The Desert Tree of Life

I started my career in horticulture spring of 1980 when I got a job as a laborer at a wholesale nursery northwest of Tucson. The California landscape palette ruled back then, but a push had started to grow more regional native plants. Growers grew native mesquite, but also the South American species of Prosopis were quite popular. Most of the selections were thornless and fast growing, oh and they were all called the “Chilean Mesquite.” I got caught up in the frenzy, but soon realized they didn’t have half the character of the native velvet mesquite, that stout slower growing…