Desert willow
Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet
Also called desert willow, mimbre.
Small, airy desert tree with willow-like leaves and orchid-like trumpet flowers from late spring through summer. Hardy into colder high-desert areas.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 5–8 m (16–26 ft) tall and 4–6 m (13–20 ft) wide; fast growth, about 15 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.45) from the #15 install size.
Bloom
Orchid pink flowers, May–Sep (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert willow : May–Sep |
Design notes
- Seedless cultivars avoid the long, persistent seed pods.
- Bare and twiggy in winter; pair with evergreen shrubs.
Regions
Native range: Desert washes of the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico.
Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Desert willow
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.