Velvet mesquite
Prosopis velutina Wooton
Also called velvet mesquite, mezquite.
Native desert shade tree with a broad, dappled canopy, fragrant catkin flowers and edible-for-wildlife pods. Leafs out late and drops leaves in hard frost.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 6–9 m (20–30 ft) tall and 6–10 m (20–33 ft) wide; medium growth, about 25 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the #15 install size.
Bloom
Creamy yellow flowers, Apr–May (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velvet mesquite : Apr–May |
Design notes
- Deep, infrequent watering builds deep, wind-firm roots; shallow lawn watering causes top-heavy trees that blow over.
- Thin the canopy lightly before monsoon season instead of heavy lion-tailing.
Regions
Native range: Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts of Arizona, New Mexico 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 Velvet mesquite
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.