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Species
Prosopis velutina Woot.
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Gather the seed pods and take the seeds out of the pods. Put the seeds in scalding water and let the water cool. Plant seeds in a well-drained soil in deep pots or tree tubes in autumn. Sprinkle soil on top of the seeds and place one-quarter inch gravel on top of the dirt. The seeds should be spaced one-half inch apart and the tree tubes placed in partial shade with morning sun and afternoon shade. Water the containers right away and keep them moist. As soon as the plants form one true leaf, transplant one plant per container and water. Keep the containers watered but allows the surface of the soil to dry out in between watering. Plant each dormant seedling in the ground the following fall or winter in partial sun and well-drained soil. Plants will tolerate cold to 5 degrees F. Protect the plants from wildlife. Water the plants and keep them damp if the rains are insufficient. Also in areas without summer rainfall do some watering in summer, about every 2 to 3 weeks. Continue to water deeply throughout the life of the plant once in awhile. Mesquite should be lightly damp all summer long.
Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values. This species is a valuable native of the southwest US. A synonym, Prosopis articulata, referring to a South American plant, is listed as noxious Federally and in the States of Florida and North Carolina (two states that include all names on the Federal list).
More info on this topic.
More info for the terms: Pleistocene, formation, frequency
The geographical range of velvet mesquite has probably changed very
little since settlement times, but its abundance within its range has
increased dramatically. Its widespread occurrence in desert grasslands,
and to a lesser degree in oak woodlands, is a relatively recent event.
Velvet mesquite thickets and scattered plants were occasionally found in
desert grasslands before settlement times but are widespread today [55].
Velvet mesquite's dramatic invasion into grasslands has been attributed
to a combination of (1) overgrazing by livestock which reduced
herbaceous fuels and thus reduced the frequency and intensity of range
fires and (2) the concurrent dispersal of mesquite seed by livestock
into grazed habitats. Both factors are discussed below.
Fire - The role that range fires played in controlling velvet mesquite
density in desert grasslands prior to settlement by Europeans is
unclear. Some researchers feel that fires had the ability to keep
velvet mesquite at very low densities within grasslands [60]. Fire has
killed up to 50 percent of velvet mesquite plants smaller than 1 inch
(2.5 cm) in basal stem diameter [51]. In desert grasslands it often
takes velvet mesquite 10 to 20 years to reach this size [51]. Prior to
grazing by livestock, herbaceous fuels were probably sufficiently
abundant to carry a hot fire. Recurrent fires every 10 to 20 years
would have killed many plants and kept others in a low stature,
nonflowering state [51,60].
Seed dispersal - Some researchers hypothesize that low densities of
mesquites in Southwestern grasslands prior to the introduction by
livestock resulted primarily from limited seed dispersal [16]. Since
mesquites evolved with New World megafauna, such as camelids,
stegomastodons, notoungulates, and edentates [89], dispersal of mesquite
seeds became very restricted when most of these herbivores became
extinct at the end of the Pleistocene. With the introduction of
livestock by European settlers, mesquite invaded grasslands as cattle
transported seed from plants which were primarily found in draws and
drainageways. Livestock deposited the seeds into grazed habitats.
Studies have shown that vigorous stands of grass significantly reduce
velvet mesquite seedling establishment and survival when compared to
nearby stands weakened by grazing [51].
Saltcedar has become established along many rivers of the Southwest.
In some areas it has invaded and replaced velvet mesquite bosque
communities. Salt cedar spread seems to be related to the altering of
natural river flow by dams [130].
Flooding of rivers can cause the destruction or formation of mesquite
bosque communities. If channel widening and clearing occur bosques can
be destroyed by the undercutting and collapse of the terrace. Following
the receding of floodwaters, velvet mesquite seedlings may become
established on freshly deposited alluvium. When seedlings successfully
establish themselves on river bars, they further enhance the
accumulation of alluvium, which in time, progressively elevates the
surface above the river, allowing the development of the mesquite bosque
[88].
More info for the terms: cover, density, shrub, tree
Velvet mesquite infests millions of acres of grazing land in Arizona.
