Stop 4 on the VNC Woodland Trail
The Anacua tree (Ehretia anacua) is often called the Sandpaper tree for its coarse leaves. Cousin to the Anacahuita, both produce paper-white flowers and have names derived from the Spanish words, ancahuite, which comes from the Nahuatl words for paper, amatl, and tree, quatitl.
This etymology connects the Anacua to centuries of human presence in South Texas. The Indigenous peoples who named this tree recognized something fundamental about it — its leaves are so rough they were historically used as a natural sandpaper for smoothing wood and leather.
Identification
The Anacua is a medium to large evergreen tree reaching 20 to 45 feet in height. Its most distinctive feature is its leaves — dark green, oval, and covered in tiny stiff hairs that give them a sandpaper texture on both surfaces. In early spring, the canopy erupts in dense clusters of small white flowers that are intensely fragrant and highly attractive to native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
By late spring, small orange-yellow berries ripen and persist on the tree for weeks. These berries are a critical food source for wildlife, drawing Cedar Waxwings, Northern Mockingbirds, and dozens of migrating songbird species to the tree during spring and fall migration.
Ecological Importance
Few native trees of South Texas provide as much wildlife value as the Anacua. It is a nectar plant for butterflies and bees during its long bloom period. Its berries feed birds and small mammals. Its dense evergreen canopy provides year-round shelter and nesting habitat. And its coarse leaves decompose slowly, building the deep organic soil layer that supports the entire woodland understory.
At Valley Nature Center, the Anacua anchors the woodland trail ecosystem. The specimen at Stop 4 is one of the largest on the property and has been a focal point of the trail for decades.
Growing Anacua in the RGV
The Anacua is an excellent choice for native landscaping in the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas. It is drought tolerant once established, requires virtually no supplemental irrigation, and thrives in the alkaline soils common to the region. It can be grown as a specimen tree, a shade tree, or as part of a native habitat planting. Plants are occasionally available in the VNC native plant nursery.