Thorns are modified stems or leaves that have hardened and become sharp. Thorns, spines, or prickles are nature’s way of providing trees with an armor against the constant threat of herbivores, environmental stressors, or even as a means to reduce water loss. There are many different species of trees that have thorns, and they can be found in a variety of habitats around the world.
Trees With Thorns
Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
- Description: A deciduous tree with compound leaves, small greenish flowers, and long, often twisted seed pods. The trunk and branches can have clusters of large, branched thorns.
- Native Area: Central North America.
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Description: Known for its fragrant white flowers and dark wood. Thorns appear at the base of leaves, especially on younger trees.
- Native Area: Originally from the southeastern United States, now widespread.
Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
- Description: Small to medium-sized trees with lobed leaves, white or pink flowers, and red fruit (haws). Thorns are prominent on branches.
- Native Area: Various species are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia, and North America.
Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera)
- Description: It has a distinctive orange-like, but inedible, fruit. The bark is deeply furrowed, and branches can be thorny.
- Native Area: Originally from the south-central United States.
Mesquite (Prosopis spp.)
- Description: Typically small trees or large shrubs with bipinnate leaves, small flowers, and pods. Thorns can be quite long.
- Native Area: Arid and semi-arid regions of the Americas, particularly the Southwestern US and Mexico.
Acacia (Acacia spp.)
- Description: Variable, but often with feathery leaves or phyllodes, yellow or white flowers. Thorns can be straight or curved.
- Native Area: Africa, Australia, and parts of Asia, with Australia having the most species.
Buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.)
- Description: Some species have thorny tips at the ends of branches. Leaves are simple, often with noticeable venation.
- Native Area: Widespread in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Kapok Tree (Ceiba pentandra)
- Description: Known for its towering height and the cotton-like fluff from its seed pods. Young trees have a spiky trunk.
- Native Area: Tropical regions of the Americas, West Africa.
Silk Floss Tree (Ceiba speciosa)
- Description: Notable for its bulbous trunk covered in large, conical thorns when young, and pink or white flowers.
- Native Area: South America, particularly Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)
- Description: Known for its white flowers in spring, shiny leaves, and bright red fruit in autumn, alongside its thorns.
- Native Area: Eastern United States.
Wild Plum (Prunus americana)
- Description: A small tree with white flowers, red to yellow plums, and sometimes thorn-like spurs on branches.
- Native Area: North America.
Pyracantha (Pyracantha spp.)
- Description: Evergreen with white flowers and bright berries (orange, red, or yellow), known for its sharp thorns.
- Native Area: From Southeast Europe to Southeast Asia.
Bougainvillea
- Description: Often grown as a vine or shaped into tree form, famous for its vibrant bracts (not true flowers) and thorny stems.
- Native Area: South America, particularly Brazil.
Christ’s Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi)
- Description: A durable tree with small, edible fruits. It has tough, sharp spines, often paired at the base of leaves.
- Native Area: Northeast Africa and the Middle East.
American Holly (Ilex opaca)
- Description: This evergreen tree is recognized for its dark green, spiny leaves and bright red berries, which are particularly prominent in winter. While not all branches have thorns, the leaves themselves are quite spiky, deterring browsing by herbivores.
- Native Area: Eastern and south-central United States, from Massachusetts south to central Florida, and west to Missouri and Texas.
Chittamwood Tree (Bumelia lanuginosa)
- Description: Also known as Woolly Bucket or Gum Bumelia, this tree has small leaves that are often woolly underneath. It produces small, berry-like fruit and has thorns on its branches. The bark is deeply furrowed, giving it a distinctive look as it matures.
- Native Area: Found in the southeastern United States, extending from Texas to Florida and north to Illinois and Virginia.
Pochote (Ceiba aesculifolia)
- Description: Also known as the Silk Cotton Tree, it’s known for its bulbous trunk which often has large, conical thorns, especially when young. The tree produces kapok (silk cotton) from its pods.
- Native Area: Native to Mexico and Central America, particularly in dry forest regions.
Pejibaye Palm (Bactris gasipaes)
- Description: Commonly known as the Peach Palm, it’s not a tree in the traditional sense but a palm. It has long spines on its trunk, leaves, and fruit clusters. It’s cultivated for its edible fruit, which must be cooked before consumption.
- Native Area: Native to the tropical Americas, from Central to South America.
Coastal Coral Tree (Erythrina caffra)
- Description: This tree has compound leaves and produces vibrant orange to red flowers, which are followed by seed pods. It has small to medium-sized thorns on its branches.
- Native Area: Indigenous to the coastal regions of South Africa.
European Crabapple (Malus sylvestris)
- Description: A small to medium-sized tree with thorny twigs when young. It produces small, tart apples. The tree has a somewhat wild appearance compared to cultivated apple trees.
- Native Area: Europe, from the British Isles to Eastern Europe.
Devil’s Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa)
- Description: Known for its very spiny stems, large bipinnate leaves, and clusters of small white flowers that develop into black berries. It has a straight, single stem when young, creating a striking silhouette.
- Native Area: Eastern United States, from Florida to Pennsylvania and west to Texas.
Sandbox Tree (Hura crepitans)
- Description: This tree is notable for its smooth, dark bark covered with sharp, conical spines. It’s also known for its explosive fruit, which can burst open when ripe, scattering seeds at high speed (hence another name, “dynamite tree”).
- Native Area: Tropical regions of North and South America, including the Amazon Rainforest.