Mesquite is a drought-tolerant, thorny, flowering tree native to northern Peru in the bean family. Plants in this genus are nitrogen fixers that often thrive in arid soil and are drought-resistant. Mesquite is often found in the wild on dry coastlines and arid, saline soils. Their fruits are pods that can contain large amounts of sugar and are a balanced staple carbohydrate. At maturity, a Mesquite tree can reach 39 feet in height with a nearly equal spread. Mesquite tolerates sandy, loamy, or clay soil as long as it is well-drained. It prefers acidic soils and can grow in saline soils. It is best sited in full sun or partial shade and tolerates strong winds and drought, but not maritime exposure. The tree produces a great deal of seed and it has escaped from cultivation in many areas, becoming invasive and forming dense thickets. It is a federally listed noxious weed in the United States and is not recommended for gardens.This tree can overshadow other vegetation, and its deep root system can tap into ground water and desiccate an area by using all available water. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Broad
Foliage
Deciduous
Hairs present
No
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower detail
Greenish yellow flowers in dropping 4 inch spikes. The tree can flower at any time of the year and frequently flowers twice a year. Usually, it flowers from January to March, but in some years with wet summers it also flowers heavily during September and October.
Bloom time
Fall; Winter
Fruit type
Legume
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
About 6 months after flowering and pollination, the pods ripen and fall to the ground. The pods are straight or slightly curved yellowish beans 3 to 8 inches long.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Peru
Distribution
Bolivia, Ecuador, Columbia
Wildlife value
Known for attracting wildlife.
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Legume
Uses (ethnobotany)
Used as animal feed. The seedpods can be added to soups and corn meal; or made into a sweet syrup.
Landscape Use
Garden tags
#non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #Noxious Weed (Federal list) #weedy #tree #salt tolerant #shrub #acidic soils tolerant #taproot