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Native Plant Database

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Forestiera pubescens (Stretchberry)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Forestiera pubescens Nutt.

Stretchberry, Elbow bush, Spring herald

Oleaceae (Olive Family)

USDA Symbol: fopu2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Shrub with opposite, or nearly opposite, twigs, sometimes on long, arched branches. Common in open woodlands, brushy areas, and near streams. Leaves opposite, with a short petiole; blades up to 1 1/4 inches long, broadly ovate to narrower, with a rounded or pointed tip, tapering or rounded at the base, and with fine toothed margins. Flowers not showy, yellow, without petals, borne in small clusters on bare twigs in February and March, male and female on separate bushes. Fruit fleshy, dark blue, with a lighter bloom easily rubbed off, 1/4 inch in diameter and slightly longer than wide.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Opposite
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Size Notes: 5-10 feet
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 6-12 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Green
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , CO , NM , NV , OK , TX , UT
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Drought Tolerance: Medium , High
Conditions Comments: Locally known as elbow-bush, so named because it typically branches at right angles. Early flowering period provides nectar for early spring butterflies, particularly small butterflies such as hairstreaks. Foliage turns chartreuse yellow in fall.

Benefit

Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Hairstreaks
Nectar Source: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge - Wimberley, TX
Native Plant Society of Texas - Fredericksburg, TX
Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Fredericksburg Chapter - Fredericksburg, TX
Texas Master Naturalists - Lost Pines Chapter - Bastrop, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX
National Butterfly Center - Mission, TX
Jacob's Well Natural Area - Wimberley, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0690 Collected Feb 9, 1994 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
NPSOT 1072 Collected May 3, 1996 in Bexar County by Mike Fox
NPSOT 0689 Collected Feb 9, 1994 in Bexar County by Mike Fox

Bibliography

Bibref 354 - Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Forestiera pubescens in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Forestiera pubescens in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Forestiera pubescens

Metadata

Record Modified: 2011-04-28
Research By: TWC Staff

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