velvet mesquite
Neltuma velutina
USDA zones9 to 11
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterNeeds dry soil
Size20 to 30 feet tall20 to 30 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- White , yellow
- Soil types
- Sand, loam
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Velvet mesquite (Neltuma velutina) is a tree for low maintenance and xeriscape plantings. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 9 and warmer, down to about 20°F (-7°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full sun and dry, sandy or loamy soil. Deer rarely make it their first choice. Honeybees seem to prefer its cream-colored flowers, and its velvety pods turn yellow as they mature.
Pairs well with White sage, Prickly-pear, Siskiyou Pink gaura, and Deergrass.
Native range
AZ, CA, and NM.