It's not though. I am so wrong, lol.
It's Toyon, aka "California Holly" or "Christmas Berry" and the birds love it.
In winter, it's got pea-sized bright red berries that stand out, brighter than everything else. You learn to never eat them as a kid when growing up in Northern California. Native Americans knew/know how to prepare them so that you could, theoretically, eat them.
But if you eat these scarlet berries off the bush raw, you will be very unhappy. They basically have cyanogenic glycosides that release cyanide when chewed. Luckily it's not easy to eat them, they taste terrible: bitter, mealy, and acidic.
In general though, don't eat wild red round berries off the bush, they'll mess you up.
Carolina Snailseed Twig
7" X 10"
Original painting made on January 1st, 2026
Ink, watercolor on Arches cold press paper from France