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Honey Mesquite
Prosopis glandulosa
  
About Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) 26 Nurseries Carry This Plant Prosopis glandulosa, commonly known as Honey Mesquite, is a species of small to medium-sized flowering tree in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, but has been introduced to at least a half-dozen other countries. The IUCN considers it as one of the world's 100 worst invasive species. However, in California's Central Valley and deserts it is an important habitat plant for many species of wildlife. Honey Mesquite has a rounded crown and crooked, drooping branches with feathery foliage and straight, paired spines on twigs. In some settings it will remain a low growing shrub forming dense thickets that are used as refuge by rabbits, quail, and other animals. In other settings it grows as a tree that reaches 20-30 feet, rarely as tall as 50 feet. It is highly adapted to arid environments with a very deep taproot (up to 100 ft.) to reach underground water. The fruit is a nutritious "bean pod" that is valued by many animals and is eaten by Indigenous Peoples of the desert. It has spines and caution should be used when deciding where to plant it. It is an essential plant for the desert wildlife garden.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Tree

Size
Size
20 - 30 ft tall
30 ft wide

Dormancy
Dormancy
Winter Deciduous

Flower Color
Flower Color
Yellow

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring, Summer

Wildlife Supported
 
Mesquite attracts a wide variety of animals including insects, rabbits, rodents, quail, roadrunners, thrashers, coyotes, and many others. The Prosopis genus is host plant to the Marine Blue and Leda Ministreak butterflies. This species is host to the Palmer's Metalmark and Reakirt's Blue butterflies.

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 10° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Typically sand or decomposed granite. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.2

Common uses
Common uses
Deer Resistant, Butterfly Gardens

Maintenance
Maintenance
Best not to prune if a wildlife thicket is desired. To achieve a tree form, prune in winter to select a main trunk. Use caution in pruning due to sharp spines.

Propagation
Propagation?
For propagating by seed: Hot water or scarification. Fresh undried seeds No treatment. ( USDA Forest Service 1974).

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Flats and washes in arid regions with underground water

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 1.9" - 26.0", Summer Precipitation: 0.13" - 2.84", Coldest Month: 33.8" - 63.4", Hottest Month: 62.6" - 90.8", Humidity: 0.87" - 49.48", Elevation: -271" - 6819"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana


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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