Family: Boraginaceae

Large mostly evergreen shrub growing to about 6x8’, sometimes larger, with white nectar-rich flowers in warm weather. Inconspicuous fruits follow the flowers

Grow in full sun, provide moderate to low water when established, hardy to 10˚F. This plant needs ample space, as it takes up a lot of room.

The flowers are nectar-rich and attract all sorts of pollinators: bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Cordia is one of those genera that has pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) which are heterocyclic organic compounds synthesized by plants for protection, but used by butterflies like the monarch to attract their mates, and to protect their eggs from predation. Fallen flowers are eaten by all kinds of animals especially rabbits and desert tortoise. Fruits consumed by birds. Because of the sprawling nature of this large shrub, it is a great habitat plant, especially for small birds.

The Mayo crush the roots and boil into a tea for infants and children to prevent colds and rashes associated with them. They also use the sticks for numerous practical and cultural reasons: from sticks used in wool processing (beating sticks, loom weavers), to racks for cheese or woven to make a mattress. The sticks from this plant are used in numerous ways for ceremony.