Neltuma velutina

Common Names

Velvet Mesquite, Mesquite, Mezquite, Samtartiger

Summary

Velvet mesquite is a deciduous shrub or small-to-medium tree native to California, New Mexico, and northern Mexico in desert or dry shrubland biomes, growing to about 9–15 m with a spreading crown and deep taproot. It features velvety bipinnate leaves with 30–60 leaflets, paired spines on young stems, and yellowish flower spikes that produce long seedpods (7.6–20 cm); it is a nitrogen-fixer and pods are edible.

It prefers full sun and well-drained, dry soil with high drought tolerance and is spaced 3–6 m in cultivation; propagation is mainly by scarified seeds, with vegetative propagation via cuttings, and seeds are long-lived (50+ years). Uses include ornamental xeriscaping for shade, wildlife forage, and nurse plant effects; pods and seeds are edible and milled into flour, wood used for fuel and construction, and the plant provides habitat, while spines pose a safety hazard and mistletoe infections can occur.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

30-50 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7b-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, tolerates partial shade when young.

Soil Type

Well-drained, coarse-textured alluvial soils; pH 6.6–8.5

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

4-10

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate growth overall; slow initial growth.

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Grafting, Underground-bud vegetative reproduction (natural layering-like), Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, Attracts other pollinators, Attracts birds