Pithecellobium unguis-cati
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Cat's-claw, Catclaw Blackbead
Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Also known as Pithecellobium guadalupense
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Shrub | |
| Size: | 10-15 (25) ft tall by 10-15 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | White | |
| Fruit Color: | Red,black | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers, Thorns |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Specimen shrub. Thorniness makes it a good property edge hedge. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Spiny | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray would be uncommon (major storms). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Lime rock, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Calcareous | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Birds eat the fruits (and the red&black arils). | |
| Insects: | Larval host for cassius blue (Leptotes cassius theonus), large orange sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), and Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri) butterflies. Nectar plant for cassius blue, Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus), Florida white (Appias drusilla), giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes), great southern white (Ascia monuste), hammock skipper (Polygonus leo), large orange sulphur, mangrove skipper (Phocides pigmalion), Miami blue, Palatka skipper (Euphyes pilatka), southern broken-dash (Wallengrenia otho), three-spotted skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus), twin-spot skipper (Oligorio maculata) and other butterflies. | |
| Native Habitats: | Dry coastal hammocks and shell mounds. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 11
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures