Small Stature Desert Landscape Trees
Acacia aneura, Mulga
In a landscape palette with a limited number of evergreen trees, Acacia aneura is a welcome addition to desert landscape. Bottom branches are trimmed to expose trunks and give trees an umbrella form. Mulga are unusual in that they have an open flowering cycle. Sulphur yellow, rod shaped flowers about 3/4" long are produced that give rise to tan pods. Mature pods are shed and then the flower cycle begins again. Trees may produce 3 to 4 flower cycles per year. Trees can be planted as a hedge, screen, single trees or in small groupings. Not well suited for planting in turf areas where over-watering can lead to tree decline.
Foliage: Evergreen Mature Height: 14’ - 18’
Mature Width: 12’ - 16’ Growth Rate: Moderate - Fast
Hardiness: 15 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Silver Gray Shade: Filtered
Flower Color: Sulfur Yellow Flower Shape: Rod shaped
Flower Season: Spring Thorns: None
Propagation Method: Selected Seed Sizes Available: #25 and #45
Acacia constricta, White Thorn Acacia
With its lush green foliage and conspicuous ½" long bright white thorns, A. constricta is a study in visual contradiction, inviting and cautioning not to come too close. Finely divided (4 to 16 pairs of leaflets), lush green foliage stands out against the gray to mahogany-brown bark. Yellow, fragrant, ball-shaped flowers appear in spring and again in late summer to fall months. Specimens can be planted singly or in small groupings or close together will form an informal hedge for screening and security.
Foliage: Deciduous Mature Height: 10’ - 18’
Mature Width: 10’ - 18’ Growth Rate: Moderate
Hardiness: 0 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Green Shade: Filtered
Flower Color: Yellow Flower Shape: Ball
Flower Season: Spring Thorns: Yes
Propagation Method: Selected Seed Sizes Available: #25
Acacia craspedocarpa, Leather Leaf Acacia
Leather Leaf Acacia is a perfect, descriptive name for this Australian native with its oval shapes, thick, stiff leaves and network of raised veins. In landscapes, its dense, upright branches form an erect, compact head making it an ideal privacy screen or windbreak. It can be used as a background or foundation plant or as individual specimens. In spring, small, bright yellow, elongated rod flowers are produced. A durable alternative to Oleanders or other non-desert species as a screen or privacy planting.
Foliage: Evergreen Mature Height: 9’ - 12’
Mature Width: 6’ - 8’ Growth Rate: Moderate
Hardiness: 10 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Gray-Green Shade: Filtered
Flower Color: Yellow Flower Shape: Rod Shaped
Flower Season: Spring to Fall Thorns: None
Propagation Method: Selected Seed Sizes Available: #25
Acacia greggii, Catclaw Acacia
Catclaw Acacia takes its name from the curved thorns that are found along the smaller branches. Left unpruned, branches form a dense, thorny, spherical canopy that makes this tree an excellent security planting. Nursery grown specimens are trained into multiple trunked and single trunked tree forms. Trees attract birds and other wildlife in landscapes that border native desert. Mildly fragrant, cream to pale yellow, 2” flowers spikes are produced from spring to fall. Trees are fully deciduous in severe droughts.
Foliage: Deciduous Mature Height: 15’ - 25’
Mature Width: 15’ - 25’ Growth Rate: Moderate
Hardiness: 0 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Green Shade: Filtered
Flower Color: Cream to Pale Yellow Flower Shape: Rod Shaped
Flower Season: Spring Thorns: Yes
Propagation Method: Selected Seed Sizes Available: #25
Dodonaea angustifolia, Hopbush
Dodonaea viscosa var. angustifolia is one the few, evergreen, shrubs/small trees that bring a unique color and texture to desert adapted landscape designs. The droopy leaves are shiny light green above and paler green below, with thornless, light grey, finely fissured branch and trunk bark. Flowers are small and yellowish green and are known to attract butterflies. These flowers are followed by decorative fruit clusters that start out yellow then turn to a pink-reddish color and ultimately brown.
Foliage: Evergreen Mature Height: 12’ - 20’
Mature Width: 10’ - 15’ Growth Rate: Moderate
Hardiness: 18 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Green Shade: Filtered
Flower Color: Yellow-Green Flower Shape: Petal-less
Flower Season: Spring to Fall Thorns: None
Propagation Method: Selected Seed Sizes Available: #25
Prosopis pubescens, Screwbean Mesquite
The first thing people notice about Screwbean Mesquite is the unusual spiral of the seed pods from which it takes its name. The tree is sometime referred to as a large shrub, but in landscape settings it regularly grows to 25' tall and as wide. Unpruned it has a shrub like growth habit with fairly dense branching. Pale to very bright yellow, 2" to 3", spike blooms are produced from May to June. The tree bark matures from a reddish-brown to a thick gray-brown, uniquely shaggy bark.
