Retama
Parkinsonia aculeata L.
Fabaceae (Legume family)
Description
Retama is a green-barked shrub or small tree in the Legume family. It grows 10 to 15 feet tall and has slender, spreading branches with feathery foliage. The trunks and branches are armed with needle-sharp spines that are turned up slightly.
Retama leaves are located alternately along the stems and are twice compound, with one or two branches and many leaflets per branch.
The yellow flowers have five petals, one of which has red spots. The fruit is a brown, many-seeded legume up to 4 inches long.
Retama leaves are sometimes browsed by white-tailed deer, and the fruit is eaten by deer and other mammals and birds.
Habitat
Retama grows in moist, poorly drained areas.
Images
Plant Characteristics
Flower Color: Yellow
Duration: Perennial
Stem Texture: Prickly, Spiny, or Thorny
Growth Habit: Shrub (Woody)
Leaf Shape
: Bipinnately Compound
Season: Warm
Distribution
: 02 - Gulf Prairies and Marshes, 03 - Post Oak Savannah, 04 - Blackland Prairies, 05 - Cross Timbers and Prairies, 06 - South Texas Plains, 07 - Edwards Plateau, 10 - Trans-Pecos
Distributions
Distribution refers to the ecological region in Texas that a plant has been found. You can also view a clickable map.
Book: Brush and Weeds of Texas Rangelands (B-6208)
Collection: Brush and Weeds
