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Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
  
About Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) 45 Nurseries Carry This Plant The desert willow is a small, multi-trunk tree that's notable for its fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in shades of pink, lavender, and white. The flowers attract pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Narrow leaves give this plant its name, but it is a member of the bignonia family, not a willow. It produces long seed pods and is winter deciduous.

The desert willow is native to southern California's desert regions and is a good choice for inland gardens. Plant in full sun and sandy soil. The desert willow needs minimal supplemental water but can enjoy some summer irrigation. Prune when the branches are bare in winter.
Desert willow + cvs. (n.d.). Waterwise Garden Planner. https://waterwisegardenplanner.org/plants/chilopsis-linearis/ ‌
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Shrub

Size
Size
4.9 - 26.3 ft tall
10 - 20 ft wide

Form
Form
Upright, Weeping

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Moderate, Fast

Dormancy
Dormancy
Winter Deciduous

Fragrance
Fragrance
Fragrant - Pleasant

Flower Color
Flower Color
Purple, Lavender, Pink, White

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring, Summer, Fall

Wildlife Supported
 
Hummingbirds and bees are highly attracted to this plant when in bloom

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed , 1 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 3x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 15° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Prefers sandy or decomposed granite soil with moisture. Soil PH: 6.0 - 9.0

Common uses
Common uses
Hummingbird Gardens, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
California Fan Palm, Blue Paloverde, Desert Ironwood, Brittlebush, Chuparosa, Desert Lavender

Maintenance
Maintenance
As desired, during the dormant season

Propagation
Propagation?
Seed germinates readily. May also be propagated by cuttings.  For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Perennial desert streams, or sandy washes or canyons where there is likely to be subsurface water for most of the year. In the low desert, it is typically surrounded by creosote bush scrub. In higher desert, it occurs in Joshua Tree woodland.

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 2.6" - 24.1", Summer Precipitation: 0.31" - 3.11", Coldest Month: 33.2" - 62.5", Hottest Month: 61.5" - 88.8", Humidity: 2.47" - 46.25", Elevation: 27" - 7763"

Alternative Names
Common Names: Desert-willow, Desertwillow, Given Because, Its Willow-like Leaves


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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