Virginia Tech Dendrology

desert honeysuckle Acanthaceae Anisacanthus quadrifidus (Vahl) Nees symbol: ANQU2
Leaf: Deciduous (but may be evergreen in frost free areas), opposite, simple, lanceolate, 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, entire margins, may be finely pubescent; bright green above and below.
Flower: Showy, red to orange, 4 petals fused to a 1 1/2 long tube, borne on 8 inch spikes; appearing midsummer and may continue to first frost with adequate moisture.
Fruit: A two-celled dehiscing capsule.
Twig: Slender, gray-brown; swollen at the opposite leaf scars, may be minutely pubescent.
Bark: Reddish to gray-brown, becoming somewhat shreddy.
Form: A dense rounded shrub to 5 feet tall.

Additional Range Information: Anisacanthus quadrifidus is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information