Plant of the Month,(September 1997)

by Kerry Krumrine*, member of the Mesilla Valley Landscape Association
. Las Cruces New Mexico and co-owner of J & K Growers, Inc

Prosopis juliflora var. glandulosa or Texas Honey Mesquite

MVLA chose this desert native as the plant of the month primarily because of its attractiveness as a shade tree. During these last hot days of summer, a Texas Honey Mesquite tree will provide you a refuge from the sun.

The Texas Honey Mesquite will grow as a multi-branched tree or shrub, and can be pruned into a lovely shade tree. It is s dense wood tree, and will grow slowly at the beginning. Once the tree becomes established, however, it will grow more quickly, up to 2 feet per year. It can grow to about 30 feet. Deep monthly watering during hot weather will promote faster and more lush growth. If you prefer a hedge or screen, you can plant several Mesquite plants in a staggered row, and let them grow without pruning. You will have a substantial visual or physical barrier for your garden within a short period of time. The thorns on the branches make this plant an effective physical barrier.

Another attractive feature of this plant is its extreme heat and drought tolerance. It has deep roots, so that it can withstand extended periods of drought without extra water. The Texas Honey Mesquite is also one of the last desert plants to put on leaf growth after winter. Some locals claim that they know when we are free from danger of frost when the Texas Honey Mesquite has begun to put out leaves. The tree itself is cold hardy to 10 degrees. Frost damage may occur at 0 degrees, but the tree will survive. The fact that this tree is deciduous, that it looses its leaves in the winter, makes it a great tree choice for homes that benefit from solar gain in the winter.

The Texas Honey Mesquite attracts a variety of wild life. As a dense multi-branched shrub or small tree, the underbrush provdes refuge for small desert mammals. Rabbits will chew up the seed pods that fall to the ground by the end of summer, and birds seek out the seeds. My favorite Texas Honey Mesquite specimens in Las Cruces are in front of the main post office in down town Las Cruces.

You can find the Texas Honey Mesquite or Prosopis juliflora var. glandulosa at any of the local nurseries. The fall season is the perfect time to transplant shrubs and trees. A transplant from a 1 gallon container this fall, will produce a small bush in your garden by next spring. If you plant a 10 gallon or 24" boxed tree this fall, you will have some shade to sit under by next summer!