Foliage: Deciduous Mature Height: 15’ - 25’
Mature Width: 15’ - 24’ Growth Rate: Moderate
Hardiness: 0 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Pale Blue-Green Shade: Filtered
Flower Color: Pale Yellow Flower Shape: Fuzzy Spike
Flower Season: Late Spring Thorns: Yes
Propagation Method: Selected Seed Sizes Available: # 25
Cordia boissieri (Texas Wild Olive)
Cordia boissieri (Texas Wild Olive) is an evergreen, large shrub/small tree that is native from south Texas to central Mexico. The literature reports a mature size of about 23’ tall by 16’wide. While specimens this size are rarely seen in designed landscape, this is likely due to its somewhat recent introduction as a cultivated landscape tree. Leaves are deep green with a furry feel, rather thick, oval-shaped and about 5” long. Stunning, bright, 2” white funnel-shaped flowers can be produced year round in warm climates and typically peak during the spring and summer months. Flowers are followed by the development of pale green fruit that mildly resemble olives, hence the common name. Birds, including hummingbirds, animals and butterflies are attracted to the flowers and fruit, making it a wonderful addition to the landscape, beyond its obvious physical attractiveness.
Foliage: Evergreen Mature Height: 16’ - 23’
Mature Width: 10' - 16’ Growth Rate: Slow/Moderate
Hardiness: 18 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Green Shade: Filtered to Dense
Flower Color: Bright White Flower Shape: Trumpet
Flower Season: Spring to Fall Thorns: None
Propagation Method: Seed & Clone Sizes Available: #25
Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora)
Sophora's can be used as individual flowering shrubs, in groupings to exploit the glossy green foliage, purple flowers and remarkable fragrance or as a screen or hedge planting. It mixes easily with other desert landscape plant materials and adds a unique color and texture to the landscape. It will tolerate planting in or near turf or in more native areas. Sophora's are thornless. Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) is planted, in most desert landscapes, as a flowering, evergreen shrub. Of the four common names associated with this plant, Sophora, Texas Mountain Laurel, Frijolito and Mescal Bean, Sophora is the most widely used. Native to Texas, New Mexico, and northeastern Mexico, Sophora's are well adapted to high temperatures, well drained alkaline soils and full sun. They typically grow quite slowly eventually reaching a mature height of 15 to 20 feet and 8 to 10 feet wide. Its slow rate of growth to mature height has led some to categorize it as a large shrub/small tree.
Foliage: Evergreen Mature Height: 15’ - 20’
Mature Width: 8’ - 10’ Growth Rate: Slow
Hardiness: 0 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Dark Green Shade: Dense
Flower Color: Purple Flower Shape: Funnel Shaped Petals
Flower Season: Spring Thorns: None
Propagation Method: Seed Sizes Available: #25
Sophora secundiflora, Silver Peso Texas Mountain Laurel
The form, growth habit and rate, landscape uses, and structure of Sophora secundiflora ‘Silver Peso’ is essentially identical to the more common planted Texas Mountain Laurel apart from a fairly dense canopy of fuzzy (pubescent) silver-gray leaves. Both Sophora's can be naturalized to survive on average annual rainfall alone in some desert settings. Supplemental summer irrigations are usually required in central and southern Arizona. The highest rate of growth is achieved on established Sophora's when they are planted in full sun and given deep, monthly irrigations during spring and summer. The leaves are compound (made up of smaller leaflets) with 7 to 9, round, 1 inch diameter leaflets. With proper pruning, Sophora's can be trained into the form of a small, multiple trunked trees. Be aware that excessive pruning can inhibit flower production, as Sophora’s produce flowers only on one year old wood. Trunks range in color from dark gray to black.
Foliage: Evergreen Mature Height: 15’ - 20’
Mature Width: 8’ - 10’ Growth Rate: Slow
Hardiness: 0 degrees F Exposure: Full Sun
Leaf Color: Dark Green Shade: Dense
Flower Color: Purple Flower Shape: Funnel Shaped Petals
Flower Season: Spring Thorns: None
Propagation Method: Seed Sizes Available: #25
Leaves and Flowers of Leather Leaf Acacia Acacia craspedocarpa, Leather Leaf Acacia