Holy ..Golden mesquite?!?

[Silas_Sancona]

On a day when Central CA was getting soaked, I took advantage of the thick high clouds and 80F+ air being directed overhead and headed out to a local birding hotspot to see who might be hanging out. I also wanted to check to see if any of the local Cat Claw Acacia and Screwbean Mesquite still had seed for harvesting. 

While wandering the trails between a couple of the ponds, I spotted what I thought might be a sizable Palo Verde in full bloom in the distance. Getting closer, I was quite surprised to see something I can't recall encountering anywhere across the valley. Mesquite, of all shapes and sizes, are probably the second-most utilized  landscape tree around Phoenix and Tucson. While big, well grown specimens can command attention, an average tree in an average yard is hardly worth a second glance, except  maybe when it gets cut up after falling in a storm (nothing like Mesquite-smoked ...anything)

 Inspecting it, my first thought was " Old, frost nipped foliage that hadn't been shed yet?" or " Maybe the tree had recently fallen, and was beginning to dry out? / in situ nutrient issues, perhaps?"    ..Nope, just fresh, new spring foliage.. and not of typical color, not that I have ever seen. New growth on the 100s of Honey Mesquite I have seen both in habitat and in cultivation normally opens bright apple green. Add to that there is yet another, smaller specimen in another spot exhibiting the same unique new foliage. Other nearby Honey Mesq. on site were presenting normal bright green new growth..  There is a Honey Locust cultivar that produces foliage like this but Honey Locust is a rare sight anywhere around town.. Thinking the heat is too much during the summer in the valley. 

While not the hugest fan of odd- colored foliage myself, this is kind of an eye catcher, imo. Can see a place in the landscape for something like this. Plan on taking another look in a couple weeks to gauge how long it retains this coloration.

Anyway, some pictures of a Desert oddity.. and something else almost as unusual.

From a distance


Whole tree up-close/ looking up through the canopy


Foliage/twig color detail


American White Pelican, taking a nap in the Desert.
 

Enjoy,

-Nathan

[Tom in Tucson]

If I had to guess the species my first thought is a nitrogen starved Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa. You don't see this mesquite much around these parts except along the freeway where the cattle from Texas are being transported to feed lots here in Arizona, and their manure is the main culprit (or vector). My second guess would be an almost pure strain of the true Chilean: Prosopis chilensis. The second photo in this link looks very close.

Good find Nathan. I look forward to your follow up photos.

Hi 81°, Lo 53°

[Silas_Sancona]

Tom,
 
Pretty sure its P. glandulosa. Noted a handful of specimens at this location the last time id visited. Remnants of what pods I could find beneath it fit the id also. ( Long, thin, somewhat ribbed) Pods on the Chileans around the neighborhood/ where I used to work are flat and somewhat c- shaped.. and a bit messier than those off P. glandulosa or velutina. Agree that this sp. in particular isn't as commonly seen compared to others around town, though I did recently come across a tall, albeit over-pruned specimen in a park nearby.

I made a point of collecting pods off one of the other Honey Mesquites at the preserve before since I really like the weeping look of the species, that and I eventually want to be able to make flour from the pods.  

Like you, a nutrient deficiency was among my first thoughts, and certainly is possible. Interesting since it ( and the other specimen with similar colored foliage atm) sit next to 2 of the ponds that are regularly flooded. Think the water source is recycled/ raw C.A.P. Lots of "extra" fertilizer from all the ducks/wading birds added as well.

Will be interesting to see how both look when I check in in acouple weeks.. Did not come across anything like this when there in the past, roughly mid-summer. 

For anyone local, or curious: Trees are located at the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert. As mentioned, this is a HUGE birding hot spot.. many rare wading/ target bird sp. from south of the border have been documented there. Tree in the pictures is located near where ponds 3, 4,and 5, intersect.

[Xerarch]

Agree with P. glandulosa, however I don’t know how it could be starving for nitrogen as it is a legume and fixes its own nitrogen. 

[Silas_Sancona]

A quick update, 

Checked in on this specimen again last weekend. Now that 99% of all the local Mesquite are green again, it was easier to distinguish from the rest. 

Looking it over again, still presenting yellowish foliage but newer growth is greener than before, especially where it's canopy shades lower portions of the tree. 
Very top of it appears burnt, like what id see on Japanese Maples planted in hot, full sun back in San Jose.

I also think it is a hybrid instead of a pure Honey Mesq. as the foliage is distinctly different than both the Velvet and Honey Mesquites growing on the opposite side of the trail, and to either side of this specimens location. Is also flowering so I guess it is healthy enough?.. Will check back again in July when "pod season" arrives. 

A few more pictures:

The Golden specimen


Pure Honey Mesquite ( Prosopis glandulosa)



-Nathan

 

[Josue Diaz]

Wow that tree is spectacular! Did you gather seed?

[Silas_Sancona]

^ Planning on collecting off of it and the Honey Mesq. when pod season starts.. roughly the end of June/ beginning of July,  right as Monsoon season kicks in ( hopefully). Can't say for certain the traits will carry through, but def. worth trialing, just incase.