Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Texas Ebony
Texas Ebony is a slow-growing evergreen tree with dark, glossy leaves on zigzag branches. Fragrant cream to yellow flower spikes open from late spring into summer, followed by big, woody seed pods. It grows into an upright shade tree 20 to 30 feet tall, often with several trunks. Once rooted, it gets by on little water.
Best for: evergreen shade on little water, fragrant summer flowers for bees and butterflies, and hot spots in the yard.
Its dense, dark green leaves stay on all year and give good shade once it matures. A deep soak about twice a month in summer keeps it healthy.
Cream to yellow flower spikes open from late spring into summer and draw bees and butterflies. They are fragrant up close.
It handles intense heat well, which suits hot patios and yards. It grows slowly, so it stays in scale for years.
Sharp thorns hide under the leaves, so keep it off walkways and wear gloves to prune. Large woody pods hang on and drop, and it takes years to reach full size.
- Closer planting15 ft apart
- Wider planting30 ft apart
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly by the second month, and keep up deep, regular soaks for its first 3 years. Once rooted, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep at the canopy edge about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about monthly in winter.
Take off the nursery stake at planting, and stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball and soft, wide ties that let the trunk sway. Remove them after about a year.
Train young trees gently to a good shape and never shear it. Heavy pruning exposes the bark to sunburn, so take no more than a quarter of the canopy a year.
Sharp thorns hide under the leaves and can draw blood. Wear gloves and long sleeves when you prune, and keep it back from walkways.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Texas ebony get?
It usually grows 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide, often with several trunks. Old trees can grow larger.
How fast does it grow?
It grows slowly, so buy the largest size you can if you want shade sooner.
Does Texas ebony have thorns?
Yes. Sharp thorns hide under the leaves along the branches and can draw blood. Wear gloves to prune and keep it back from walkways.
How much water does it need?
Once rooted it needs little water. Give it a deep soak about twice a month in summer and little in winter.
When does it bloom?
Fragrant cream to yellow flower spikes open from late spring into summer, and sometimes after monsoon rains. Plant it where you can enjoy the scent from a patio.
Are the seed pods messy?
The large woody pods hang on the tree for a long time and eventually drop. Rake them up as they fall.
How cold hardy is it?
It is rated hardy to about 20°F, and it can drop its leaves when temperatures fall into the low 20s. A normal Valley winter is fine, so it needs no frost cover.
How should I prune it?
Train young trees gently to a good shape and never shear it. Heavy pruning can sunburn the bark.
Texas Ebony for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Texas Ebony is a slow, tough evergreen shade tree for the Valley. Below are the questions people ask most, from size, speed and water to flowers, pods, thorns, cold and pruning.
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Texas ebony size and growth
It grows slowly to about 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide, often with several trunks. Plant it where it has room to spread over the years.
Does Texas ebony have thorns?
Yes, sharp thorns hide under the leaves along the branches. Wear gloves when you prune, and keep it back from walkways.
Watering Texas ebony in Phoenix
Once rooted, give it a deep soak about twice a month in summer and little water in winter. Young trees need more regular water for their first few years.
Texas ebony flowers and pods
Fragrant cream flower spikes appear from late spring into summer and draw bees and butterflies. Large woody pods follow, so plan on raking them when they drop.
Is Texas ebony evergreen?
Yes, it keeps its dark leaves all year, though it can drop them when temperatures fall into the low 20s.
Pruning Texas ebony
Train young trees gently and never shear it, since heavy pruning sunburns the bark. Take no more than a quarter of the canopy in a year.
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