PlantFiles: Black Olive Tree, Oxhorn Bucida, Bucida
Bucida buceras 'Shady Lady'

The common name, oxhorn bucida, refers to a flower gall which resembles a green bean and is caused by eriophyid mites on the species, rarely on the 'Shady Lady' cv. Staining is sometimes cited as a reason not to use this plant near sidewalks, etc. The staining is NOT caused by the leaves nor the fruit, which is not juicy, but rather a single dry nutlet crowned with a persistent calyx (some call it a coriaceous drupe). The staining is caused by caterpillar frass. The black olive caterpillar or "bungee" caterpillar rapels around and gets in people's faces. Not a problem every year, maybe every 5 to 7 years it occurs in large numbers. The caterpillar feeds on the flowers, leaves and the galls! The 'Shady Lady' is a fine textured tree with a constrained growth habit. A nice choice in south Florida. Leaf damage reported at 25 degrees F.