Spring for me: Prosopis Velutina (no that is not a body part, you pervs)

[Kali]

(And neither is Prosopis pubescens)

Mesquite http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesquite

A couple days ago someone started a thread for spring pictures. This is mine. I don't trust the weather until the mesquites leaf out - they always know. Around here that doesn't happen until mid to late April even though we can have some 80 degree days in Feb or March. There is always a chance for frost well into April.

A lot of ranchers hate mesquite, but it is one of my favorite plants. My cows probably wouldn't survive without it. We have two months at least, until it rains and even then it will be a few more weeks until the grass greens up. So mesquite and other thorny brush is important spring feed for the cattle and a lot of wildlife.

New growth



dark wood and light green leaves


mesquite can flower and produce beans 2 times per year depending on moisture, looks like we might get two crops this year

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. Wow! Beautiful pics!

[Kali]

2. thanks!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear Kali!

I'm always glad to see other posters bringing out their pics!

These are so wonderful....

Are the leaves soft and kind of fuzzy?

They look as though they might be!

:hi:

[Kali]

4. thanks, Peggy

Yes the leaves are soft and have a fine coat of hairs (velvet mesquite) but the branches have thorns. And if the plant is cut back or broken, the thorns grow twice as long on the new growth. It is a remarkably adaptive plant. The seeds must be scarified to sprout, either by passing through the gut of an animal or being tumbled in a typical desert flash flood event. The roots may be the deepest of any plant going well over 150 feet.

Honey from mesquite is soooo good. My favorite - try it sometime! And of course the wood makes some fine BBQ!