Forestiera pubescens

Forestiera pubescens, Elbow Bush, courtesy of Melody Lytle

"Texas elbow bush is often called 'Spring Herald,' because it is usually the first to bloom in the spring. Its delicate yellowish-green flowers appear in early February or March before the leaves, in the axils of the last year's leaves. It grows in North Central Texas to the Edwards Plateau and into the Trans-Pecos, in open pastures and thickets. It has an irregular growth habit, with drooping branches that often layer and form thickets. Its light green leaves provide an attractive contrast in the landscape, and are among the first to appear in the spring. Texas elbow-bush can form an interesting background in a naturalistic landscape, and careful pruning will promote a denser shrub. Female plants produce fleshy, blue-black fruits that are an important food source for birds and small mammals."

This medium to large deciduous shrub (height to fifteen feet; width to fifteen feet) likes partial to full sun, tolerates high temperatures and limited moisture, grows on most soils and is hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone: 7.

The following Sphingidae utilize Forestiera pubescens as a larval host.
Sphinx libocedrus
Sphinx lugens

Use your browser "Back" button to return to the previous page.

This page is presented by Bill Oehlke.

This site is presented as an extension of the
World's Largest Saturniidae Site, a private worldwide silkmoth site,
Caterpillars Too!, a private North American butterfly site featuring images of caterpillars,
Sphingidae of the Americas, a free public access site about the Sphingidae (Hawkmoths) of the Americas.
and
North American Catocala, a free publc access site about the Catocala (underwing moths) of North America.

Tree information is from Aggie Horticulture

Larval hostplant lists have been compiled from the Natural History Museum's
HOSTS - a database of the world's Lepidopteran hostplants