Tough bully facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tough bully |
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| Illustration of Sideroxylon tenax with the synonym Bumelia tenax | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Sideroxylon
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| Species: |
tenax
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The tough bully (scientific name: Sideroxylon tenax) is a cool plant that grows in the southeastern United States. You can find it in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and the very southern part of North Carolina. It likes to grow in dry, sandy places like pine forests and oak woodlands, usually not very high up.
This plant gets its "tough bully" name because it's quite strong and has thorns! It's a type of plant that can be either a shrub or a small tree.
What Does the Tough Bully Look Like?
The tough bully can grow up to 8 meters (about 27 feet) tall, which is like a two-story building! Its branches have sharp thorns, so be careful if you see one.
Leaves, Flowers, and Berries
- Leaves: The leaves are about 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) long. The top side is green and sometimes a bit shiny. The bottom side is covered with soft, brown hairs, almost like velvet!
- Flowers: Its flowers are small and white, only about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) wide. They grow in groups, with up to 40 flowers blooming together.
- Berries: After the flowers, the plant grows berries. These berries are a very dark purple, almost black. They are round or egg-shaped and about 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) across.
Where Does the Tough Bully Live?
The tough bully plant is native to a specific part of the United States. It grows naturally in:
- Florida
- Georgia
- South Carolina
- The southernmost tip of North Carolina
It prefers dry, sandy soil. You can often spot it in forests where pine trees grow, or in areas with a mix of pine and oak trees. It also likes "hummocks," which are slightly raised areas of land.
