Texas Ebony. Pithecolobium (Pithecellobium) flexicaule, Bean Family ( fabaceae ), Texas Ebony: Also called: Ebenopsis ebano, Mexican Ebony, False Acacia, or Ebony Blackbead. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. This tree is not a wildflower or native to Arizona, but many people think it is a native wildflower, so we are also including it on our wildflower page. This 15 to 30-foot-tall evergreen tree is native to Texas and Mexico and is ideal for use in dry, desert landscapes. It's short branches are covered in very small, dark green leaflets and make up a 15 to 20-foot-wide round canopy. Short thorns are interspersed among the branches. From June to August, Texas Ebony is decorated with dense, plume-like spikes of very fragrant, light yellow to white blossoms at the ends of branches. The dark brown to black, woody seed capsules which follow are four to six inches long and persist on the tree. In Mexico, the seeds from the pods are eaten, and the black wood shells are roasted as a coffee substitute in the past. The attractive, shorttrunk of Texas Ebony is covered with smooth, grey bark. It makes a nice medium-sized shade tree. There are two slightly different names for this species: Pithecolobium or Pithecellobium which is Greek for monkey and ear-ring. It is known as Texas Ebony, Mexican Ebony, False Acacia, or Ebony Blackbead. Flowers generally occur at the ends of branches. The leaves are small, dark green, bi-pinnate (compound), arranged on a 1 inch to 2 inch long stems. Leaves fold up at night or in subdued light. Quick Notes: Height: Up to about 30 feet. Flowers: Dense, plume-like spikes of very fragrant, light yellow to white blossoms at the ends of branches. Enjoyed by bees. Flowering Time: June to August. Stems/Trunks: An attractive gray smooth trunk; the stems have small curved thorns. Seed Pod: A dark brown to black, woody seed capsule four to six inches long, maturing in mid to late summer. hanging on till late spring the next year. Seeds are dark red - brown. Leaves: The leaves are small, dark green, bi-pinnate (compound), arranged on a 1 inch to 2 inch long stems. Leaves fold up at night or in subdued sunlight. Found: Native to Texas in the United States; and to northwestern Mexico in Chihuahua, and a few in Sonora. Hardiness: USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F) Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: Usually at 0 - 3,000 Feet. Habitat: Found in plains, arroyos, roadsides, and among pi�on and juniper. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken June 25, 2003 At Glendale, Arizona.