Grows better in good garden soil, but tolerates saline and alkaline soils. Small deciduous tree, growing to 40 ft. in areas like Florida, but smaller in size in California. Graceful, ornamental and thorny, with branches growing in a zig-zag pattern.
Wood is very hard and strong.
Smal oval leaves are 1-2 inches long and a shiny bright green. Turn bright yellow before falling in autumn. Each node of woodey branch produces one to ten branchlets. Most are deciduous, falling from the plant in autumn. Flowering period extends over several months.