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Texas Olive, Anacahuita, Mexican Olive
Cordia boissieri

Climate Resiliency 5 out of 5 stars

An attractive plant with a rounded, dense crown and large, leathery, deep green to gray-green leaves with paler green undersides. Large, funnel-shaped, crape-textured white flowers with yellow throats bloom throughout the warm weather. As the flowers fade, the yellow throats turn orange. Clustered drupes of red-brown to purple fruits attract birds and wildlife. Has interesting webbed bark as it ages. Can be used as a large shrub or trained into tree form. Likes full sun and reflected heat, but will accept some shade. While often evergreen in it native habitat, becomes partially to fully dormant in our colder winters. May suffer some frost damage. Generally requires pruning only to remove frost damage or to train into tree form. Some litter from flowers and seeds.

• Plant type: Shrub, Tree
• Maintenance level: Low
• Water requirement: Medium, Low
• Sun exposure: Full, Part Sun, Reflected Heat
• Height range: 15–25 Feet
• Width range: 10–20 Feet
• Canopy value: 133 ft²
• Growth rate: Medium, Slow
• Seasonal habit: Semi-Evergreen, Semi-Deciduous
• Flower color: Orange, Yellow, White
• Flower season: Spring, Summer, Autumn
• Fruit color: Brown, Red, Purple
• Fruit season: Summer, Autumn
• General foliage color: Grey, Green
• Design style: Patio Plants, Pollinator Plants
• Hardiness cold tolerance: 20 °F
• Soil preference: Sand, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Well Drained, Dry
• Native location: New Mexico, Texas Rio Grande, and northern Mexico
• PH preference: Not Particular
• Sunset zones: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
• USDA hardiness zone: 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b

Plant characteristic definitions