 | Goatbush, Allthorn, Allthorn Castela, Bisbirinda, Chaparro Amargoso, Texas Goat-bush Castela erecta subsp. texana (C. texana) Simaroubaceae Goatbush is a medium-sized shrub with thorn-tipped branches and small linear leaves that are extrememly bitter-tasting. It provides good cover for wildlife but its bitter taste gives it little forage and wildlife food value. It grows in thickets, gravelly hills and mesquite prairies throughout South Texas and in the Edwards Plateau. The tiny reddish flowers appear in spring, followed by a small, flattened, brilliant red fruit. The undersides of the leaves are very silvery, a characteristic that distinguishes it from lotebush (Ziziphus obtusifolia). Goatbush tends to be thicket-forming and is very drought tolerant. It is reliably cold hardy from San Antonio south. Plant Habit or Use: medium shrub Exposure: sun Flower Color: red to pink Blooming Period: spring Fruit Characteristics: red drupe with one seed Height: 3 to 10 feet Width: 2 to 8 feet Plant Character: Heat Tolerance: very high Water Requirements: Soil Requirements: adaptable Additional Comments:
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