Texas kidneywood

Eysenhardtia texana

Fabaceae (Legume family)


Description

Texas kidneywood is an evergreen shrub with slender gray stems that reaches heights ranging from 3-8 feet. It has multiple stems from the base and irregularly shaped.

It has 15-47 tiny leaflets that form an alternately compounded leaf. The tiny, hairy, white flowers emerge in 1-4 inch long clusters from April to November. Texas kidneywood's fruit is a thick, dotted, green-to-brown legume and contains 2-4 seeds.

Texas kidneywood is highly browsed by white-tailed deer and is also browsed by cattle. It's seeds and flowers are valuable for insects and birds.


Habitat

Texas kidneywood is found throughout south Texas, more often in the northern portions. It prefers dry calcareous soils and rocky limestone hills and canyons.


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