Search / Plant Profile / Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia

Plant Profile

Summer Holly (Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia)

Photo Credit: John Rusk

Global Rank: T2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Ericaceae
State: CA
Nature Serve ID: 140835
Lifeform: Shrub, Tree
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

The Summer Holly is a coastal shrub that is native to California and Baja California, usually found on well drained slopes within chaparral communities. It slowly grows upright to a height of about 20 feet or more, characterized by striking white flowers in the spring. In the summer, it bears holly-like, bright red berries with bumpy skin. As it is highly intolerant to direct water in the summer, the plant will usually die after the first year. Industrialization and development serve as a significant threat to this species, particularly in San Diego County. Gravel mining is also a threat, and as a result the summer holly has been diminished to approximately six to twenty extant occurrences.

Where is Summer Holly (Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia) located in the wild?

States & Provinces:

Summer Holly can be found in California

Which CPC Partners conserve Summer Holly (Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia)?

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

California Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, San Diego Zoo Global holds 2 accessions of Comarostaphylis diversifolia subsp. diversifolia in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 8797 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

09/01/2020

Based on an September 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, California Botanic Garden holds 2 accessions of Comarostaphylis diversifolia subsp. diversifolia in orthodox seed collection. There are as many as 1910 seeds of this species in their collection - although some may have been used for curation testing or sent to back up.

08/05/2020

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, San Diego Zoo Global has collected 2 seed accessions of Comarostaphylis diversifolia subsp. diversifolia from 1 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 69 maternal plants

08/05/2020

Based on an August 2020 extract of the California Plant Rescue Database, California Botanic Garden has collected 2 seed accessions of Comarostaphylis diversifolia subsp. diversifolia from 2 plant occurrences listed in the California Natural Diversity Database. These collections together emcompass 25 maternal plants

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Comarostaphylis diversifolia ssp. diversifolia is known from approximately six to twenty extant occurrences. Development is a threat, particularly in San Diego County. Gravel mining is also a threat to this taxon.