Horticultural characteristics of seven Sonoran Desert woody legumes which show potential for southwestern landscaping

Abstract

Many plants are not commercially produced due to a lack of accessible information on their horticultural requirements and landscape potential. Members of the Legume Family (Leguminosae) are often conspicuous components of the vegetation of arid and semi-arid subtropical regions. Many of these plants are suitable for landscaping use in areas suited to their cultivation. Coursetia glandulosa, Erythrina flabelliformis, Eysenhardtia orthocarpa, Haematoxylon brasiletto, Lysiloma watsonii, Pithecellobium mexicanum, and Sophora arizonica are woody legumes native to the Sonoran Desert region which offer a variety of form, texture, color and function. All of these plants grow readily from scarified seed. E. flabelliformis and E. orthocarpa are easy to propagate from stem cuttings. Some irrigation is necessary for establishment and reasonable growth in the landscape. Maintenance and pests are minimal. Freezing temperatures are the primary limiting factor to several of the plants. S. arizonica is slow growing and is prone to rot in the nursery.