• Mesquite grows wild all over the Southwest, especially in arid, desert regions.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Found all over the Southwest including in Texas, Oklahoma, California and Arizona, mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) is a common sight in the desert. Honey mesquite, one of seven varieties cultivated in gardens and urban areas, is the most popular mesquite grown in Texas. In addition to honey mesquite, varieties found in the desert and dry regions of the United States are screwbean (Prosopis pubescens) and velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina). Mesquite is a legume and produces bean pods that provide food for humans, wildlife and livestock; it is highly invasive and can be difficult to eradicate. The tree is disease-resistant and easy to grow.
  
  

Varieties

• Honey mesquite is a small, spiny tree that grows to 20 feet high with a crown that can spread as wide as the tree is tall. This deciduous tree has feathery green leaves and bears fragrant flowers in May. Screwbean mesquite has bright-green leaves up to 2 inches long. The tree produces yellow-green, aromatic flowers in April. Velvet mesquite is a thorny tree with spreading, crooked branches and velvety foliage. In very dry areas, this mesquite grows as a shrub, but if well cared for, will attain a tree shape and can grow 30 feet tall. Mesquite hybridizes easily, especially from these three varieties.
  
  

Planting

• Mesquite trees can be planted in dry areas and are useful foundation plantings in xeriscapes because of their high tolerance for drought. The trees can thrive in a variety of soils as long as the soil is well-drained, but cannot tolerate full shade. Plant mesquite trees where they will receive full sunlight directly for most of the day. The trees can grow in light shade or reflected bright sunlight. A versatile plant, mesquite can grow as a large shrub. Provide more water, prune the plant for health and shape, and mesquite can grow into a tall, broad-canopied tree in the home landscape.
  
  

Pruning

• Judicious pruning not only improves the health of mesquite trees when dead or dying wood is taken away to relieve stress on the tree, but helps all parts of the tree take advantage of available sunlight. Spines may also be removed to make other pruning chores safer, and will not grow back. Mistletoe often grows in clumps on mesquite trees and should be pruned away completely to prevent damage to the tree. Prune in late fall or early winter to encourage the plant to grow into a proper tree form.