Colletia hystrix (Crucifixion Thorn, Crucero, Barbed Wire Bush, Espino Negro, Yaqui)
Botanical Information
| Family | Rhamnaceae |
| Genus | Colletia |
| Species | hystrix |
| Synonyms | Colletia aciculata, Colletia armata, Colletia armata f. subglabra, Colletia brevispina, Colletia cataphracta, Colletia dumosa, Colletia ferox var. dumosa, Colletia ferox var. veprecula, Colletia hystrix var. brevispina, Colletia hystrix var. hystrix, Coll |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Shrub (evergreen) |
| Origin | South America: Chile and Argentina. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 7b |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 8 |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H5 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -15 – -10 |
| Height | 5 m |
| Spread | 4 m |
| Flowering Period | April, May |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | An almost leafless bushy shrub to 5 m tall and 4 m wide. |
| ID Characteristic | It is one of a relatively small group of non-leguminous plants that fix nitrogen in the soil. |
| Landscape | Banks and slopes, flower borders and beds, wall-side borders, city and courtyard gardens, patio and container plant. |
| Propagation | By semi-ripe cuttings of short side-shoots in late summer or seed. |
| Cultivation | Grow in moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, sheltered from cold, dry winds. |
| Pests | Generally trouble free. |
| Notable Specimens | Lanhydrock House and Garden, Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom. |
| Habitat | It grows in very arid areas characterised by low rainfall and low fertility. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Grey-green stems, rigid spines to 4 cm long. |
| Leaf Description | A large plant is entirely spiny, its leaves entirely absent. |
| Flower Description | Tiny, fragrant white flowers open in small clusters on the spines in late summer and early autumn. |
Photographs
Colletia hystrix, form, Lanhydrock House and Garden, Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Colletia hystrix, leaf, Lanhydrock House and Garden, Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Colletia hystrix, bark, Lanhydrock House and Garden, Bodmin, Cornwall, United Kingdom.