Distribution: Occasional near the coast in Oregon and California.

Habitat: Prefers high humidity; rarely escapes cultivation

Origin: Introduced

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees

Evergreen shrubs, 1-3 m. tall, the stems dimorphic, with elongate primary and short axillary shoots; second year bark brown-woolly; stems spiny.

Leaves simple; petioles 0.1-0.3 cm. long; leaf blades obovate, 1-veined from the base, 1.7-3 cm. long and 0.9-2 cm. wide, thick and rigid, the base acute, the margins wavy, reflexed, toothed or shallowly lobed, these tipped with spines, the tip rounded, the surface glossy green.

Inflorescence a dense, 10- to 20-flowered raceme 3-4 cm. long; flowers yellow, with 6 sepals, 6 petals, and 3 membranous, scale-like bracteoles; stamens 6.

Berries purple, spheric, 6-7 mm. in diameter, juicy and firm.