Mound San Bruno Coffeeberry (Frangula californica 'Mound San Bruno', formerly Rhamnus californica 'Mound San Bruno') is a versatile evergreen shrub with a mounding form and lush dark green foliage.
'Mound San Bruno' was selected from plants on San Bruno Mountain, south of San Francisco. It offers the numerous benefits of the versatile species, but is more ideal for small gardens and outdoor spaces. It is perfect for creating a low-growing California native hedge in more formal or traditionally styled spaces.
The Mound San Bruno cultivar requires minimal water, but it is less tolerant of heat and drought than other varieties of Coffeeberry, such as 'Leatherleaf' and 'Eve Case', making it most suitable for sites near the coast with more temperate climates.
'Mound San Bruno' Coffeeberry thrives in sandy, coarse-grained or other fast draining soil, but is tolerant of other soils as long as they are fast draining. It prefers sun or part shade on the coast, and part shade or shade farther inland to help it withstand hotter temperatures.
While it works well as a background evergreen, 'Mound San Bruno' Coffeeberry still creates dynamic visual interest in the garden. As with the species, its flowers are greenish-yellow and inconspicuous in springtime, followed by attractive showy berries that ripen from green to red to black when finally ripe in the fall. On new growth, its stems have a slight red tint.
It attracts many pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. It is a host plant for many species of beautiful moths and butterflies.
Frangula/Rhamnus californica 'Mound San Bruno' - Mound San Bruno Coffeeberry
Optimal Growth Conditions
- Mature Height: 3 - 4 feet
- Mature Width: 4 - 6 feet
- Sun: Full Sun, Filtered Sun, Partial Shade, Shade
- Water: Low, Moderate
- Soil Drainage: Fast
Geographic Appropriateness
- USDA Zone: Zones 7 - 10
- Sunset Zone: Zones 3A - 10, 14 - 24
- Native Sites: 'Mound San Bruno' is a selected cultivar of the Coffeeberry, which is found in a wide variety of settings and habitats across California, including coastal strand, foothill woodland slopes, sage scrub flats, chaparral, evergreen forest in mountain areas, rocky outcrops, sandy areas, stream banks, pinyon-juniper woodland in desert transition, and creosote bush scrub in high desert.
Additional Landscaping Information
- Characteristics: Flowering, California Native, Evergreen
- Special Uses: Groundcover, Hedge, Bird Gardens, Foundation Planting, Borders, Banks