trefle.io · Taken Jun 12, 2021 by julia higgins (cc-by-sa)
Fabaceae
Desert ironwood
Olneya tesota
Also known as Arizona ironwood, Palo de hierro, Ironwood
Flowering Plants · Native Plants · Trees & Shrubs · Desert Tree · Sonoran Desert · Ironwood · Drought Tolerant · Arizona Native · Xeriscape · Legume · Keystone Species · Arid Landscape · Long Lived
Desert ironwood is an iconic Sonoran Desert tree renowned for its incredible density, longevity, and stunning purple-pink flower display in late spring. Once established, it is extremely drought tolerant and requires virtually no supplemental watering, making it one of the most resilient trees for arid Southwest landscapes. Plant in full sun with well-drained rocky or sandy soil and give it ample space to develop its broad, picturesque canopy.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 8 hours
- Watering
- Water deeply but very infrequently once established; young trees need monthly deep watering during dry season · Every 21-30 days
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 6.8–8.6
- Temperature
- -20°F to 110°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed
Hardiness
USDA 5a-10b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 10 ft – 30 ft
- Spread
- 15 ft
- Spacing
- 360 in apart
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Root depth
- Deep
- Flowers
- Purple
- Foliage
- Grey · Fine
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Arizona, Mexico Northwest
- Attracts
- Bees, Hummingbirds, Birds, Butterflies
Sources: trefle, usda
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