take refuge in their branches for nesting and roosting and are host to over 40 species of native caterpillars. Their fruit and seeds are important food sources for bears, birds, deer and foxes. The wood is hard and durable and can be used for tools or small furniture. Native Americans used the leaves to soothe the symptoms of poison oak and muscle soreness and to help heal wounds. Although the fruit is technically edible to humans, don't nibble on too many of them as they’re known to have strong laxative properties and if unripe can cause quite a tummy ache. Enough said about that. 


Coffeeberry is especially beneficial for erosion control on steep slopes and hillsides. Once it is established, the shrubs continuously sprout from root crowns as well as wildlife generated seed dispersal. Another benefit is that it regenerates from the roots following wildfire events. Coffeeberry is pretty and often used as an ornamental species in landscaping in appropriate areas. 


If you’re doing some fall hiking through our favorite monument, keep an eye out for this pretty shrub, the berries should be dark purple or black about this time!

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