Introduction of livestock in the Southwest resulted in overgrazing,
dispersal of mesquite seed by cattle, and a reduction of range fires due
to insufficient fuels which allowed velvet mesquite to increase in
density and spread into grasslands [66,95]. Today dense velvet
mesquite thickets occur over vast areas that were essentially free of
velvet mesquite 100 years ago. Velvet mesquite is considered a range pest
or weed because infestations greatly reduce herbaceous forage available
for livestock and makes moving and handling livestock more difficult.
Adaptive features that make control difficult include (1) abundant,
long-lived seed that is disseminated by livestock and wildlife, (2) high
rate of seed germination over a wide range of environmental conditions,
and (3) its ability to resprout following injury [42,95]. Areas which
have been cleared in the past, either by chemical or mechanical methods,
generally were reinfested with seedlings and/or resprouts. Herbicidal
control attempts often resulted in only low to moderate mortality. Many
or most plants resprouted after treatment and developed into
multistemmed bushes.
Chemical control: Aerial application of herbicides generally resulted
in the greatest herbaceous forage production following treatment.
Banned for use on rangelands in the early 1980's, 2,4,5-T was one of the
most commonly used methods of velvet mesquite control in the 1950's,
60's, and 70's. The most effective herbicide for killing mesquites
(Prosopis spp.) available for use today is clopyralid; however, it is
much more expensive than 2,4,5-T. Velvet mesquite is probably
susceptible to aerial applications of clopyralid, which often results in
50 to 85 percent mortality of honey mesquite [12,62,63,64]. Recent
research suggests that even greater mesquite mortality, over 90 percent,
can be acheived by mixing clopyralid with picloram or triclopyr [12].
Moderate control has also been achieved with aerial applications of
tebuthiuron pellets [49,129].
Mechanical control: Mechanical methods devised for controlling
mesquites include tree dozing, cable chaining, roller chopping, root
plowing, tree grubbing, and land imprinting. For mechanical measures to
be effective, the dormant buds which occur along the underground stem
must be damaged or removed to prevent sprouting. If only the
aboveground portion of the plant is removed, velvet mesquite will
quickly resprout. Tree grubbing with blades attached to crawler
tractors which severs roots 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) below the soil
surface and root plows which uproot trees are effective control
measures, often achieving over 90 percent mortality [78]. Areas root
plowed or mechanically grubbed are often seeded with native grasses.
Without seeding, serious soil disturbances caused by these control
methods often reduces perennial grass cover for several years. On areas
with moderate shrub density, an alternative to root plowing, cabling, or
grubbing which disturbs the soil, is land imprinting followed by
seeding. The land imprinter is a heavy roller, set with pyramid shaped
teeth, 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) long, attached in an irregular pattern
and pulled behind a caterpillar tractor. As the roller passes over the
ground it leaves the area looking like a huge waffle. The tractor and
roller crush and shred the vegetation and deposit the mulch into the
funnellike depressions [49].
Hand grubbing mesquite seedlings, although very labor intensive, is an
effective preventive measure used for removing mesquites during early
stages of invasion. When the roots are severed 4 inches (10 cm) below
the soil surface, hand grubbing effectively kills plants under 1 inch
(2.5 cm) in diameter [78].
Biological control: Although not used to date, seed, legume, and flower
feeding insects have been proposed as agents for biological control of
mesquites [31].
Grazing: No matter what method of control is used, it needs to be done
in conjunction with a proper grazing program to ensure maximum benefits.
Due to its reproductive potential and regenerative capabilities, velvet
mesquite will probably never be eliminated from sites where it has
become established [29]. Dahl [29] suggests that a proper rotation
grazing system in coordination with controlled burning promises to be
most effective.
Wildlife: Control methods which leave selected individuals, scattered
patches, or strips of velvet mesquite can increase forage production for
cattle while retaining enough cover for wildlife. Aerial applications
of herbicides is often detrimental to collared peccary populations
because prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), an important food source, is
susceptible to spraying. Root plowing disturbs or kills burrowing
rodents.
