Prosopis velutina (Velvet Mesquite)

A handsome southwestern native, Prosopis velutina (Velvet Mesquite) a deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, with a spreading crown and crooked branches adorned with feathery, velvety, dark green leaves, up to 5 in. long (12 cm). Twice-compound, the leaves have 12-20 pairs of short, hairy, and closely spaced leaflets. The twigs are armed with stout, yellow thorns, up to 1 in. long (2.5 cm), generally occurring in pairs. In spring and summer, a profusion of cream-colored flowers with long, white stamens appear in dense, spike-like racemes. Velvet Mesquite provides an excellent source of nectar for honey bees and is one of the most valuable honey plants in Arizona. The flowers are followed by long, slender, mottled, brown pods, 8 in. long (20 cm), that ripen in late summer. They contain about 25 percent sugar and are valuable livestock food. Southwestern Native Americans prepared meals and cakes from the sweet pods and livestock browse them, disseminating the seeds. The bark on older branches and the trunk is dark brown, rough, and thick, shredding in long, narrow strips, while the bark on the young stem is green, helping in photosynthesis. Highly tolerant of heat, this desert shrub or small desert tree is adapted to dry climates thanks to its very deep taproot that can reach underground water. An essential plant for the desert wildlife garden, its gnarled, sculptural trunk, and wispy bright green foliage make it a picturesque lawn tree, where it provides a fresh look and creates filtered shade under which almost anything would grow.

• Grows up to 20-30 ft. tall and wide (6-9 m). Adds about 24 in. per year (60 cm).
• A full sun lover, this plant is easily grown in well-drained soils. Needs little to no supplemental water once established in desert landscape gardens. Drought tolerant once established.
• Virtually pest and disease free. Keep an eye out for aphids or root rot caused by excessively wet sites.
• Propagated by seed and air layering.
• Native to the southwestern United States and Mexico.