Tree Description:
A medium-sized tree, typically to 40 feet tall and a trunk to 12" in diameter, with short, stout, stiff branches that form a narrow, oval crown of dark green foliage. The twigs are often armed with straight spines.
Range/Site Description:
Occurs throughout Texas, except in the High Plains and far West Texas, usually along streams, in sandy woods, or in open areas or fencerows.
Leaf:
Simple, alternate, 2" to 4" long and 0.5" to 1" wide, obovate in shape, leaf edge smooth; leaves are dark green and shiny above, woolly-hairy underneath, and are often grouped near the ends of short spurs along the branches.
Flower:
Small, five-petaled, white flowers appear in early summer, each borne on a hairy flower stalk about 0.2" long.
Fruit:
A fleshy, black, oblong berry, 0.5" to 1" long, borne singly or in a cluster of 2 or 3; usually dry and firm on the outside, containing a light brown, firm, rounded seed.
Bark:
Dark brown to grayish, developing tightly interlacing, flattened ridges and deep furrows on older trunks.
Wood:
Light brown, streaked with white, and surrounded by a band of lighter colored sapwood. The wood is heavy, hard, and close-grained, sometimes used for tool handles or cabinetmaking.
Similar Species:
Saffron-plum (Sideroxylon celastrinum), or la coma, occurs in South Texas and has leaves 1-2" long with smooth undersides.
Interesting Facts:
The colloquial name, "chittamwood" has been given to several tree species, including gum bully, and refers to the wood used to make the biblical Ark of the Covenant.
