elephant tree

noun

A distinctive shrub or small tree native to northern Mexico and the farthest southern edge of California and Arizona (Bursera microphylla), having a smooth-skinned, bulging round trunk reminiscent of an elephant's trunk or legs.

Similar
Bursera microphylla
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Meanings

nounelephant tree (plural elephant trees)

plural elephant trees

  1. A distinctive shrub or small tree native to northern Mexico and the farthest southern edge of California and Arizona (Bursera microphylla), having a smooth-skinned, bulging round trunk reminiscent of an elephant's trunk or legs.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounsmall tree or shrub of the southwestern United States having a spicy odor and odd-pinnate leaves and small clusters of white flowers

Similar
Bursera microphylla
Broader
incense tree

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

elephant tree. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elephant%20tree

MLA

“elephant tree.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elephant%20tree. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “elephant tree,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/elephant%20tree.

Source: elephant tree on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.