Trees That Please Nursery: 30 Days of Fall Foliage, Thursday November 8th.

Desert Willow

The Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) is a small flowering tree grown for its orchid like flowers and tolerance to hot arid landscapes. The Desert Willow is a New Mexico native tree that normally grows with multi-trunks to about 15′-18’ tall and wide. It produces orchid like flowers that attract hummingbirds and bloom from summer until frost with only minimal water. Trees are available with pink, white, or burgundy flowers.

Foliage of the Desert Willow does not have any color change associated with fall but are interest none the less. Leaves normally remain until the first killing frost at which time they dry up and die initially remaining attached to the tree.

Leaves begin to fall and the canopy thins, revealing branch structure and seed pods.

Leaves fall to the ground where they accumulate as mulch around the base of the tree.

As these leaves decompose they add plant required nutrients back to the soil. When winds arrive remaining leaves will be stripped from branches leaving only seed pods.

Contact Trees That Please Nursery for more information and pricing.

Written By:

Stephen Sain
Staff Plant Physiologist

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