Hardiness zones:
Sunset 12-13
USDA 9-11 (arid zones only)

Landscape Use: Native desert tree for light shade and accent in most any desert landscape design type, even wayside or roadside desert landscape settings.

Form & Character: Briefly deciduous tree, rugged and twisting, upright and spreading, picturesque trunk character.

Growth Habit: Medium to 30' with equal spread, final height depends on watering. Will produce trunk suckers (water sprouts) under landscape conditions.

Foliage/texture: Small, gray-green pinnately-compound leaves, 4 to 12 pairs of leaflets; paired recurvate stipular spines below leaves, medium fine texture

Flowers & fruits: Flowers in 2" long raceme, pale purple rose to lavender, fruits are pods to 2 1/4" long with black seeds that are shed in August

Seasonal color: Flowers appear late spring to early summer (usually during May).

Temperature: Tolerant

Light: Full sun

Soil: tolerant

Watering: None to occasional summer irrigations to encourage vigor

Pruning: To shape, elevate canopy base and remove occasional suckers and water sprouts

Propagation: Seed

Disease and pests: None

Additional comments: Looks much better when occasionally deeply watered in summer although additional water will encourage water sprouts and suckers. Large specimens often salvaged from desert; easily transplanted. Desert ironwood is an excellent desert landscape tree which produces exceptionally dense heartwood.