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Native Plant Society of Texas

Barbados Cherry

Malpighia glabra

Other common name(s):

Wild Crapemyrtle, Acerola, Manzanita

Family:

Malpighiaceae (Barbados Cherry Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains
Coastal Sand Plain, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

3
to
6
ft.

Spread

3
to
6
ft.

Leaf Retention

Semi Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Limestone, Well Drained, Dry

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Pink

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Fruit, Forage, Nectar, Larval Host, Flowers

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Useful as a dense screening hedge that may be left soft, sheared, or as a specimen. Usually a shrub, but sometimes a small tree in regions with more rainfall. Propagation: softwood cutting.

Comments

Blooms April-October. Barbados Cherry develops into a thick, rounded canopy of fairly delicate foliage. It is evergreen above 25 degrees F. Small pink flowers are followed by bright red berries. Larval host: Brown-banded Skipper, White-patched Skipper, Florida Duskywing, Cassius Blue. Replaces non-native: Nandina.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 250. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=MAGL6. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=14453&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=565291#null, 6) Native and Adapted Landscape Plants, City of Austin and Texas A&M, 2014.

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Stem Cutting Moisten some rooting medium with a small amount of water, but do not make it soggy. Use a commercial rooting mix, coarse sand, some vermiculite or a half-peat, half-perlite mixture. Fill a container with the moistened mix. Dip the cut end of the stem in hormone rooting powder, if desired. Insert the cut end of the stem vertically into the rooting medium in the container so that half the stem is covered. Pat the soil firmly around the stem. Place the container in bright, indirect light in a warm location. Mist the cutting with water to keep the soil evenly moist throughout the rooting period. Transplant the rooted stem cutting after two months into a larger container or directly into the ground. Cut a 2- to 6-inch stem from the growing tip of a healthy, mature Barbados cherry shrub with a sharp knife in spring or summer after new growth appears. The cutting should have at least one leaf node. Two or more leaf nodes are better. Strip the leaves from the lower half of the stem cutting. Remove any blossoms as well. https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/propagate-barbados-cherry-18065017.php
Semi-harwood Layering Insert a wooden matchstick or toothpick to keep the cut open. Sprinkle the cut with rooting hormone powder, if desired. Soak unmilled sphagnum moss in water until wet. Wrap moss around the branch of the Barbados cherry, covering the cut. Cover the ball of moss with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Tape the ball with duct tape to secure it to the stem and keep the cover in place. Remove the tape and plastic wrap or foil in six to eight weeks, when roots have grown into the moss. Cut the branch of the shrub just below the new root ball, and transplant the new Barbados cherry to a pot or into the ground. Make a cut with a sharp knife halfway through a healthy branch of the Barbados cherry shrub, slicing just below a leaf node. Cut into the branch during spring or in summer while there are at least six weeks left in the growing season, making sure the branch is still partially attached to the parent shrub despite the cut. 1) https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/propagate-barbados-cherry-18065017.php 2) https://lexiplant.com/en/plant/malpighia-glabra-escobillo

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason