Senegalia greggii

Common Names

Catclaw Acacia, Catclaw, Devil's Claw, Wait-a-Minute Bush, Texas Catclaw, Texas Catclaw Acacia, Long-flowered Catclaw, Longflower Catclaw, Long-flowered Catclaw Acacia, Longflower Catclaw Acacia, Uña De Gato, Gregg Catclaw, Gregg Catclaw Acacia, Gregg Acacia, Gregg's Catclaw, Gregg's Catclaw Acacia, Gregg's Acacia

Summary

Desert-dwelling, deciduous shrub or small tree native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, it forms a dense, thorny thicket up to about 10–15 ft tall and 15–20 ft wide. It features curved spines and bipinnate gray-green leaves, with fragrant cream-colored flowers arranged in dense spikes that attract bees; following flowering are long, twisted pods. A deep-rooted, highly drought-tolerant plant, it thrives in full sun on dry, well-drained soils such as rocky or sandy sites in washes, canyons, and rocky hillsides.

Propagation is by seed, with scarification or soaking sometimes used to improve germination; transplanting is challenging due to a deep taproot. In landscapes, it serves as an ornamental hedge, barrier, or desert accent and is valued for wildlife habitat, nectar for insects, and pollinator support. Wood is used for tools and fuel; immature pods are edible after boiling to remove tannins, while seeds and mature pods are inedible. It tolerates USDA hardiness zones 7–10 and requires little to no irrigation once established.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

10-15 ft

Spread

15-20 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil, suitable for sandy, loamy, and clay soils

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Cream to yellow

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green to gray-green

Fall Foliage Color

grayish-green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Root crown sprouts, Planting seedlings

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, birds