General: Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) is a medium-sized, spindly, many branched, thorny tree with long, straight, stout spines along the stems. Honey Mesquite produce bean pods that are large, flat, and sickle-shaped (more-or-less straight compared to the other local mesquite: Screwbean Mesquite (Prosopis pubescens).

Honey Mesquite are fairly common components of wash communities and other wet areas in the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) and Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zones, mostly south of Las Vegas.

Family: Pea (Fabaceae).

Other Names: Glandular mesquite.

Plant Form: Medium-sized, spindly, many branching tree; forms thickets.

Height: Usually 15-20 ft

Trunk: Thick with rough bark.

Leaves: Compound leaves with small leaflets; leaflets long and narrow. Leaflets smooth. The species of mesquite in Arizona (Prosopis velutina), has hairy leaflets.

Flowers: Bottlebrush-shaped catkins on a stalk (spikes). Individual flowers are small, creamy or pale yellow, and tubular. Blooms late spring to early fall.

Seeds: Large; seeds born in long, straight, stringbean-like pods.

Distribution: Southern California to western Oklahoma, south into Mexico.

Elevation:

Comments: These plants indicate the presence of water, but their roots can penetrate 70-80 feet to reach it, so it probably isn't worth digging to find water.

Honey Mesquite were a staple in the diet of southwestern Native Americans. They ground the seeds and seed pods to make flower for baking.