Velvet Mesquite - Arizona Tree Profiles
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- Опубліковано 12 чер 2020
- You can not tell the story of the Sonoran Desert without mentioning the Velvet Mesquite. It has had an integral role in the evolution of all species that live here. It's a life giver to plant and animal alike. The Mesquite tree is one of the three cornerstone trees of the Sonoran Desert, along with the Palo Verde and the Desert Ironwood. The entire structure of the desert is built off of their presence in the ecosystem. The reason the Sonoran Desert is the most bio-diverse desert in the world is because of these tree species, enabled by higher rain amounts caused by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The Velvet Mesquite is quite possibly the most well represented tree species, at least in the northern deserts of Arizona. Human civilization has thrived in these parts largely due to the abundance of food, medicine and fuel that this tree has had to offer. If you live in Arizona and have space in your yard for a tree, please consider giving back to the ecosystem for all that we take by planting this native beauty who is already evolutionarily suited to provide the most abundant benefit for all the living beings it is directly connected to. The Velvet Mesquite folks! An Arizona legend!
Velvet Mesquite
Prosopis Velutina
Family: Pea or Bean
Height: 20-30'
Tree: single or multiple crooked trunks branching near the ground, arching branches, irregular crown
Leaf: compound, 1-2.5" long, long alternating attached, central stalk bifurcating into 2 stalks, each with 10-20 pairs of narrow leaflets
Bark: brown and smooth, breaks into long narrow scaly strips with age
Flower: yellow-to-green flower in elongated clusters
Fruit: pea-like green pod, turning tan with age, seeds and pod are edible
Fall Color: yellow
Habitat: rocky and sandy soils below 4,000 ft deserts, along washes and streams, sun
Taproot grows over 100 feet, reaching water deep underground. Seeds need abrasion to germinate. Coyotes eat seeds in late summer. Native peoples made tasty pinole from the seeds. Distinguished from similar mesquites, like the Honey Mesquite and the Screwbean Mesquite, by the hairy, velvety leaves. One of the few desert trees with enough nectar to make honey.
I am a disabled Gilbert resident and learning about native plants and ecology is one of my reasons to live. thank you for these videos!
Pinkie Why I couldn’t agree more. This channel is basically me sharing my learning process of the greater ecology of Arizona. I’m just rehearsing what the really smart guys have found out. I’m just super interested in it and found there wasn’t enough video content on these subjects. Knowing your land makes you a better person.
The velvet mesquites are a dime a dozen throughout the verde valley of central AZ. One tough tree that does a great job of supporting so much local wildlife.
Surprisingly little on UA-cam providing a velvet mesquite overview, and this aint some short little blurb video, great extensive depth, thanks!
Thank you so much
Yaayah ma caligaroobaa sidaan Illaah u barakeeyay.
I was born in Miami, AZ . I grew up in San Manuel,AZ ( lots of AZ plant diversity there). I currently live in Kingman,AZ off and on for past 35 yrs. My grandfather was born and raised in the Chiricuahuas . He taught me me about the flora and fauna of AZ particulary Sonoran Desert. Sadly he passed in 1989 , and I've forgotten some of what he taught me. Your videos have helped me to remember. Thank you!
That is so awesome. I wish my grandparents or parents taught me about the land but that is generally a lost knowledge in our world fixated on the bells and whistles of technology. You should check out one of my earlier videos all about the Chiricahua’s. That’s my favorite place in Arizona. You were blessed to spend time there as a kid.
@@keeparizonawild156 my sisters and I were there last OCT. 2019 to spread our dad's ashes and then we spent a couple of nights in Bisbee with his cousin. We are going to try to make it an annual tradition.
Well Vic..... remembering him and keeping that memory alive in your heart to me in my opinion is the greatest thing you can do for a loved one who's no longer with us maybe just maybe start taking classes or watching more videos like this to get the some of the memories to come back???
IDK....just some thought hun....thanks for sharing..May he R.I.P.
@@vickiwooley3088 so cool....in 2008 or 09 I was driving thru Bisbee right passed the Army base that I never even knew it was there....very different out there...sounds so fun.... I'm glad you have a very connected family 👏👏👏👏💝💯💥🌻🎀
The biggest con ive found is that in my yard with 5 large trees i have to do a ton of pruning regularly and its a ton of branches to get hauled away... and i always end up with some pricks. And yes the toxic fungus covers them on the ground and so its a ton of raking to do or end up with a toxic mess on the ground that inevitably breaks down and the dust can get stirred up later when raking or gets on my dog if she laws on the ground, etc. Mice also use them as a food source, so make sure you keep your house and garage mouse proofed as there is plenty of food to keep a healthy population of them.
