Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Cascalote Shrub
Cascalote grows naturally as a large, dense shrub with dark green leaves, and this is the shrub form, left full to the ground. From late fall through winter, upright spikes of bright yellow flowers stand at the branch tips, and hummingbirds visit them. It makes a tall background planting that colors up when most of the yard is resting. It takes full sun and gets by on little water once it is rooted.
Best for: a tall background shrub at the back of the yard, yellow flowers in the cool season, a hot, sunny spot away from foot traffic, and winter hummingbirds.
Left to its natural shape, cascalote fills in as a large shrub with dense, dark green leaves. Plan on about 15 feet tall and wide, and more over time. It is used at the back of a yard, in groups and along borders.
Upright spikes of bright yellow flowers open at the branch tips from late fall through winter, when little else is in bloom. Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees visit them. Reddish-brown pods follow the flowers.
It takes full sun and does well in a hot spot near a wall. Once rooted, a deep soak every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter is enough. More water makes it fuller and faster.
The stems carry curved, rose-like thorns, so plant it away from walks, play areas and gates. Flowers and pods drop, so keep it back from a pool. A hard freeze can damage the leaves and flowers.
- Plant to plant20 ft or more apart
Water every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks, then every 6 to 7 days. Stretch it to every 7 to 10 days, then every 10 to 14 days by weeks 7 and 8.
Give it a deep soak about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. More water makes it fuller and faster. Water out at the edge of the branches, not at the base.
Prune in spring after it blooms. Thin out whole branches to control the size, and do not shear it or cut every branch back. Leave the shoots at the base if you want it full to the ground.
It can be damaged below about 20°F, and a hard freeze can hurt the leaves and flowers. Cover young plants with frost cloth on freezing nights. Trim frost-damaged branches in spring.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does a cascalote shrub get?
Most grow about 15 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. It is a large shrub, so plant it where it has room and thin it in spring to hold the size you want.
Is cascalote a shrub or a tree?
It can be grown as either one. Its natural shape is a large shrub, and it keeps sending up shoots from the base. It only becomes a tree when those shoots are removed and the canopy is raised.
How do I keep cascalote as a shrub?
Let the low branches and base shoots grow, and thin it in spring after the bloom. Thin whole branches rather than shearing it, because shearing makes it branch too thickly.
When does cascalote bloom?
It blooms from late fall through winter, and some flowers carry on into early spring. The yellow spikes are fragrant. Hold off on pruning until the bloom is done so you do not cut off the flower spikes.
Does cascalote attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the flowers, along with butterflies and bees. How many hummingbirds you see depends on which ones stay in your area for the winter.
Does a cascalote shrub have thorns?
Yes. The stems and branches carry curved, rose-like thorns. Plant it away from walks and play areas. We also carry a thornless kind, Smoothie Cascalote.
How far apart should I plant cascalote shrubs?
Plant them about 20 feet or more apart, center to center. Each one spreads 10 to 20 feet wide, and the Spacing tab counts plants for a row.
How often should I water a cascalote shrub?
Once it is rooted, give it a deep soak every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. For a fuller, faster shrub, water it a little more often.
How cold hardy is cascalote?
It is rated hardy to about 20°F and keeps its leaves in most winters. A hard freeze can damage leaves and flowers. Cut off frost-damaged branches in spring.
Is cascalote messy, and can it go by a pool?
It drops flowers and reddish-brown seed pods by season. Plant it set back from a pool so the litter and the thorns stay away from the water.
What soil does cascalote need?
It grows in most soils, including clay, loam, sand and rocky ground. It needs good drainage, so avoid spots where water stands.
Cascalote Shrub for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Cascalote is a winter-blooming plant from Mexico that grows as a large shrub when it is left to its natural shape. This page covers the shrub form, full to the ground, with yellow flower spikes from late fall through winter. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spacing to water, pruning and bloom time.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Is cascalote a shrub or a tree?
Its natural shape is a large shrub. It sends up shoots from the base and goes back to a shrub shape unless it is pruned up. This page is the shrub form, and we also carry the tree form.
How big does a cascalote shrub get in Arizona?
Plan on about 15 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. Thinning in spring holds it smaller. It is dense and dark green and keeps its leaves in most winters.
A winter-blooming shrub for the Valley
Few plants flower in cool weather, and cascalote does. Upright spikes of bright yellow open at the branch tips from late fall through winter, and hummingbirds visit them.
How do you prune a cascalote shrub?
Prune in spring after the flowers finish. Thin out whole branches instead of shearing, which makes it branch too thickly. Leave the base shoots to keep it full to the ground.
How often do you water cascalote?
Once it is rooted, a deep soak every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter is enough. It grows fuller and faster with more regular water.
How far apart do you plant cascalote?
Plant about 20 feet or more apart, center to center. Each plant spreads 10 to 20 feet wide. The spacing calculator counts plants for a row.
Where should I plant a thorny cascalote?
Put it at the back of a bed or along a far wall, away from walks, gates and play areas. For a spot near people, Smoothie Cascalote is the same plant without thorns.
How cold hardy is cascalote?
It is rated hardy to about 20°F. A hard freeze can damage leaves and flowers. Trim frost damage in spring, and cover young plants on freezing nights.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.