Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Central America, South America
China, Japan
Types
Fruit Tree
-
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Well Drained, Woodlands
subtropical regions, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-116-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-7
Sunset Zone
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
457.20 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
243.84 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink
White, Silver
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
White, Dark Green, Sienna
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
White, Dark Green, Sienna
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
White, Dark Green, Sienna
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
White, Dark Green, Sienna
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
broad, flat
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, root cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Dry, Sandy
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
In Early Autumn, Prune in winter, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Complete balanced fertilizer, iron-rich fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Whiteflies
Coral Spot, Leaf spot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Wind
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies, pollinators
Birds
Allergy
Pollen
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Skin irritation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Windbreak
Fixes Nitrogen
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Arthritis, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Fertility, Fever, Inflammation, Kidney problems, Urinary tract problems, Vitamin C
Antiasthamatic, Antitussive, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, Root
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for making hedge
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for making hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening, Wind Break
Botanical Name
Malpighia emarginata
Elaeagnus pungens
Common Name
Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry and wild crepe myrtle
Silverthorn
In Hindi
Acerola Tree
Silverthorn
In German
Acerola Baum
Silverthorn
In French
Acerola Arbre
Silverthorn
In Spanish
Árbol de acerola
Silverthorn
In Greek
Acerola Δέντρο
Silverthorn
In Portuguese
Árvore acerola
Silverthorn
In Polish
Acerola Drzewo
Silverthorn
In Latin
Acerola ligno
Silverthorn
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Rhamnales
Family
Malpighiaceae
Elaeagnaceae
Genus
Malpighia
Elaeagnus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Paperveroideae
-
Number of Species
-70
1
27800
👆🏻