This large, perennial shrub or small tree is also known as Farkleberry and Huckleberry. As the largest blueberry species in North America, it normally grows 8 to 10 feet tall and wide, though large specimens can reach dimensions of up to 30 feet. Its twisting branches bear fragrant, white, bell-shaped flowers followed by shiny black berries that are bitter and tough to humans but enjoyed by many fruit-eating birds and mammals. This understory tree grows best in partial shade and dry, sandy or rocky soils.
Also known at California Bay Laurel, Oregon Myrtle, and Pepperwood, this evergreen, perennial tree has a sharp, peppery fragrance, especially when its foliage is crushed. It can grow up to 60 feet high and 30 feet wide with large, spreading branches, and a dense crown. It produces white or cream-colored flowers March through May, followed by avocado-like fruit that ripen from green to dark purple. It is drought tolerant and prefers partial shade and moist soils.
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