Ehretia anacua, the sandpaper tree

Everything's bigger in Texas, as the saying goes. The adage holds true for cars, steaks, drinks and even plants. While ehretia microphylla is grown as a bonsai, its American cousin, the Ehretia anacua, is over ten meters tall.

How to recognize Ehretia anacua?

Ehretia anacua is a tree with a rounded habit. It reaches a height of fifteen meters in its natural habitat.

Its trunk measures up to 60 centimetres in diameter. Deep vertical grooves adorn the gray or brown bark.

The dark-green leaves are rough, like sandpaper. Their shape varies according to the blades. Some are oval, others elliptical. Margins may be serrated or entire. Ehretia anacua is an evergreen tree. Leaves are renewed regularly and branches are never left bare. Except when temperatures drop too low. The limbs fall and are reborn in spring.

When the tree blooms, it is adorned with fragrant white flowers. They bloom in cymes at the tips of the branches. Melliferous, they attract insects and pollinators.

As for the fruit, it's a bird's delight. The yellow-orange drupe divides in two, each part containing four seeds.

Ehretia anacua is non-toxic to humans and animals alike. Its fruits are even edible.

Our maintenance tips

Ehretia anacua are easy to care for. After planting, you won't have to do much.

Watering

Allow the substrate to dry for about five centimetres before watering. Use non-calcareous water, such as rainwater. Moisten the soil without soaking it.

Wait for the water to drain through the drainage holes before putting your plant back in its place. Empty any water stagnating in the dish. It may rot the roots.

Spray

Your ehretia anacua hates wet foliage. You must not mist the plant.

Repotting

Obtain a perforated pot. Make a drainage layer at the bottom with clay balls or gravel.

Cover with a mixture of potting soil and garden soil. The different varieties of Ehretia anacua like well-drained soil. If yours is heavy, add gravel or river sand to lighten it.

Plant your plant at Ehretia anacua and fill the pot with your substrate. Water for the first time to eliminate air bubbles and facilitate rooting.

Plantation

Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.

Choose an isolated location, sheltered from the wind. It should be exposed to sun or half-shade.

Soak the rootball in water at room temperature. Meanwhile, dig a planting hole. Plant your Ehretia anacua and fill it in.

Press down and water generously to encourage rooting.

Information

Family	Boraginaceae - Boraginaceae
Type	Ehretia - Ehretia
Species	Ehretia anacua - Ehretia anacua
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrats	Clay soil Humus soil Loamy soil Sandy soil
Planting method	Open ground
Categories	Tree Flowery
Tags	Edible fruit Beginner Flowery
Origins	North America Central America
Hardiness (USDA)	8b
Leaf color
Flower color
Fruit color