smoketree
Psorodendron spinosum
USDA zones8 to 11
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterNeeds dry soil
Size5 to 25 feet tall5 to 10 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer
- Bloom color
- Blue , purple
- Soil types
- Sand, loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Smoketree (Psorodendron spinosum) is a low maintenance shrub for dry gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 8, or down to 10°F (-12°C). This plant likes full sun and dry, sandy or loamy soil. Spikes of blue and purple flowers cover the gray, spiny branches in spring and summer. Butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and birds visit the blooms. The plant has leaves for only a few weeks each year, so its smoky-gray twigs give it a hazy look from a distance.
Pairs well with Desert willow, Desert ironwood, and Blue paloverde.
Native range
AZ, CA, and NV.