Common names include Elbowbush, Stretchberry, Spring Herald, Desert Olive, Tanglewood, Devil’s Elbow, Spring Goldenglow, New Mexico Privet, Texas Forsythia
Elbowbush is a charming, deciduous, multi-trunked medium shrub that grows upright into a gentle, rounded vase shape. When pruned, it’s branches often grow back at an angle, hence the name Elbowbush. It’s sharply branching limbs showcase a lovely pale gray bark that beautifully contrasts with the small, bright green leaves. In early spring, delightful clusters of tiny, yellow-green, fragrant blossoms make their appearance, offering a vital source of nectar for our buzzing bee friends. The female plants gift us with numerous small, fleshy blue-black fruits that ripen in late summer, providing a winter feast for many birds and small mammals. It is also a host plant for Hairstreak butterflies.
This beautiful shrub thrives in canyons, rocky slopes, and desert flats throughout the Trans-Pecos region, stretching all the way to Utah and California. It’s incredibly resilient and able to tolerate drought and a variety of soil types—even saline. Whether soaking up the sun or basking in partial shade, it adapts well. During extreme drought conditions, it might shed its leaves, but don’t worry; once the main trunks are well established, you can even prune it into a lovely small tree, adding sculptural charm as a striking accent or specimen plant.
