BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Prunus ilicifolia | Hollyleaf Cherry 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Hollyleaf cherry is a native, sclerophyllous, broadleaved shrub or small
tree [6,28,34].  Although it commonly assumes a shrubby growth habit,
heights may range from 3 to 26 feet (1 to 8 m) [34].  Treelike forms
usually occur on more favorable sites, with some individuals reaching 24
feet (7.3 m) in height and 11.5 feet (3.5 m) in circumference [6,13].
Branches are gray or reddish brown in color [5].  The foliage is
typically dense and compact [40].  The thick, evergreen, spiny-toothed
leaves are dark green and shiny above with pale undersides; leaves are
simple, approximately 0.8 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm) long, and arranged
alternately on the stem [5,34].  Small, inconspicuous, bisexual flowers
are produced in short cylindrical clusters and are white in color.  The
fruit is a small, red or purple (sometimes yellow) drupe consisting of a
thin, sweetish pulp and a smooth, boney seed [34].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Hollyleaf cherry can regenerate sexually or vegetatively.  It is a
widespread component of fire-prone environments and maintains itself
primarily through vigorous sprouting.  Little or no seedling
establishment occurs immediately following fire [24,43].  Extended
fire-free periods create conditions favorable to seedling establishment
and population expansion [25,26].

Seed regeneration:  Hollyleaf cherry starts producing seed as early as 3
years of age [14].  As with most chaparral shrubs, seed is produced
almost annually after the first flowering [38], and production does not
appear to decrease with age [22].  Seeds are dispersed in the fall [25].
Large numbers of the fleshy, one-seeded fruits fall directly beneath the
parent plant, but widespread dispersal also occurs through animal
vectors, particularly birds [14,23,40,49].  The seeds are short-lived.
Viability is retained no longer than 9 months when seed is allowed to
dry at room temperatures [25].  Seeds germinate readily under suitable
moisture and temperature conditions; they do not require the stimulus of
heat or charred wood for germination [25,38,50].  Germinative capacity
of stored seeds was 24 percent when stratified for 90 days in a moist
medium at temperatures ranging from 33 to 41 degrees F (0.6 to 5 degrees
C) [14].  Germination is apparently inhibited by constant darkness [25].
In the nursery, seedling emergence occurred within 20 to 40 days after
sowing [8].  Natural germination apparently takes place during the
winter or spring immediately following dispersal [38].

Unlike many chaparral species, hollyleaf cherry is not dependent on
fire-created gaps for establishment [23,43].  Instead, hollyleaf cherry
is able to establish seedlings during fire-free periods, utilizing gaps
created by the death of shorter-lived species [44].  Limited hollyleaf
seedling establishment has been observed in a 25-year-old stand of
chamise chaparral in openings previously occupied by hoaryleaf ceanothus
(Ceanothus crassifolius) [20].  Increased seedling establishment is
generally restricted to more mature chaparral stands, usually those
ranging from 60 to 100+ years of age [26,36].  Germination and seedling
growth are apparently favored on mesic sites (north slopes) which
possess a well-developed litter layer [26,36]; litter layers beneath
mature stands of scrub oak chaparral may reach up to 8 inches (20 cm) in
depth [17].  Seasons of above-normal precipitation may also be important
for hollyleaf cherry seedling establishment [24,43].  Although seedlings
may initially establish beneath mature chaparral, seedling recruitment
into the population is never very abundant [23,26]; seedlings are
frequently stunted and are susceptible to browsing by small mammals
[36,45,46].  For chaparral species capable of establishing between
periodic fires, Zedler [44] suggests that gap size may be crucial to a
seedling's ablility to survive to the stage where it can resprout
following fire.  Suitable gaps for the successful establishment of
hollyleaf cherry are apparently more prevalent in older stands of
chaparral.  On favorable growth sites in a 65-year-old stand of scrub
oak chaparral, hollyleaf cherry seedlings reached heights of 28 inches
(70 cm) within 6 years [36].

Vegetative regeneration:  In the absence of fire, many long-lived
sprouters within stands of mature chaparral rejuvenate their canopy by
continually producing new sprouts from established rootcrowns [24,26].
Generalized information on obligate resprouting species within chaparral
suggests that hollyleaf cherry also maintains itself in this manner
[24].  Following disturbances such as fire or cutting, hollyleaf cherry
also regenerates vegetatively from adventitious buds located on stumps
or root crowns [5,40].  This species apparently does not develop an
ontogenetically derived lignotuber [23,24].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Hollyleaf cherry is usually associated with relatively mesic situations
within chaparral and foothill woodland communities throughout the
southern Coast Ranges [6,23].  Typical sites include dry, well-drained
slopes and fans at elevations below 5,000 feet (1,525 m) [5,34,35].
Soils include sand, loam, or clay [40].  Hollyleaf cherry is apparently
quite tolerant of alkaline soils [40].

In chaparral communities, hollyleaf cherry occupies relatively moist,
cool sites such as north exposures, erosion channels, arroyos,
depressions, and the toes and shoulders of slopes [15,41].  


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Hollyleaf cherry is a long-lived, shade tolerant species which is a
widespread component of chaparral and woodland-chaparral communities
[15,17,22,23].  A highly persistant species within these communities, it
is most abundant in more mature stands occupying north-facing slopes and
other mesic locales [6,15].  These stands typically experience reduced
fire frequencies and are dominated by scrub oak chaparral [23].  During
extended fire-free intervals, hollyleaf cherry is able to outlive,
overtop, and shade out many shorter-lived shrubs; seedlings then
establish in newly created gaps beneath the mature canopy
[18,19,20,23,36].  Successional studies within scrub oak chaparral
indicate that hollyleaf cherry can establish seedlings within stands
which remain unburned for 10 to 20 years and becomes a conspicuous
component of the vegetation in 20- to 40-year-old stands [20,36].
Hollyleaf cherry, scrub oak, redberry, and toyon codominate the
vegetation of 65-year-old stands.  As stands mature beyond this point,
hollyleaf cherry and scrub oak continue to increase in dominance [18].
Significant recruitment of new individuals appears most prevalent in
very old stands, usually those 65 to 100+ years of age [26,36].
Hollyleaf cherry persists within mature chaparral until the next fire
occurs, at which time resprouted individuals become part of the initial
postburn environment [4,40].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Hollyleaf cherry typically flowers from April through May [34].  Fruits
persist until December [40].  Generalized trends in the phenological
development of hollyleaf cherry in California are presented below [14].

    Phenological stage                     Date

    Flowering                              March - May
    Fruit ripening                         September - October
    Seed dispersal                         October - December

Related categories for Species: Prunus ilicifolia | Hollyleaf Cherry