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Gymnosporia senegalensis
Also called Confettitree, Red Spikethorn, Confetti Spikethorn
Maytenus senegalensis (now often named Gymnosporia senegalensis) is a thorny shrub or small tree from dry, warm regions of Africa, Arabia, Iran and India, and southern Spain. It is grown mainly as a drought-tolerant garden or landscape shrub and needs warmth, good drainage and full sun.
Maytenus senegalensis, also known as arto, arto negro or espino cambrón in Spanish is a thorny shrub of the Celastraceae family. Endemic to Ibero-Africa, it is an endangered species and listed as vulnerable. It contains cathinone and cathine.
In The Plant List it is considered a synonym of Gymnosporia senegalensis.
In Spain it grows in coastal and warm areas, up to about 400 m a.s.l., on stony soils, ravines or protected areas, where there is no frost but the marine influence is received. Areas of thorny scrub and cambronales, characteristic of the communities of Mayteno-periplocetum angustifoliae and Rhamno-Maytenetum europaei, coexists with other Ibero-African species such as Periploca angustifolia or Withania frutescens, as well as with Asparagus albus, Aristolochia baetica, Chamaerops humilis, Ephedra fragilis, Genista umbellata, Lavandula multifida, Rhamnus oleoides, Salvia rosmarinus and Thymus baeticus.
Its wood, hard and fine-grained, is used as fuel because it provides good firewood and charcoal. Its leaves are used as an aphrodisiac and central nervous system stimulant.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Maytenus senegalensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
