A Connecticut native, his work specializes in sports, fishing and nature. Silverthorn is an enormous evergreen shrub, reaching up to 15 feet tall and wide, though it can be maintained at almost any height with pruning. Thriving in sun or shade and dry, infertile soil, silverthorn grows profusely without any fertilizer or care, making it arguably the most adaptable hedge plant available. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Shrubs. These are truly dramatic plants often used in southwestern-themed landscapes. If you are looking for a hardy, drought-tolerant barrier shrub producing evergreen foliage and edible fruit, look no further than It works well in the landscape used as a thick, thorny screen or hedge and its high tolerance to salt spray makes it a suitable addition to seaside gardens. If you have trees with thorns in in your landscaping, you can prevent injury by Mountain thistle, a shrubby perennial plant, grows in zones 7 through 10.

Look to some of these thorny shrubs as potential barrier plantings, as well as plantings for … All Rights Reserved. That doesn't stop people from enjoying the fruit, however, which is produced in mid-summer. Bougainvillea needs excellent drainage, so many people choose to grow it in a pot, which also gives the option of bringing it indoors for the winter, as it is a frost-sensitive species.

… Plants like agave and roses have sharp thorns growing on their stalks and stems, while other plants have coarse spines edging their leaves. Plus, sometimes a thorny plant is exactly what is needed - they make hedges much more difficult for intruders to penetrate, for example. The Lutea cultivar of the banksia rose, for example, grows to Annuals such as the spider flower of South America and the prickly poppy from the western United States have thorns.

These plants come in many sizes, making them a versatile landscaping option. John Lindell has written articles for "The Greyhound Review" and various other online publications. They are both quite large, reaching up to 100 feet in height, though the black locust stays fairly narrow, while the honey locust can grow almost as wide as it does tall. Why wasn't this page useful?© 2006-2020 LoveToKnow, Corp., except where otherwise noted. Either way, thorniness provides an interesting way to categorize plants and represents a unique form of beauty in the botanical world.Please help us improve. But if you have kids or pets, knowing which plants have thorns is also important for safety reasons to prevent injuries.Hawthorn trees have a reputation for possessing sharp thorns on their branches. Brambles refers to plants in the rubus genus, including raspberries, blackberries and their many relatives - most of which have stems covered in thorns. It sometimes grows a little too well, however, and spreads itself by seed, making it an invasive species in some areas. All Rights Reserved.© 2006-2020 LoveToKnow, Corp., except where otherwise noted. Hawthorn trees have a reputation for possessing sharp thorns on their branches. Thorn Acacias. Both trees have clusters of honey-scented white flowers in early spring, giving way to seedpods later in the year.

Numerous succulents bear thorns, including the many species of cactus available from specialty growers. It is one of the fastest growing shrubs available and will form a head-high hedge within two years of planting. There are numerous improved cultivars that are delightful flowering trees for use as a focal point in small yards. To make up for their thorny character, however, hawthorn trees bear a profusion of white flowers in early spring, followed by red fruit - which is edible in some species, such as the mayhaw, but insipid on most others. Thorns are located in many areas of the plant. Prickly pear is an exception to this rule, however, thriving in most parts of the country - places with wet summers and cold winters where most cacti don't stand a chance. They are tough and adaptable, thriving in modest soils with minimal irrigation once established. It even has fragrant (though inconspicuous) flowers and edible berries. There are two trees that go by the name of locust, both of which are covered in thorns: black locust and honey locust. They are evergreen, known for their red berries in winter and are one of the few plants of this size that is fully shade tolerant. It is usually necessary to plant more than one in order to get fruit. Thorns are sharp pointy projections from the branch of a plant. Pointing or spinose processes can broadly be divided by the presence of vascular tissue: thorns and spines are derived from shoots and leaves respectively, and have vascular bundles inside, whereas prickles (like rose prickles) do not have vascular bundles inside, so that they can be removed more easily and cleanly than thorns and spines. Thorny plants grow the sharp and often painful spikes for their own protection, but they can also protect your home.