Prosopis velutina

Olneya tesota

Common Name: Ironwood, Desert Ironwood
O’odham Name: Ho'idkam Audio
Group: Trees - Desert

Description

Olneya tesota is a large, slow growing tree up to 30 ft tall and almost as wide in optimum habitat. It usually grows in or near a wash at 500 to 3500 ft elevation. In the lower deserts it forms a sparse, but dominant flora in combination with Carnegia gigantea. In the Spring, the many spiny branches erupt with purple and white flowers. Bees make excellent honey from the flowers and the wood is used for producing carvings.

Classification

Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Rosidae
Order Fabales
Family Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus Olneya A. Gray – olneya
Species Olneya tesota A. Gray – desert ironwood

More Information

Arizona Distribution Map (USDA)