I ended up here because I was curious what kind of plant had exploding pods that were shooting seeds at like 100 mph at my windows and launching other seeds clear on to my roof. Great video and thanks
Amazing video. Thank you for highlighting this amazing species!
Thank you Brian. It really is a magnificent tree. Long live the mighty mesquites, of all varieties.
Love, love, love this video! Just bought a home in Arizona and need to plant some trees. This video was perfect! THANK YOU!
Welcome to Arizona. Thank you for learning about the land. The desert is an amazing place when there is plenty of shade. Trust me. Shade, shade, shade
I like what you said....it gave me the best solution to my dilemma...50% native and 50% fruit forest...I really want lush green fruit forest but I don't wanna contribute to the comprise of our ecosystem of Arizona
👏👏👏👏
I guess you could call that farmscaping?
Was looking around for how to grow a screwbean, but this looks like a better option. Next time for sure
I AM A FOREIGNER, FROM THE FRENCH BASTARD REPUBLIC, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU PERFECTLY. I LEARNED ENGLISH IN THE SOUTH EAST OF ENGLAND, AND MORE PARTICULATLY WHAT IS CALLED OXBRIDGE ENGLISH, BECAUSE I WAS NOT BORN THERE, AND WAS SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, WHO SPOKE THIS TYPE OF ENGLISH (IN SOME OTHER PLACES IN THE UK, I MAY ALSO HAVE GREATER DIFFICULTIES THAN WITH SOME AMERICANS), BUT IN YOUR CASE, I UNDERSTAND YOU PERFECTLY. IT IS ALSO TRUE, THAT SINCE 1980, I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH MANY EDUCATED AMERICANS.
I am really enjoying these tree profile videos!! Keep them coming, please!!
Our front yard has a 16 yr old Chilean Mesquite that provides the most wonderful shade! It's beautiful. With that, it is so fast growing and requires frequent trimming, and our yard needs monthly cleanup service because of the (seemingly) continuous pod, leaf, and flower shedding depending on the season. Surprise, AZ
Man this video is a amazing keep it up! I know Michael form permaculture class!!!
You failed to mention that at certain, brief times, mesquite flowers have a heavenly Sweet fragrance. Much like citrus blossoms, it’s a short period, but it can certainly perfume the surrounding areas.
Thank you for the video. Why can’t the young beans from the velvet mesquite be eaten?
The non-local mesquites - chilean - have shallow root systems and are more likely to tip over in a monsoon storm.
I'm having difficulty in telling the differences between different varieties of mesquite trees....can someone please forward me a video with more info??
Also can these different desert tree's be propagated from a limb?
Can desert tree's do that?
46 inches tall?
Sooo....I shouldn't have a mesquite tree next to or even remotely close to my vegetable garden huh??
Can someone please give me some advice??
I'd really appreciate it 😉
What is a good native AZ tree you recommend planting that is dense for privacy?
How big of a space are you trying to fill? Desert Hackberry is a thick small tree that makes a good privacy blocker.
Will this make a good wind break? I assume so. Also are they fast growing when drip irrigated?
Yes and yes. If you don’t prune them and let them just grow like a huge shrub they can be great wind blocks. But either way they make great over story trees as well so with some good understory plants like Hackberry or wolf berry or jojoba combined with a tall mesquite make an impressive wind break. Yes they’re fast growers with irrigation, but especially with basins to maximize rain water.
@@keeparizonawild156 Thank you so much! I’m trying to make my. Windbreak as diverse as possible with only native species.
I love Mesquite honey, but the trees are a pain in the behind. They seeds grow quickly, and before you know it, those pesky sprouts are coming up everywhere. I have arthritis so in my hands, so cutting them down is painful and they just keep coming back. I've had to go to urgent care more more times that I can remember to have tiny, Mesquite thorns out of my infected hands. I wear rubber gloves, but they still get in through the seams, so I have to duck tape my glove fingers every year. And if you don't get to them quickly, the damned seeds will start sprouts which can grow up to 3 ft tall in no time, then I have to cut them down and poison the roots so they won't come back. I really need help as to a way to control them cause I do like the shade and I like bees who love mesquite. Can offer some suggestions?
