LA Natives Named for their berries have spectacular spring blooms
April 2026. LA never stops blooming! During California Native Plant Month, several plants named for their fruits have the opportunity to be appreciated for their spectacular blooms. Think of what’s Blooming Now as LA’s reminder to see and appreciate the whole being of those who feed us.
Here are reasons to keep your head on a swivel as you move about LA.
Newest Color: Oregon Grape
While only its summer “grapes” are edible, every bit of Oregon Grape is delectable. In spring, we adore the almost waxy rays of sunshine that fill its dark green foliage.
Pro Tip: Plant Oregon Grape where you’d like a low hedge. It will bring seasonal interest with each change in temperature. Very high performance and very low maintenance.
Catalina Cherry
Catalina Cherry’s glossy green leaves can easily be mistaken for ficus. Yet, does ficus bloom? Nope. In spring, Catalina Cherry fills with columns of little white and yellow flowers. What a treat!
Pro-Tip: Our favorite go-to hedge, in comparison to ficus, Catalina will be healthier, stronger, more drought tolerant, and provide year round habitat. They also need a little less space than some other native hedge plants, like Lemonade Berry and Toyon.
Spectacular Snowball-Sized Blooms: Christmas Berry
Toyon (Christmas Berry) is known for attracting songbirds. As its foliage fills with berries around the holidays, the gardens that hold it fill with song. Lately, its berries have lasted from December well into February – maybe they are also Valentines Berries!
Pro Tip: Strikingly similar in shape to its bunches of berries, tiny clusters of white blooms take on the appearance of snowballs. Bees find them just as delightful as the birds find the berries! It’s a great hedge for gardens with edible plants that can benefit from pollinator support.
More Blooms
Of course, almost everything blooms in April! We mentioned just these ironically named few here – we share what we see as we see it in our Bloom Stories in Instagram. You can save our in-garden favorites from our Blooming Now Boards in Pinterest or collect ideas in Houzz, where we post our go-to California Native Plants.
Of course, our favorite option is to get outside! To meet these beauties live and in-person join us on tour or visit one of our demonstration gardens.
