The Genus Mortonia
Saddlebush
Family: Celastraceae
Large upright shrubs to about 6’ tall and wide. Rough, sandpapery leaves in very neat arrangement along the stems, a striking shrub. White nectar rich flowers in spring into summer.
Plant in full sun with good drainage. Low water needed when established, though plants look better with bi-monthly deep watering in summer. Hardy to at least 15°F.
Nectar-seeking insects enjoy the flowers and granivorous birds eat the seeds. Sporadically available in cultivation.
There are 7 species native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, where they are most abundant in dry regions.The genus Mortonia is named after the American naturalist Dr. Samuel George Morton (1799-1851).
Found in in rocky places, often on limestone or calcareous substrates from 1,500-2,500 ft. Two varieties exist but in the broad sense, it is distributed in southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico and into northern Mexico with disjunct populations of var. utahensis in northwestern AZ.
Typical shape of Mortonia scabrella. Photo by CK Kelly, iNaturalist
Flowers of Mortonia scabrella, photo by Richard Reynolds, iNaturalist
Mortonia utahensis is very similar to scabra but generally much smaller plants. It can be distinguished by the triangular sepals (M. scabrella has rounded sepals)--the green things behind the flower petals. Photo by lonnyholmes, iNaturalist
Mortonia greggii is a shrub, 4-7' tall that prefers the limestone hillsides, thickets and plains near the Rio Grande in Hidalgo and Starr Counties, where it is rare, and Northeast Mexico. It has very different foliage than M. scabrella or M. utahensis. Photo by John Brush, iNaturalist
Mortonia latisepala grows in northeastern Mexico (to Veracruz). It grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland. Photo by Ulises Torres, iNaturalist
Mortonia scaberrima is a very distinguished species with serrated leaves. Native to Mexico. Photo by Jose Antonio Aranda Pineda, iNaturalist
Mortonia palmeri is native to northern Mexico. Photo by Pedro Nájera Quezada, iNaturalist
Mortonia sempivirens ranges into New Mexico, Arizona and Northern Mexico. Its rigidly upright form with white stems bearing bright grass-green, densely crowded, smallish evergreen leaves. Photo by Joey Santore, iNaturalist