Caesalpinia spinosa
Tara
(c) Daniel Kennedy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Not Native
Caesalpinia spinosa (Tara) is a non-native California shrub / tree in the Fabaceae family.
Tara is a naturalized perennial found in southern California Counties, southern Channel Islands, and dry, disturbed areas at elevations below 50 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces yellow to reddish flowers on long inflorescences 15 to 20 centimeters tall. Growing as an evergreen shrub less than 2 meters tall with scattered prickles, it has brown-hairy twigs and a distinctive branching structure. Its compound leaves feature 6 to 20 primary leaflets with 10 to 14 secondary leaflets, each elliptic and 1.5 to 4 centimeters long. The plant produces oblong, dry fruits 6 to 10 centimeters long that become spongy or leathery with age.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species (C. gilliesii). Key differentiators: size, prickles, elevation range, fruit type
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 50 m
Outside California: South America, introduced in United States
Bloom period
Caesalpinia spinosa blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Erythrostemon: Caesalpinia and Erythrostemon are closely related and often lumped; check current taxonomy.; vs Delonix: Caesalpinia is typically a shrub under 4m; Delonix (royal poinciana) is a large spreading tree.; vs Cercis: Caesalpinia has twice-compound leaves and orange-red flowers; Cercis has simple heart-shaped leaves and magenta flowers.; vs Senna: Caesalpinia has scattered prickles and orange-red flowers; Senna is unarmed with yellow flowers.; vs Gleditsia: Caesalpinia has scattered curved prickles; Gleditsia has massive branched thorns on trunk.
Frequently asked questions
Is Caesalpinia spinosa native to California?
No. Caesalpinia spinosa is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Caesalpinia spinosa bloom?
Caesalpinia spinosa blooms May-Aug.
What plant family does Caesalpinia spinosa belong to?
Caesalpinia spinosa is in the Fabaceae family, genus Caesalpinia.
What habitat does Caesalpinia spinosa grow in?
Caesalpinia spinosa grows in Uncommon. Dry, disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.