Q. I want to plant a mesquite tree but I’m not sure whether to buy a
Chilean or a velvet mesquite. Do you have an opinion on these two trees?
A. Both trees will do well in the Mojave Desert climate. They both have a similar shape and size, tolerance to winter cold but there are a few differences.
Wikipedia on velvet mesquite
Chilean mesquite
Chilean Mesquite is also called thornless
Mesquite. So a major advantage of the Chilean Mesquite is supposedly its lack
of thorns. However, I have heard of it developing thorns later in its life.
Chilean Mesquite is faster growing then velvet
Mesquite but this can also be a disadvantage. Sometimes Chilean Mesquite grows
so rapidly its canopy can become top-heavy and may suffer during severe winds
and get uprooted.
Chilean also tends to throw a lot of its
energy into top growth rather than a good balance between root and top growth.
 |
| Winter form of young mesquite |
Velvet Mesquite grows rapidly but not as
rapidly as Chilean Mesquite. It has much more balanced growth where it develops
a good deep root system along with good canopy development.
Sometimes Chilean Mesquite will develop a lot
of surface roots and not develop the deep rooting that mesquites are famous
for. Velvet Mesquite on the other hand does develop a very deep root system if
you will encourage it with good soil preparation and deep, infrequent
waterings.
I tend to favor velvet mesquite over Chilean
Mesquite even though it has thorns. Pruning its structure early in its youth
will go a long way to having a beautiful tree later on.
 |
| Mesquite blown over due to shallow irrigations |
You should put this tree on a valve with other
desert adapted trees and shrubs with deep root systems.
I just read your article on watering from your blog and I wanted to let you know that I really appreciate all of the pearls of wisdom contained therein.
ReplyDeleteI've been picking up mesquite beans from my tree in the back yard plus the ones of my neighbor whose tree hangs over the fence into my yard and I don't like it much. Would a floral growth regulator work on a mesquite tree and is there a brand that would be more effective than others? As I age, I am getting lazier and lazier. Now if I could just cut down my neighbor's pine trees (without getting caught) that drop bushels of needles onto my property all year long, but particularly in summer!
Tom
When seed like trees of legumes like mesquite the problem is the hard seed coat. If you take a amall triangular file and rub it against it long enough to nick it on the round part then water gets into the seed and germinates better. Otherwise the hard seed coat is the major reason they don’t germinate well. You can use the growth regulator but the main reason is the hard seed coat.
ReplyDelete