Tropical Desert-Thorn: A Rare Puerto Rican Native Worth Knowing About
If you’re a plant enthusiast with a passion for unique native species, you might have stumbled across the name tropical desert-thorn (Lycium tweedianum) in your botanical wanderings. This intriguing shrub is one of Puerto Rico’s native treasures, though it remains something of a mystery in the gardening world.
What is Tropical Desert-Thorn?
Lycium tweedianum is a perennial shrub that belongs to the nightshade family. True to its shrubby nature, this multi-stemmed woody plant typically stays under 13-16 feet tall, making it a manageable size for most landscapes. Like other members of its genus, it’s built to handle tough conditions – hence that desert-thorn moniker.
Where Does It Come From?
This plant is exclusively native to Puerto Rico, making it a true island endemic. You won’t find wild populations of Lycium tweedianum growing anywhere else in the world, which makes it pretty special from a conservation standpoint.
The Challenge: Limited Growing Information
Here’s where things get interesting (and a bit frustrating for curious gardeners): there’s remarkably little information available about growing tropical desert-thorn in cultivation. This suggests it’s either extremely rare, difficult to propagate, or simply hasn’t caught the attention of the horticultural world yet.
What we don’t know includes:
- Specific growing conditions and soil preferences
- USDA hardiness zones (though being Puerto Rican suggests tropical requirements)
- Pollinator relationships and wildlife benefits
- Propagation methods and availability
- Current conservation status
Should You Try to Grow It?
This is where we need to be thoughtful. While supporting native plants is always admirable, the lack of available information about Lycium tweedianum raises some important questions. If you’re determined to grow this species, here are some considerations:
If you’re in Puerto Rico: You might have the best chance of success, given the plant’s native range. However, make sure any plants you acquire are from ethical, sustainable sources that don’t impact wild populations.
If you’re elsewhere: You’ll likely need to create tropical conditions and may struggle to find legitimate sources. The plant’s rarity means you should be extremely cautious about sourcing.
Alternative Native Options
If you’re drawn to the idea of growing a unique Lycium species but can’t source tropical desert-thorn responsibly, consider these alternatives based on your location:
- In the southwestern US: Lycium pallidum (pale desert-thorn) or Lycium andersonii (Anderson’s desert-thorn)
- In other tropical areas: Research native Solanaceae family members in your region
- For Puerto Rican gardens: Explore other native shrubs that are better documented and more readily available
The Bottom Line
Tropical desert-thorn represents one of those fascinating botanical puzzles – a native species that’s largely unknown in cultivation despite potentially having garden merit. While we can appreciate its uniqueness and conservation value, the responsible approach is to avoid seeking it out until more information becomes available about sustainable cultivation and sourcing.
Instead, focus your native plant enthusiasm on well-documented species with established ethical sources. Your garden will benefit from plants with known growing requirements, and you’ll be supporting conservation efforts that don’t risk impacting rare wild populations.
Sometimes the most responsible thing a plant lover can do is admire from afar and wait for science and conservation to catch up with curiosity.
