Honey Mesquite is the common name for Prosopis Glandulosa, a tranquil tenant merging to the mountainside in proximity of Pioneertown. On average forming a medium shrub, it makes dense thickets or becomes tree like under ideal conditions. Its leaves appear feathery and sprout from petioles, the botanical term which describes stems terminating in leaf like foliage. Thorns are present in pairs on newer branches.
Prosopis Glandulosa has a medium growth rate, which is faster than average co-competitors in its endemic range spanning the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts. In some locations, Honey Mesquite forms a major part of the Mesquite Bosque plant community. It generally does not grow above 5,000 feet, and needs to be near areas where water is close to the surface. Noted is its preference for warmer temperatures, which is partially why it is mostly absent from the Great Basin Desert.
Flowering from march through Novemeber, the yellow, elongate, fluffy blooming tufts terminate in a soft tip, attracting local pollinators. Green seed pods develop sometimes so proliferous the branches bend under their weight. Fruits turn tan when ripe, and many will fall in dense gatherings, attracting additional wildlife. Prosopis Glandulosa is a very tough organism, with underground growth aiding in recovery from lost branches or even the main trunk being severed. Regarded by many accounts as the most important food plant for native cultures. In abundant years, a single tree can produce approximatemy 20 pounds of edible food, and even bears fruit during drought seasons.
Light in breeze with sun they waft, flutter feathers green and soft, loft a above a lowcut ridge, sneak below a passing bridge. Strong and fast a hardened heart, chop one side two new growths start.
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