This is an attractive small tree with very beautiful flowers.  The foliage and bark are drought tolerant and handles windy and coastal conditions.  It is a bit messy for a patio or near the pool but breathtaking elsewhere in the garden.  Birds eat the fruit and the flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.  Though the fruit are sweet, they are considered slightly toxic to humans when fresh. Indigenous people make jellies and dyes from the fruit and use the wood for firewood and light carpentry.  This plant has a native range that extends from Rio Grande valley of southern Texas south to San Luis Potosi in Mexico.

This large shrub  can be trained up as a small tree with attractive bark and a rounded shape to 12  feet in height, 8-10 feet in width in zones 8-24.  The leaves on the Mexican Olive have thick long ovate leaves that are soft lightly fuzzy texture to the touch but harden with age and are gray-green above and pale below.

The flowers bloom year round but in peak season blooms are during spring into summer.

Flowers are often present nearly year-round usually in clusters of 2 inch wide funnel-shaped white flowers with yellow throats and petals that have a crepe paper texture.  These are followed by yellow-green olive-like fruit that slightly resemble an olive.  Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil with occasional to very little water; tip frost damage will occur down to the mid 20’s°.

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Scientific name: Cordia boissieri    

Common name: Mexican Olive, Texas Olive, Anacahuita, Anacahuite, White Cordia

Family name: Boraginaceae (Borage Family)

Origin:  Rio Grande Valley of Texas south to San Luis Potosi in Mexico

Plant type: Tree or Shrub

Leaf cover: evergreen and Semi-evergreen                                 

Density: medium- high                                                   

Texture:  soft-light fuzzy

Height ft.  15′                                              Width ft.  10′ – 12′                

Form: symmetrical                                    Growth Rate: slow                 

Leaf Type: broadleaf                                Leaf Arrangement: alternate

Leaf Shape: Ovate                                    Leaf Size: 2-3 inches                

Leaflet Size:                                                 Leaf Margin: entire                 

Leaf Tip: acute – obtuse                          Leaf Base:                 

Leaf Surface: Scabrous, Tomentose

Leaf Color: gray green                 

Leaf Fragrance: none                               Flower Sex: Hermaphroditic           

Flower Showy: showy                             Flower Grouping: 3-8   

Flower Cluster Type: wide funnel     Flower Size: 2”    

Flower Cluster Size: 8-10″                  Flower Season: year round     

Cut Flower: no                                            Flower Fragrance: none                 

Flower Color: white                                 Fruit Type:  Drupe

Fruit Size: 1/2″ – 1″                                   Fruit Edible: no 

Fruit Color: purple to reddish-brown                                 

Fruit Showy: no    

Fruit Season:                                                Bark Type:     

Bark Color: brown                                     Root Type: moderate    

Wood Strength: moderate                    Branching: upright

USES: alkali tolerant,  flower effect, foliage effect, hillside, low maintenance, rock garden, container garden.

Soil Texture: clay                                        Soil pH:   alkaline  

Soil Moisture:   dry to moist                  Sun Exposure: full sun  

Hardiness:   Hardy 8-24                                      

Climate:   heat, drought, aridity, smog, wind, salt/sea spray                            

Water: low water needs                             Fertilizer: usually not needed    

Pruning: prune for strong structure       

Propagation: seeds or cuttings         

Comments: no known pests