Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Cooperi Mesquite
Cooperi Mesquite is a thornless selection of Argentine mesquite, grown for fast, wide shade without the thorns. It reaches about 25 to 30 feet tall with a full, spreading canopy about 40 feet across and large leaves. It keeps some of its leaves in winter and gets by on infrequent deep watering once rooted. Yellow flower spikes open in spring.
Best for: thorn-free shade in yards people use, wide canopies in full sun and reflected heat, and low-water desert landscapes.
Many Argentine mesquites carry sharp thorns up to about 2 inches long. Cooperi is a thornless selection, so it gives the same fast shade without thorns on the branches.
It grows about 25 to 30 feet tall with a full, spreading canopy about 40 feet wide. The larger leaves make good summer shade. Space trees 20 feet or more apart.
It takes full sun and reflected heat. Once rooted it gets by on infrequent deep watering, and it grows in most desert soils that drain well.
It is not a lawn tree. Frequent watering grows fast, weak wood on shallow roots, and those trees can go over in monsoon storms. It is hardy only to about 20°F.
- Trees in a group20 ft or more apart
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly in summer by the second month, and keep up deep, regular soaks for its first 3 years. Once rooted, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep at the canopy edge about every 2 to 3 weeks in summer and about once a month in winter.
Take off the nursery stake at planting, and stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball and soft, wide ties that let the trunk sway. Remove them after about a year. Mesquites grow top-heavy, so many need stakes the first year.
Train a young tree to a strong trunk with well-spaced branches, a little at a time. On older trees, raise the canopy and remove suckers and water sprouts. Never take more than a quarter of the leaves in a year, and do not strip the inside branches bare.
Extra water pushes fast, weak wood that breaks or blows over in monsoon storms. Light, frequent watering also keeps roots shallow. Water deep and less often.
Desert mistletoe is common on mesquite, and birds spread the seeds. It is easiest to spot in winter. Cut infected branches at least a foot below the clump, since brushing it off lets it grow back.
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.
Is Cooperi Mesquite thornless?
Yes. It is a thornless selection of Argentine mesquite, a tree that often has sharp thorns.
How big does Cooperi Mesquite get?
About 25 to 30 feet tall, with a canopy about 40 feet wide. It is wider than it is tall, so give it open room.
How fast does it grow?
It grows fast, but pushing it with frequent water grows weak wood. Deep, spaced-out watering gives a stronger tree.
How should I water Cooperi Mesquite?
Water it regularly through the first year. After that, soak it deep and not often, 2 to 3 feet down at the edge of the canopy. Many Argentine mesquites need little extra water once rooted.
Does Cooperi Mesquite lose its leaves in winter?
It is partly evergreen, keeping some of its leaves through winter and dropping others.
How cold hardy is it?
It is hardy to about 20°F. That covers most Valley winters, but a colder snap can damage it.
Does it drop pods?
Argentine mesquite pods ripen in July and drop around the same time. Plan for a summer cleanup under the canopy near patios and walkways.
Can I plant it in a lawn?
It is not a lawn tree. Lawn watering is frequent and shallow, which grows weak wood and shallow roots. Plant it where you can water it deep and not often.
How do I train a young Cooperi Mesquite?
Stake it young and train it to a straight trunk with well-spaced main branches. On older trees, raise the canopy and thin it so monsoon wind can pass through.
When does it bloom?
Yellow flower spikes open in spring. Mesquite flowers draw native bees and other pollinators.
Cooperi vs regular Argentine mesquite?
Cooperi has no thorns and larger leaves. Regular Argentine mesquite can carry thorns up to about 2 inches and often grows taller, about 30 to 40 feet.
Cooperi Mesquite for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Cooperi Mesquite is a thornless Argentine mesquite with a wide, full canopy and larger leaves. It grows fast and handles Valley sun and heat on infrequent deep watering once rooted. Below is what to expect: size, water, winter leaves, pods, training and cold.
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 there a thornless Argentine mesquite?
Yes. Cooperi is a thornless selection of Argentine mesquite. It gives the fast, wide shade of Argentine mesquite without the sharp thorns many of those trees carry.
How big does Cooperi Mesquite get in Arizona?
About 25 to 30 feet tall, with a full, spreading canopy about 40 feet wide. Space trees 20 feet or more apart, and give a single tree about 40 feet of open room.
How to water a Cooperi Mesquite in Phoenix
Water regularly the first year. Then switch to infrequent deep soaks, 2 to 3 feet down at the edge of the canopy. Frequent, shallow watering grows weak wood and shallow roots.
Is Cooperi Mesquite evergreen?
It is partly evergreen, keeping some of its leaves through winter and dropping others. It is hardy to about 20°F.
Cooperi Mesquite vs Chilean Mesquite
Both are fast South American shade trees that keep some leaves in winter. Cooperi is a thornless Argentine selection with larger leaves and a canopy about 40 feet wide.
Training a young mesquite for monsoon season
Stake young trees and train them to a straight trunk with well-spaced main branches. Water deep and not often so roots grow down, and thin a thick canopy so wind can pass through.
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.