08/14/2025
From our friends at Master Gardener
California has a variety of native plants that produce berries in late summer. Here are some notable ones:
California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica): This shrub produces small, dark berries that ripen from green to red to black in late summer. The berries are a food source for birds and other wildlife.
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea): The blue elderberry is common in many parts of California. It produces bluish-black berries in late summer, which are edible when cooked and are often used in jams, syrups, and wines.
Western Snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis): This shrub produces white to pinkish berries in late summer, which are eaten by birds and other wildlife.
Ribes sanguineum (Red-Flowering Currant)
This deciduous shrub is native to the western United States and is known for its clusters of pink to red flowers in the spring. By late summer, it produces small, dark blue to black berries that are edible but often considered more suitable for wildlife than for humans. The berries attract birds, especially in late summer and early fall.
These plants not only provide food for wildlife but also add color and interest to the garden in the late summer months. If you’re planning to grow any of these, make sure to consider the specific growing conditions they require.
