Shiny Hackberry

Also known as Desert or Spiny Hackberry, Granjeno, and Huasteco, this perennial, deciduous shrub can reach up to 10 feet in height. It has smooth, gray bark, spiny branches, and small, somewhat rough leaves. This shrub grows clusters of small, white flowers, followed by shiny red, orange, and yellow fruit that ripens in the fall, the nectar and fruit attracting butterflies, birds, and mammals. It grows in full sun and partial shade, and in dry, rocky, sandy, and clay soils.