Variety 'AZT' Mesquites
It’s difficult to imagine desert landscape, natural or built, without Mesquites. Generating abundant, welcome shade, dramatic upright structure and an iconic desert form few desert trees bring more to the landscape than Mesquites. There are 5 commercially available Mesquites varieties, Prosopis thornless hybrid ‘AZT™’, ‘AZT™’ Thornless Mesquite; Prosopis seedless hybrid ‘AZT™’, ‘AZT™’ Seedless Hybrid Mesquite; Prosopis juliflora (velutina) ‘AZT™’, ‘AZT™’ Native Mesquite; Prosopis thornless glandulosa ‘AZT™’, ‘AZT™’ Thornless Honey Mesquite and Prosopis pubescens, Screwbean Mesquite. With the exception of the Screwbean, these mesquites grow to a mature size of about 35’ by 35’ and can be used in groupings, along streets and walks or as individual specimens. Screwbean are more modest in stature and is most often used as an accent trees in mixed desert designs.
Thornless Hybrid Mesquites have enjoyed several names since they were first introduced to Arizona landscapes in the 1950’s. Prosopis thornless hybrid ‘AZT™’ was developed over 15 years ago to bring great uniformity to the growth, structure and form of this popular desert adapted tree. Like all Variety AZT trees, it is propagated vegetatively (cloned) to preserve it unique characteristics and quality. The absence of thorns makes this tree ideal for all landscape applications involving pedestrians like streetscapes, project entries, sports and play areas and parking lots. The lush shade and semi-deciduous growth create cool oases nearly year round.
While Prosopis Seedless Hybrid ‘AZT™’, ‘AZT™’ Seedless Hybrid Mesquite does produce flowers in spring it produces no seed pod. This quality simplifies seasonal maintenance and makes them ideal for patios, hardscaped areas or anyplace where plant litter is a nuisance or inconvenient. The leaf canopy is dense and slightly darker green than Prosopis thornless hybrid ‘AZT™’. Maturing specimens produce lush, dense shade. Carefully consider the shade that can be produced by these trees and the impact of shade on the growth and flowering of under-story plants and turf.
Like Ironwoods, Variety AZT Native Mesquite is an iconic Sonoran Desert native with an open branch and trunk structure and lacy leaf canopy (mature specimens in landscape setting can generate considerable shade). Traditionally these trees have been used as accent trees or featured specimens because seed grown trees lack the physical uniformity to be used in more formal applications. Prosopis juliflora (velutina) ‘AZT™’, ‘AZT™’ Native Mesquite, propagated vegetatively, is highly uniform in appearance and has v-shaped, upright trunk growth, ideal for urban landscape designs or for transitioning landscape areas back into undisturbed desert.
Prosopis thornless glandulosa ‘AZT™’, ‘AZT™’ Thornless Honey Mesquite are most often used as single specimens, in groupings and near water features and recreated riparian settings. Its delicate, graceful branches and weeping leaf canopy leads some to mistake it for a willow. The lacy open canopy produces filter shade and wonderful silhouettes and is usually compatible with flowering understory shrubs. Among the Mesquites it is the only truly day-length deciduous tree, losing all its leaves in fall/winter then exploding with chartreuse new leaves in spring. By comparison, ‘AZT™’ Thornless Hybrid Mesquites are temperature deciduous, losing all their leaves only during the coldest winters or in higher elevation deserts. In typically mild desert winters, ‘AZT™’ Seedless Hybrid Mesquite and ‘AZT™’ Native Mesquite lose most, but rarely all, of their leaves.
We reviewed Prosopis pubescens, Screwbean Mesquite in a recent newsletter. You can read that issue or get additional information on this unique and underutilized desert native.
‘AZT™’ Mesquites offer a complete palette of traditional desert Mesquites with the added advantage of high uniformity and the AZT Root Management Program. For more information visit www.aridzonetrees.com.