Paliurus spina-christi is a species of Paliurus that belonging to Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn) Family. The plant is native to the Mediterranean region, Southwest Asia and Central Asia, (Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Türkiye, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan up to  Himalayas, the shores of the Black Sea in the Crimea, the Caucasus). The genus name means; ‘diuretic’ in ancient Greek. As suggested by the Latin name, the spiny branches of this shrub were thought to be used to make the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head before his crucifixion.

Christ’s Thorn is a deciduous shrub or sometime can attain the form of a tree and reach up to 5 meters in height. The twigs are zig-zagged, with a leaf and two stipular spines (one long and straight, other short and curved) on the outside of each kink. The leaves are oval to oblong-ovate or elliptic, 2–4 cm long, glossy green, with an entire margin. The base of the leaf stalk has a few small, steely thorns. Thin clusters of small 3-6 mm in diameter, yellow, fragrant flowers with 5 petals develop at the axils of the leaves in spring. The flowers, pollinated by bees, produce characteristic fruits. The fruit is a dry woody nutlet centred in a circular wing 2–3 cm in diameter. They are structures that have three central seeds surrounded by a rounded, flattened, disk-shaped wing which helps their dispersal by the wind.

Paliurus spina-christi is an undemanding plant, does able to survive with harsh environments. Its cultivation poses no problem in any type of well-drained soil, even poor, limestone and very dry in summer. Propagation is done by seed. Plant withstands temperatures of -15°C (They are supposed to be withstand much lower temperatures in Turkiye’ eastern areas).

Use in Landscape: Christ’s Thorn is well known to surveyors of Mediterranean scrublands. This deciduous bush is immediately recognizable in autumn and winter, with its slender branches slightly zigzagged and armed with formidable thorns and covered with curious fruits. The foliage takes on a beautiful yellow colour in autumn before falling. The Paliurus spina-christi may be used in a defensive hedge or as a free hedge, also can be used in a large shrub bed.

Dioscorides mentioned that Christ’s Thorn was used for snakebite, and as diuretic. Anatolians were used it for eye diseases, snakebite, urethral disease and also to make syrup.