Photo by Mare Czinar

Botanical name: Prosopis velutina
Plant type: Deciduous native tree
Blooms: Pale yellow, insignificant
Bloom season: Spring, followed by seedpods in summer
Mature size: 25 feet tall and wide
Water needs: Low
Where to plant: Full sun where thorns will not be a problem
When to plant: Fall or spring
Maintenance: Do not over-water; doing so promotes top-heavy foliage growth before an extensive root system can develop to anchor the weight. Such trees are prone to blow over in windstorms.
Note: Native Americans once ground mesquite seedpods into a nutritious food source.