A thick layer of wood mulch will prevent weeds and seeds from germinating. Sorry about your hands
Thick leather gloves or even welding gloves will prevent thorns from getting you
How common is honey mesquite in Arizona?
It’s pretty common in riparian areas but not as abundant as Velvet mesquite.
Do the roots get into the sewer?
Never heard that was a thing. They aren’t considered to have a super invasive root structure as long as you deep water
hello, I am loking for seeds where can I get some?
There are seed sellers on Etsy.
I am living in NC.United States. I have someone friend from Iraq 🇮🇶 asked me about this tree .he is interested to know about growing this tree in Iraqi desert. He is working in desert environment Agriculture research .anyway he is looking to get some Mesquite tree seeds and availability to have some in Greensboro .NC.USA.
Thanks
It's an incredible tree. The Syrian Mesquite tree (prosopis farcta) is a native to the Middle East. Please check out the "Greening the Desert" project done by Geoff Lawton. Him and his team created an oasis in the middle of the Jordan desert and they started it by using Mesquites. You can turn the desert green with mesquites.
@@keeparizonawild156 thank you sir. Have a good day.
It's sad to see when people overwater these tress because their wood losses some tensile strength and go snap
Not to mention the improper pruning practices that are widespread
You mean 46 feet, right? lol
I AM CURRENTLY IN SICILY, KNOWN FOR ITS MEDITERANEAN CLIMATE (BUT FOR OTHER THINGS TOO, AS MEXICO IS TOO), AND THERE IS A LARGER TREE THERE CALLED THE "CARUBBO", WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE A KIND OF SIMILAR FRUIT, WHICH IS ALSO EATEN HERE, THIS MORE IN THE PAST. PERHAPS IT IS THE SAME SPECIES THAN THE MESQUITE TREE (3 VARIETIES YOU SAID IN THE SONORA AREA), BUT I DON'T KNOW, IT IS NOT MY FIELD. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD IF YOU COULD ALSO MAKE THE POINT THST THIS TREE WAS ALSO USED IN VERNACULAR ADOBE ARCHITECTURE, AS ARCHITECTURE AS ALWAYS BEEN DEPENDENT ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONNEMENT SURROUNDING HUMAN SPECIES, SINCE ITS APPEARANCE ON PLANET EARTH. TODAY, IT IS MORE GLOBALIZED (AS ALREADY IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE), AS IT IS POSSIBLE TO TRANSPORT ALL TYPE OF MATERIALS EVERYWHERE. THE MORE PRIMITIVE A HUMAN COMMUNITY IS, THE MORE LOCAL AND MORE ECOLOGICAL IS THE RESULTING ARCHITECTURE, AS THE TERRITORY IN WHICH THEY LIVE AND BELONG IS SMALL. TO TAKE AN EXAMPLE OF TODAY, WHERE PLANET EARTH HAS BECOME THE HUGE TERRITORY OF ARCHITECTURE IS THE GETTY MUSEM, WHERE A VAST QUANTITY OF SHIOS HAVE TRANSFORTED A HUGE QUANTITY OF TRAVERTINE STONE TO LOS ANGELES, FOR ITS CONSTRUCTION. THIS MSTERIAL USED IN ANTIQUITY AT THE COLOSEUM UNDER EMPEROR VESPASIAN, WAS WIDELY ADOPTED BY ARCHITECTS IN THE 20-YEAR FASCIST REGIME, AND EAD A LOCAL MATERIAL IN ROME, AS I LOCATED SOME CAVES IN LATIUM. SO, YESTETDAY I HEARD A KIND OF LECTURE ON SONORAN ROW ADOBE HOUSES, IN AN AREA WHICH WAS THE SMALL ENVIRONMENT OF THE NATIVE AND COLONIAL INHABITANTS, NOT GLOBALIZED AS IT HAS BEEN FOR SOME MORE HISTORICAL CIVILIZATIONS IN EUROPE, MORE PARTICULARLY, THEY USED LICAL MATERIALS SUCH AS MUD, CALLED ADOBE IN SPANISH, MESQUITE TREES AND VIGAS TREES AND OTHER NEVESSARY MATERIALS SUCH AS STONES FOR FOUNDATIONS AND FOR KEEOING MUD WALLS DAT
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