Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Oemleria cerasiformis, also known as the Osoberry and Indian Plum, is the sole species in genus Oemleria. It is a shrub native to the Pacific coast and ranges of North America, from British Columbia, Canada to Santa Barbara County, California, U.S.A. It is among the first plants to leaf out and flowers early in the spring. It reaches a height of 1.5-5 meter and has lance-shaped leaves 5-12 centimeter long. Native Americans ate them, made tea of the bark, and chewed its twigs to use as a mild anesthetic and aphrodisiac.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

5 - 20 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Fast

Calscape icon
Color

White, Pink

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Partial Shade

Water

Low, Moderate

Ease of care

Moderate

Soil drainage

Fast

Soil description

Tolerates a variety of soils as long as adequate drainage is provided.

Sunset Zones

4, 5*, 6*, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Site type

Open areas, forest edges, damp areas

Plant communities

Chaparral, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Forest, Yellow Pine Forest

Bats
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

2 confirmed and 7 likely

Confirmed Likely

Adelphagrotis stellaris

Northern Scurfy Quaker

Homorthodes furfurata

Agrochola pulchella

Agrochola purpurea