Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite
Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite gives you the wide, spreading shade of a honey mesquite without the thorns. It grows fast into an open tree about 30 feet tall with lacy, bright green leaves and smooth gray bark. Once rooted it lives on infrequent deep watering in full sun. Yellow flower spikes open in spring, just after the new leaves.
Best for: thorn-free shade in yards where people walk and play, wide open lots and parks, low-water desert landscapes, and spring flowers for bees.
Regular honey mesquite has sharp paired thorns. This thornless selection gives the same spreading shade with none, so it is the one to pick for yards where people walk and play.
It grows fast into an open, irregular tree about 30 feet tall and up to 30 to 40 feet wide. It suits parks, large lots and wide open yards where it has room to spread. Space trees about 20 feet apart.
Once rooted it gets by on infrequent deep watering in full sun. Yellow flower spikes open in spring after the new leaves come out, and they draw bees and butterflies.
Frequent watering grows fast, weak wood and shallow roots, and those trees can break or tip over in monsoon wind. It is not a lawn tree. Pods drop in summer and leave some litter.
- Trees in a groupAbout 20 ft apart
Right after planting, soak it every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in the cooler months. By the second month, aim for about once a week in summer, and keep regular deep soaks going for about 3 years. Once it is established, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep at the canopy edge about every 3 to 4 weeks in summer, and about monthly in winter.
Take off the nursery stake at planting, and stake the tree only if it cannot hold itself up or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball with soft ties, and leave a little sway to build a stronger trunk. Remove them in 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 each year. On older trees, raise the canopy and remove suckers and water sprouts. Remove no more than a quarter of the canopy in a year, and never strip the inner branches so leaves are left only at the tips. Finish any thinning before monsoon season starts in mid-June.
Mesquites that get too much water grow fast and weak, and they are the ones that break or tip over in monsoon storms. Keep watering deep and infrequent.
Birds carry desert mistletoe from tree to tree, and mesquite is a common host. Look for it in winter. Remove it by cutting the branch at least a foot below where it attaches.
Drops its leaves in winter and leafs out again 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.
Is Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite really thornless?
Yes. It is a thornless selection of Texas honey mesquite. Thornless trees are grown from a thornless parent tree rather than from seed, so they keep the no-thorn trait.
How big does Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite get?
Usually about 20 to 35 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide. Its natural shape is open and irregular, so it looks best where it has room to spread.
How fast does it grow?
It grows fast, and more water speeds it up, but frequent watering grows weak wood. Steady, deep, spaced-out watering gives a stronger tree.
How often should I water a thornless mesquite?
Deep and regular through the first year. Once rooted, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep at the edge of the canopy about every 3 to 4 weeks in summer. Keep it out of the lawn, where watering is frequent and shallow.
Can it blow over in a monsoon?
It can if it is overwatered. Frequent, light watering grows weak wood and shallow roots, and a thick canopy catches wind. Deep, infrequent watering and thinning the canopy before monsoon help it stand.
When is the best time to prune it?
In the cool months, from late fall into March, while it is resting, and finish before monsoon season. Train young trees to one strong trunk with well-spaced main branches.
Does Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite lose its leaves?
Yes, it drops all its leaves in winter. New leaves come out in early spring, and the yellow flower spikes follow.
Does it drop pods?
Yes. Narrow, tan pods form in summer and drop, so expect some seasonal litter under the canopy.
How cold hardy is it?
It is hardy to about 0°F, far below a normal Valley winter.
Does it attract bees?
Yes. The spring flower spikes draw bees and butterflies, so it is a good tree for a wildlife-friendly yard.
Why is there a green clump growing in my mesquite?
It is usually desert mistletoe, which birds spread from tree to tree. Cut the branch at least a foot below where it attaches. Brushing it off only lets it grow back.
Can it bother allergies or skin?
Yes, it can. It can set off allergies, and the leaves are often the cause, not just the flowers. The leaves can also irritate skin, so wear gloves and long sleeves when you prune.
Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite is a thornless selection of honey mesquite, a fast desert shade tree with an open, spreading form, lacy leaves and smooth gray bark. Below is what to expect: size, water, pruning, pods, winter leaves and how it compares with the regular honey mesquite.
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 mesquite tree without thorns?
Yes. Thornless selections of Texas honey mesquite are grown from a thornless parent tree, not from seed, so they stay thornless. They give the same fast, spreading shade as the regular form.
How big does a thornless honey mesquite get?
Plan for about 20 to 35 feet tall and 20 to 40 feet wide, with an open, spreading shape. Space trees about 20 feet apart, and give a single tree 30 to 40 feet of open room.
How to water a thornless mesquite in Phoenix
Water deep and regular the first year. After that, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep at the edge of the canopy about every 3 to 4 weeks in summer. Frequent, shallow watering grows weak wood and shallow roots.
Thornless Texas Honey Mesquite vs Chilean Mesquite
Honey mesquite drops all its leaves in winter and is hardy to about 0°F. Chilean mesquite keeps some leaves, is hardy only to about 15 to 20°F, and is the tree most often blown over in monsoon storms.
When to prune mesquite trees in Arizona
Prune in the cool months, from late fall into March, and finish before monsoon. Train young trees to one trunk. On older trees, raise the canopy, remove suckers and thin it so wind can pass through.
Thornless honey mesquite bark, leaves and flowers
It has smooth gray bark and lacy, bright green leaves that drop in winter. Yellow flower spikes open in spring after the new leaves, and narrow tan pods follow in summer.
Can mesquite leaves irritate skin?
Some people react to mesquite leaves. If your skin is sensitive, wear long sleeves and gloves when you prune.
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.