Tetradymia spinosa longispina

Identification

Gallery

Description

Syn. Tetradymia axillaris longispina. Cottonthorn is a summer deciduous perennial shrub from the Desert. A pain to grow in any numbers at all, but we do eckkkk out a few occasionally. When insanity hits we have more than a few on hand. Thorny beyond belief, a very interesting shrub is the woolly appearance stage, uglyyyyy when it shuts down. An amazing wildlife plant. Flowers provide nectar for many butterflies and other native insects. The thorns provide protection for birds, lizards and other wildlife.
Not for container stock, nor a small back yard. Difficult unless you live in gravelly soils of the desert, or your soil test hole drains in under a minute or two. Very useful as dessert in a desert landscape. CottonThorn with three Salvia Pozo Blue, Celestial Blue or Salvia clevelandii surrounding it makes for a colorful wild garden life.