About Menodora scabra Engelm. ex A.Gray
Menodora scabra Engelm. ex A.Gray, previously classified as Menodora scoparia, is a broom-like shrub belonging to the olive family Oleaceae. It has two common names: rough menodora and broom twinberry, and it is a popular plant grown in desert gardens. This species is native to the southwestern United States (including Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and California) and northern Mexico (including Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Chihuahua, and Sonora). In its native range, it grows in a variety of habitats including mountains, plateaus, and deserts. Members of the Native American Navajo group have specific ethnobotanical uses for this plant: they make a cold infusion to treat heartburn and ease childbirth labor, and a root decoction to treat spinal pain.
