One last Arizona " Ironwood Season "

[Silas_Sancona]

While we may not have a Poinciana season, at least not yet  here in / around the valley,  May is peak bloom on local Desert Ironwood, perhaps the most important tree in the lowest elevations of the Sonoran Desert where both Palo Verde and Mesquite may not grow in abundance.

Took a quick walk to catch up w/ some of the best looking neighborhood trees one last time before they fade out for the season. Compared to what i noticed when out in the desert a couple weeks ago -compared to last year- " City trees " may be as good as it gets this year for everything that depends on the flowers/ seeds off this tree. By nature, Ironwood are already cyclical, with boom and bust cycles but the drought makes what could have been a productive season for trees that might flower heavily this year out in the desert much less promising. Because this great tree is used extensively enough in landscapes, here at least, local pollinators have something to hold them over until conditions out in the desert improve. 

Overall, for these trees at least, flowering cycle this year looks similar to last year.









Closer ups:








Good contrast between an Ironwood and a nearby Vitex agnus castus, the only time of year Vitex looks flawless here.


 

[Silas_Sancona]

Couple extras seen while on my stroll:

Unknown Leucophyllum variety, probably older..  Compared to the scores of these things you see around town, particular plant had clouds of several native bee sp. swarming it while observing/ taking pictures. Slightly fragrant as well, most other varieties in cultivation aren't. Roughly the same height / size as " Leucophyllum  X Lynn's Legacy " but definitely not it.






The more i see this specimen in flower, the more respect i have for this particular Caesalpinia species, Caesalpinia ( **now listed as Erythrostemon**, whether any old schoolers choose to accept it or not ) gilliesii.






 

[Xerarch]

Excellent photos here and in the other threads you've been making.  We really loved AZ when we lived there and I took many walks in the desert and enjoyed the local flora and fauna immensely. Some of the best and brightest flowers anywhere are found in the desert.