Elbowbush

Forestiera angustifolia

Oleaceae


Description

This evergreen shrub has smooth grey bark and is 3 to 8 feet in height. Elbowbush's branches are at 90 degree-angles coming off the main stem opposite eachother.

The leaves are clustered on the mature twigs, are smooth, light green, and are linear with entire margins. The greenish-yellow flowers emerge in clusters right before new leaves sprout or in the spring. Elbowbush's fruit is a small, black, single-seeded drupe.

It is commonly grazed by both white-tailed deer and livestock and the fruit is eaten by numerous small mammals and birds.


Habitat

Elbowbush is commonly found on dry, well drained and stony hillsides of the Rio Grande Plains and Trans-Pecos regions.


Images