A native low-water shade tree, and why it beats Chilean mesquite in Victor Valley wind and cold.
Get a Free Planting PlanYes. Honey mesquite is one of the toughest shade trees for the High Desert: it is native to the California desert, rated low water for our region, and hardy to about 0F. It needs full sun, soil that drains, and deep, occasional watering spread out past the trunk so it builds the roots that keep it standing in spring wind.
Top photo: Photo: Daniel Mayer (mav), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tree · Prosopis glandulosa · Also called Mesquite Tree, Honey Mesquite Tree, Western Honey Mesquite, Texas Honey Mesquite, Neltuma odorata · Native to California, the Southwest and Mexico; the western variety grows wild in the Mojave
| Honey Mesquite at a glance in the High Desert | |
|---|---|
| Type and size at maturity | Deciduous, usually multi-trunked tree. The SB County guide says 20 ft tall with a 25 ft spread; Calscape lists 20 to 30 ft tall and 30 ft wide. [1] |
| Growth rate | Fast [3] |
| Water once established | Low (WUCOLS IV, Region 5, High and Intermediate Desert). Calscape says no more than about once a month once established. [4] |
| Sun | Full sun [1] |
| Cold hardiness | 0F (UA Extension; Mountain States lists 0F, USDA zone 7). Calscape lists 10F for the western variety. Hardy for zone 8b. [5] |
| Heat | All mesquites are heat tolerant and handle hot south and west walls [5] |
| Wind | Stable when watered deep. UA Extension warns that overwatered mesquites grow big crowns on small root systems and can topple. [5] |
| Soil | Well suited to alkaline and poor soils; needs good drainage [5] |
| Bloom | Fragrant creamy yellow catkin-like flowers in spring, followed by long reddish brown pods [3] |
| Evergreen or deciduous | Winter deciduous [2] |
| Pets | Honey mesquite is not listed by the ASPCA; check with your vet. The ASPCA lists a related mesquite, algaroba (Prosopis limensis), as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Thorns are a physical hazard. [7] |
| Wildlife | Bees in large numbers; pods are eaten by wildlife. Calscape counts 15 native bee species and 10 native butterfly species. [2] |
| Rabbits and deer | Calscape lists it as deer resistant. We found no rabbit rating. [2] |
| Where it fits | Accent tree or a transition to natural desert, in full sun [1] |
Cold is covered. University of Arizona Extension says honey mesquite can survive temperatures down to 0F, and Mountain States Wholesale Nursery rates it the same (USDA zone 7). Calscape lists 10F for the western variety that grows wild in California. The Victor Valley is zone 8b, with an average coldest night of 15 to 20F and records near 0F, so this tree is well inside its range. UA also notes that trees pushed with heavy water and fertilizer handle cold worse than lean-grown trees, so ease off water late in summer.
Heat is no issue. UA says all mesquites are heat tolerant and do well against hot south and west walls. Victorville averages about 97F in July, which is mild by mesquite standards.
Wind is where care matters. UA warns that mesquites given too much water, as in a lawn, grow a big crown on a small root system and can become unstable. Its fix is simple: place drip emitters at the edge of the canopy and beyond, not against the trunk, so the roots spread wide. A deep-rooted honey mesquite handles March to June wind far better than a pampered one.
Many trees sold as “Chilean mesquite” are not honey mesquite, and often not even pure Chilean mesquite. UA Extension explains that mesquites cross easily, and that hybrids of Argentine, Chilean and native velvet mesquite are sold under the names “Chilean” mesquite or “South American hybrids.” Here is how they compare for a High Desert yard:
For most Victor Valley yards, honey mesquite is the safer choice. Ask the nursery for the botanical name on the tag.
UA Extension says mesquites are well suited to alkaline and poor soils and tolerate most soils with good drainage. That fits the sandy, alkaline ground across Hesperia, Apple Valley and Adelanto. The problem spot is caliche, a hard layer that can trap water around roots. Our High Desert soils guide shows how to find it.
Plant in fall or in spring after the last frost (Victorville’s median last freeze is around March 18). Our frost dates guide has details.
WUCOLS IV rates honey mesquite low for Region 5, the High and Intermediate Desert. Calscape says no more than about once a month once it is established, and it has a very deep taproot, up to 100 ft in the wild. In a yard with 5.57 inches of rain a year, a deep monthly soak in summer keeps it full.
Keep it off lawn sprinklers. Shallow, frequent turf water is exactly what UA says leads to surface roots and unstable trees. Our High Desert irrigation guide covers drip layout.
UA Extension says mesquites have few problems. The ones worth knowing:
The SB County guide suggests honey mesquite as an accent tree or a transition from the yard to open desert. UA adds that the multi-trunk form makes it a poor street tree. It is at home in a rockscape or desert landscape with other low-water natives.
Flowers and new leaves arrive. Check drip lines after winter and move emitters outward as the canopy grows.
Deep soak about once a month once established (Calscape). Cut back water late in the season so the tree hardens off (UA Extension).
Good planting season. Rake up pods if you do not want the litter, and skip fertilizer.
Structural pruning while it is leafless is general practice. Cut out mistletoe and dead wood, and keep water to long dry spells only.
Yes. WUCOLS rates it low water for the High Desert, and Calscape says about one deep watering a month is enough once it is established.
University of Arizona Extension and Mountain States Wholesale Nursery both rate it to 0F. That is safe for the Victor Valley.
For most yards, yes. Chilean mesquite is hardy only to about 15F, and water agencies warn it can blow over in strong wind if its roots are poor.
Fast. The SB County guide lists fast growth to about 20 ft with a 25 ft spread.
Fall, or spring after the last frost. Victorville’s median last freeze is around March 18.
We checked every number on this page against the public sources below. If a rule or date changes, the agency page is the final word.
Monarch designs and installs rockscape, drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plantings across the High Desert. We will check sun, wind and soil on your lot and tell you where a plant will do well and where it will struggle.
Get a Free Planting PlanOr call (760) 792-7627
