Acacia constricta:
Whitethorn Acacia
A slow to moderate grower from 12' to 18' high and as
wide. Fragrant, bright yellow puffball flowers bloom profusely
in late spring. May repeat bloom in mid-August. Brown seed pods.
Small, green, fern-like leaves. New twigs have dark reddish
bark. A few 1" white spines on new growth.
Needs well-drained soil. Drought-tolerant but watering once
a month in warm season improves growth and appearance.
Never fertilize*. Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Acacia greggii:
Cat-Claw Acacia
This tough, fast-growing native can be trained to grow
15' high and 20' wide with pruning. Tiny green leaves and
brown, flattened seed pod. Slightly curved thorns on branches.
Sweetly fragrant, cream-colored, rod-shaped flower spikes in
spring. Curly brown seedpods. Prune off horizontal,
inward-crossing, and downward-pointing branches in January
and August to form a single-trunked tree. Bushy and short
if not pruned. Very drought tolerant but watering speeds growth.
Never fertilize*. Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Cercidium:
Palo Verde
Four tree species and one hybrid are named palo verde
because of their green bark. All provide a light, filtered
shade. Many birds, including hummingbirds will nest
or roost in palo verde branches. Bloom time of yellow blossoms,
late March to June, depends on elevation with higher elevations
blooming later. Roots spread widely.
All palo verdes need well-drained soil and are
drought-tolerant. Water twice a month for faster growth.
Never fertilize*. Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness
zones 8-9.
'Desert Museum' hybrid grows to 20' tall and as wide
within five years with supplemental water. Large yellow blossoms
with a long blooming time appear in spring. 'Desert Museum' is
thornless, has few pods and is nearly litter-free.
Parkinsonia florida: Blue Palo Verde grows rapidly to
35' tall and 30' wide and requires more water. It has thorns and
tends to drop pods and small branches in low water conditions.
Cercis orbiculata:
Western Redbud
This American southwest native has a moderate growth
rate to 18' high and as wide. A shrub easily pruned to a small
tree form, often multitrunked from the base. Blue-green foliage
turns yellow to red in fall.
Magenta pea-shaped blossoms in spring and red-brown seed pods
in fall. Attracts butterflies. Flowers set better when
winter temps reach 32°F.
Prefers well-drained soil. Drought-tolerant but needs weekly
watering in warm season first two years after planting. Water
monthly after first two years for faster growth. Full sun or
light shade. Deciduous. Young trees are hardy to 20°F,
older trees to 10°F.
Chilopsis linearis:
Desert Willow
Large flowers, which last from spring to fall, are purple
to pink to white depending on variety and individual plant.
Attracts hummingbirds, large butterflies and bees.
Leaves are dark green, long and narrow. Long thin brown seedpods.
With water and pruning will grow rapidly into a spectacular 30'
high and wide summer tree. Always a slow grower the first few
years after transplant. Grows slowly without water to a
sprawling, ungainly 6' shrub. Question nursery closely about
varieties and characteristics. Some varieties keep leaves longer,
others grow slower, still others have more flowers. Requires
well-drained soil. Very drought tolerant, do not over-water.
Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 7-9.
Ebenopsis ebano:
Texas Ebony
Slow grower 15' to 30' high and 15' to 20' wide.
Deep green tiny leaves and thorny, zigzag branches.
Tree casts heavy shade. Creamy yellow, fragrant flowers followed
by long brown seedpods.
Drought-tolerant, watering during warm season speeds growth.
Never fertilize*. Full sun. Evergreen except cold-deciduous.
USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Forestiera neomexicana: New Mexican Privet, Desert Olive
Fraxinus greggii:
Little-leaf Ash
This Chihuahuan desert shrub or, with patient pruning,
small tree, grows to 18' high and 15' wide. Growth rate,
slow to moderate, depends upon water. Bright-green, leathery
leaflets about 1-3" long. Old leaves are replaced with new
in the spring, so will look semi-bare for one or two weeks.
Separate male and female plants. Inconspicuous flowers followed
by small winged seeds which are eaten by birds. Clean and
trouble-free aside from minor leaf drop in spring.
Needs well-drained soil. Drought-tolerant once established,
but looks better with supplemental water when rain is absent.
Full sun to part shade. Evergreen except drought-deciduous.
USDA hardiness zones 7b-10.
**Juniperus deppeana:
Alligator Juniper
Foliage is blue-gray to silvery. Bark is checked.
