Beach Tea, Hierba del Jabali

Croton punctatus

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Plant Description: Woody-based perennial to 45 cm high, commonly spreading. Leaves 2-5 cm long, hairs are star-shaped on both surfaces, lower leaf surface with tiny spots and usually brown veins, ovate to elliptic, grayish. Male and female flowers, tiny on separate plants, sometimes but rarely on the same plant.

Plant Trivia:

Field Identification: beach plant; lower leaf surface has dots and have a brownish appearance because of the brown veins

Occurrence: common on dunes of barrier islands and occasionally found on bay beaches

Bloom Period: March – December

Plant Use:

Key to the species of Croton: 14 Croton species in our area. Suggest using Plants of the Texas Coastal Bend by Roy L. Lehman, Ruth O’Brien & Tammy White