Desert Willow Tree Seeds - Chilopsis Linearis, Large Pink Flowers, Fast Growing

Desert Willow Tree Seeds - Chilopsis linearis



Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet



Desert Willow, Flowering Willow, Willow-leaved Catalpa, Willowleaf Catalpa, Bow Willow, Flor De Mimbre, Mimbre



Bignoniaceae (Trumpet-Creeper Family)



Synonym(s):



USDA Symbol: chli2



USDA Native Status: L48 (N)



Desert-willow is a 15-40 ft., slender-twigged, small tree or large shrub, often with leaning, twisting trunk and open, spreading crown. Leaves are deciduous, willow-like, light green, both opposite and alternate, 4-12 inches long and 1/3 inch wide. The blossom is funnel-shaped, 1-1 1/2 inches long, spreading at the opening into 5 ruffled, petal-like lobes. The flower is dark pink or purple, often with white or yellow and purple streaks within the throat. The catalpa-like flowers are borne in terminal racemes. By early autumn, the violet-scented flowers, which appear after summer rains, are replaced by slender seedpods, 6-10 inches long, which remain dangling from the branches and serve to identify the tree after the flowers are gone.



Named for its resemblance to willows, this popular ornamental tree is actually related to catalpa trees, Yellowbells (Tecoma stans), and Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans). Its exotic-looking blooms, rapid growth, drought tolerance, and ease of maintenance have made it a sought-after plant within its range, which in nature is from south-central Texas south to Nuevo Leon and Zacatecas in Mexico and west all the way to southern California and Baja California. Adapted to desert washes, it does best with just enough water to keep it blooming and healthily green through the warm months. Many cultivars have been selected, with varying flower colors, leaf sizes, and amounts of seed pods.



Plant Characteristics



Duration: Perennial

Habit: Tree

Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Leaf Arrangement: Alternate , Opposite

Leaf Complexity: Simple

Leaf Shape: Lanceolate , Linear

Leaf Venation: Pinnate

Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous

Leaf Margin: Entire

Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious

Inflorescence: Panicle

Size Notes: 15-40 feet

Leaf: Green

Flower: Flowers 1-1.5 inch flowers in 2-4 inch panicles

Fruit: Green to brown 4-12 inches

Size Class: 12-36 ft.

Bloom Information



Bloom Color: White , Pink , Purple , Violet

Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Bloom Notes: Mostly blooms heaviest May to June but will continue to bloom sporadically throughout the warm season after rains. Flower color ranges from solid white or muted pink to darker rose and purple, as well as two-toned combinations of those colors. Throat often yellow-tinged. Many cultivars available with varying flower colors.

Distribution



USA: AZ , CA , NM , TX

Native Distribution: South-central Texas south to Nuevo Leon and Zacatecas, west to southern California and Baja California

Native Habitat: Ditches, ravines, depressions, streams, river banks, arroyos, swales, and washes in desert areas

Growing Conditions



Water Use: Low

Light Requirement: Sun

Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist

CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Drought Tolerance: High

Cold Tolerant: yes

Heat Tolerant: yes

Soil Description: Well-drained limestone soils preferred, but also does well in sands, loams, clays, caliches, granitic, and rocky soils. Minimal organic content the norm.

Conditions Comments: Allow to dry out between waterings, as this will encourage more extensive waves of blooms. Avoid excessive water and fertilizer, as that can lead to overly rapid growth, fewer blooms, and a weaker plant. Prolonged saturation can result in rot. Won't grow as fast or get as large in clay soil but won't suffer there either. Can be drought-deciduous in some regions. Can survive temperatures as low as 10 degrees F.

Benefit



Use Ornamental: A showy, fast-growing, drought-tolerant ornamental tree with very decorative blooms

Use Wildlife: Nectar-hummingbirds, Nectar-insects, Seeds-granivorous birds

Use Medicinal: Floral decoctions taken for coughs and bronchial problems in Mexico

Use Other: Erosion control. Bows and basketry made from its wood by indigenous people. A good honey plant.

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Fragrant Flowers: yes

Interesting Foliage: yes

Attracts: Birds , Butterflies , Hummingbirds

Larval Host: White-winged moth

Nectar Source: yes

Deer Resistant: Moderate

Value to Beneficial Insects



Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees



This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation



Propagation Material: Seeds , Semi-hardwood Cuttings

Description: Propagate by fresh seed, dormant cuttings, or semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer.

Seed Collection: Gather seeds from late summer through autumn when the pods have dried and turned brown but before they split open to release feathery seeds. Seeds may be stored dry in the refrigerator over winter (other references suggest storage in wet sand) but germinate best if sown fresh.

Seed Treatment: No treatment is necessary.

Commercially Avail: yes

Maintenance: Prune frequently during its first few years to encourage minimal or single trunks. Water occasionally during prolonged drought. Remove spent flowers and seed pods to encourage continued blooming. To encourage branching and blooming, cut back during winter dormancy by a third.