Slow grower 10' to 60' high and as wide. Non-flowering. Berries
are edible, strongly juniper-flavored, and eaten by birds and
mammals. Drought-tolerant. Needs well-drained soil. Full sun.
Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 7a-9b.
**Pinus: Pine species
Pines vary in hardiness and must be selected for their ability
to survive in a desired location. They should
be spaced at least their mature width plus ten feet apart. Level
ground or an area near rainwater runoff is best so that sufficient
water is available. Most pines will dwarf nearby houses when mature.
Full sun. Evergreen.
**
Pinus edulis: Pinyon Pine
Populus fremontii:
Western Cottonwood
A fast grower to 100' high and 50' wide. Loves hot summers
and cold winters. Medium-green triangular leaves turn bright
yellow in fall. Aggressive surface roots can invade sewer lines
and heave pavement. Should be planted near low area where
rainwater collects or runs by. This tree can outgrow its water
sources and display a few leafless branches in summer.
Male variety 'Nevada' does not disperse cottony seeds.
Prefers non-draining soil. Drought tolerant.
Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 3-9.
Prosopis hybrid: Thornless Hybrid Mesquite
Several varieties of thornless hybrid mesquite have been
created by wholesale nurseries. In addition to being thornless,
they have a more uniform upright growth, synchronous bud break
and root mass growth proportional to canopy growth.
Prosopis glandulosa:
Honey Mesquite
A Texas shrub or small tree with a weeping form. Creamy-white
flowers in tassels each spring. Edible seed pods. Thorny branches except
'Maverick' is thornless variety. Attracts bees, birds, butterflies.
Moderate growth rate to 25' high depending upon water.
Drought tolerant. Never fertilize*. Full sun. Deciduous.
USDA hardiness zones 6 to 10.
Robinia neomexicana:
Desert Locust
Slow to moderate growth 6' to 25' high and 20' wide.
White to red pea-like flowers in drooping clusters. Edible
flowers. Seeds are toxic. Very thorny branches.
Tends to sucker profusely. Very aggressive roots provide
erosion control. Attracts bees, birds, hummingbirds,
mammals. Drought tolerant. Never fertilize*. Full sun to
part shade. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 5-9.
Sambucus mexicana: Blue / Mexican Elderberry
Sapindus saponaria drummondii:
Western Soapberry
A slow to moderate grower, depending upon water, to 30' tall and 25' wide.
Medium-green, lance-shaped leaves. Creamy-white, slightly
fragrant, 1/8" to 1/4" flowers on spikes
bloom late spring into summer. Attracts bees and butterflies.
Produces translucent yellow, 1/2" round berries containing a
mildly-poisonous soapy substance. Very drought resistant.
Deep soak at least once a month in warm season to encourage
growth. Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 5-9.
Sophora secundiflora:
Texas Mountain Laurel
A slow grower becoming 15' to 25' high and 5' to 15'
wide. Fragrant violet-blue flowers open from late winter to
spring in drooping clusters. Hard, bright-red seeds are
poisonous, but probably not digestible and therefore little
harm to children. Aggressive roots.
Deep soak every 2 weeks during warm season to speed growth.
Full sun to part shade. Drought tolerant. Evergreen.
USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Vauquelinia californica:
Arizona Rosewood
A slow grower to 20' high and 15' wide.
Long, narrow, leathery leaves are dark green on top, grayish underneath.
Clusters of small white flowers bloom in spring. Needs pruning and water
to become a single-trunked tree. Drought tolerant. Weekly water
improves appearance and growth rate.
Full or reflected sun or part shade. Evergreen.
USDA hardiness zones 8-9.
Vauquelinia corymbosa var. angustifolia:
Slimleaf Rosewood
Grows to 20' high and as wide.
Longer, narrower leaves and a weepier, sprawling form than Arizona
Rosewood. Fragrant small white flowers in clusters bloom late spring
or summer. Needs pruning and water to become a single-trunked tree
instead of a large shrub. Prune in fall. Drought tolerant.
Weekly water improves appearance and growth rate.
Full sun. Evergreen. Hardy to 0°F.
Washingtonia filifera:
California Fan Palm
This Arizona native slowly grows to 60' tall. Will
eventually dwarf a single-story house. Thicker trunk and
more cold-hardy than similar Mexican palm.
Dead fronds form a petticoat around trunk that most owners
remove. Drought-tolerant, cold-hardy palm species such as
this are rare. Small edible dates. Full sun but tolerates
part shade. Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8b-11.
