Forestiera pubescens - Desert Olive (Plant)

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Highly recommended drought tolerant shrub. Birds love the berries and the small yellow flowers are fragrant. Nice as an informal hedge in hot, dry locations. Looks best with some w ater. This is a larval host plant for hairstreak butterflies. Plant Characteristics Family Name Oleaceae Species Name Forestiera pubescens Common Name Desert Olive Plant Type Shrub Sun Exposure Coast-Sun, Inland-Sun, Water Requirement Low Soil Type Sand, fast draining Flower Color Yellow, Gold Flowering Months March, April, May Evergreen/Deciduous Winter deciduous/dormant Height by Width 10ft. x 8ft. Growth Rate Moderate Endangered Not Ranked Growth Habit Upright, Cold Hardy to 15 degrees F Distribution Inner N. Coast Ranges, s Sierra Nevada Foothills, c & s High Sierra, Tehachapi, e. San Francisco Bay, S. Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Mojave Desert; to CO, TX, n Mexico Natural Habitat Streambanks, canyons, washes; from 330' - 5,900' Specialty Features Butterflies/Moths Songbirds Aromatic Pollinators Local Plants Show more