The fruit of the Twinberry is the most distinctive feature, as the name would suggest, but I didn't get a pic of the berries (in the last photo). They are dark, almost black, and come in pairs, like the flowers. The flowers are nice, but I think bracts (in the first photo) are prettier. After the flowers fall, the deep red bracts open and become quite showy. Seems kind of pointless to have such showy bracts when it is not trying to attract pollinators. I wonder what is going on there.
This bush is native to the west coast, all the way from Mexico to Canada. As you might expect, given the range, it tolerates a wide range of conditions. It likes full or part sun, is not picky about soil and is drought tolerant although it looks better with water. It is a great ornamental plant and is available now on the plant deck at the UC Botanical Garden.
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