Shrub native to North and Central America with an upright, dense crown. Leaves 15–25 cm long, composed of elliptic, spiny-edged leaflets, bright green in spring and reddish-dark in winter. Blooms in March–April with spikes of bright yellow flowers, followed by showy black-blue fruits. Tolerant of most soil types, pruning, and root competition. Used for borders, hedges, and shrub masses.