AKA "Sandpaper Tree" A popular ornamental in Texas, with white, fragrant blossoms spring and summer, this species is hardy in dry areas and as far north as Dallas, where the plants may die back in cold winters. Wildlife consume the bright, edible orange fruit April through June, and the wood has served for fenceposts and tool handles. The name Anacua is from "Anacahuite," a Mexican name for this and related species. That word is from two others of the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs meaning "paper" (amatl) and "tree" (cuahuitl), perhaps referring to the scaly peeling bark. The English name "Knockaway" is a corruption from the same source. Drought and heat tolerant once established, leafing out in early spring. Multiple stems later fuse together to form an interesting fluted trunk with rough bark.
