The Anacua is one of South Texas's most beloved native trees — a resilient evergreen perfectly adapted to the subtropical Rio Grande Valley climate. Its rough, sandpaper-textured leaves earn it the local nickname "Sandpaper Tree" and in Spanish, "Manzanita."

In early spring, the canopy erupts in clusters of fragrant white flowers that attract native bees and butterflies. By late spring, orange-yellow berries ripen and draw Cedar Waxwings, Northern Mockingbirds, and many migrating songbirds.