This small evergreen shrub is found from northern California to Northern Baja  anywhere below 3000- feet in Washes and Canyons. It is a small evergreen shrub with small leathery green leaves with a toothed margin. The bright red berries develop in the spring that are very attractive to birdlife. Rhamnus crocea is the exclusive host of the rare Hermes copper butterfly which lays its eggs on the underside of the leaves.