Senegalia Species, Devil's Claw, Gregg's Catclaw, Paradise Flower, Wait-a-Bit Tree

Senegalia greggii is a very beautiful and interesting Utah native tree. It is native to Washington County in the northern extent of the M...Read Moreojave Desert. Southern Utah is the northern most place in the whole world where the genus Senegalia grows naturally. Senegalia is a genus of warm climate trees that occur in Africa, Australia, the Indo Pacific, and South America in strictly dry sub tropical- tropical environments. They are very closely related to Acacia trees and this species was labeled as “Acacia greggii” until 2005 I believe, when it was moved to a new genus. A lot of people still call it an Acacia to this day though, it’s very common. This species gets GORGEOUS showy yellow bottle brush type blooms all over it every year. Senegalia greggii grows to be about 15-25 feet tall in Utah, but can reach heights of 40 feet or more further south. This is also the most cold tolerant species of Senegalia and can grow just fine in dry areas in zone 7a +. I have see a specimen planted in Salt Lake City, Utah (zone 7b) that has thrived for many years and doesn’t show any sort of damage. And that is about 3 hours north of its native range in Southern Utah. Overall this is a very beautiful and tough desert tree, and is one of my absolute favorite native species in Utah.

Nasty, very sharp curved thorns. Brush up against it and get cut. That's why I gave it a negative. Don't plant in high traffic areas. ...Read More />
Wild in my yard, no watering needed. Can survive very hot environments. Grows in wash.
Looks a lot like Ironwood, but flowers and seed pods are different.

Also known as uña de gato, gatuño and tesota.

Acacia greggii is Native to Texas and other States.