Threat to Bosques: Velvet mesquite bosque communities today cover only
a fraction of the acreage covered in presettlement times. During the
settlement of southern Arizona, many bosques were cleared for fuelwood,
lumber, and to convert land to agricultural use. Today, bosque
destruction continues due to fuelwood cutting, clearing for further
agricultural needs and housing developments, and the lowering of
underground water tables [44,86]. Pumping of underground water for
agricultural use, has resulted in the total destruction of entire velvet
mesquite bosques when water tables were lowered below the rooting depth
of the mesquites, about 50 feet (14 m) [67,86]. Remaining bosques are
threatened in areas where pumping of underground water continues. These
bosques are extremely important avian habitat [46]. [See Cover Value]
Toxicity: Mesquite pods are normally considered excellent feed for
cattle and horses, however when large amounts of beans are consumed
continuously over a 2-month period serious digestive disturbances or
death may occur [32,116]. The disease known as "jaw and tongue trouble"
is characterized in cattle by profuse salivation, continuous chewing, a
protruding tounge, and a tilted head. Animals gradually become
emaciated and may lose up to 50 percent of their weight. If acute
symptoms, such as loss of apetite, rapid weight loss, nervousness, a
wild expression, and bulging eyes, develop, animals usually die within 2
to 4 days [116]. In cattle excessive buildup of mesquite beans in the
rumen apparently destroys the rumen bacteria that digest cellulose and
synthesize B vitamins [32].
This deciduous shrub or tree is less than 15 m in height with a spreading, rounded crown. Every part of the plant has short, dense hairs. The branches are crooked with spines 1-2 cm. The fern-like compound leaves are divided into many tiny leaflets. The trunk has a shaggy bark. The inflorescence is a spike-like raceme and the yellow corolla has free petals. The fruits are 8-15 cm linear and flat and are tan-colored or sometimes streaked with red.
More info for the terms: cover, density, fuel
Prescribed burning has not been effective in controlling velvet mesquite
because of the species' fire survival strategies. On grasslands in good
condition with a low density of velvet mesquite, repeated prescribed
fires have the potential to kill small plants under 0.5 inch (1.25 cm)
in basal stem diameter and keep others low in stature and from producing
seed [22]. However, on some sites velvet mesquite has reduced the
native grass cover to the extent that there is now insufficient fuel to
carry anything more than a "spotty" or "cool fire" [42]. In general,
fire will not carry in Southwestern grasslands having less than 600
pounds per acre of herbaceous fuel (654 kg/ha) unless there is a good
stand of burroweed present [127]. When there is less than 892 pounds
per acre (1,000 kg/ha), a windspeed of 8 miles per hour (12.8 km/hr) is
needed to carry the fire [127].
This species is available from native plant nurseries within its range. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.” The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”
mesquite
Uses
Ethnobotanic: The pods of this mesquite provided an important food to the Maricopa, Pima, Haulapais, and other tribes of the Southwest and are still very important today. The pods or the seeds alone are ground in a mortar or the seeds are sometimes parched and afterwards ground into a meal that is very nourishing. This meal is eaten as is, used to sweeten other seed mixtures, or made into bread. Traditionally a drink was prepared from the beans by pounding them in a stone mortar, mixing cold water with the flour, and the product was strained and drank. The black gum from the mesquite was an important medicine to the Pima. It was boiled with a little water and applied to sore lips and gums, chapped fingers, and taken internally to cleanse the system. Mesquite leaves were pounded and boiled and placed on the eyes of Pima individuals as a treatment for pink eye. The Pima used black gum in a concoction to dye gray hair black.
Industrial: The wood is used for fence posts and the heartwood takes a fine polish. The flowers are used as a source of bee food in the honey industry.
Wildlife: Mesquite is an important tree to wildlife. The seeds are eaten by jackrabbits, Gambel quail,
songbirds, various small mammals, and domestic livestock. Western chipmunks, ground squirrels, pocket mice, and various species of kangaroo and wood rats consume the foliage. Different birds also nest in the tree's canopy.
More info for the term: top-kill
The response of velvet mesquite following fire depends on the amount of
damage the fire inflicted on the plant. Plants may initiate new growth
from either aerial crown or underground stem buds. Following
low-intensity fires which only partially top-kill plants, velvet
mesquite often sprouts from axillary buds on the branches of the crown.
Following severe, top-killing fires which char or completely consume the
crown, plants survive by producing numerous basal stem sprouts [20,126].
Some plants which are lightly or moderately damaged survive by both
refoliating undamaged portions of the crown and by producing basal
sprouts. In general, smaller plants receive more crown damage and thus
tend to recover by basal sprouting, while larger plants tend to produce
crown sprouts. Cable [20] observed that basal sprouting predominated on
trees with a stem diameter less than 2 inches (5 cm), while crown
sprouting predominated on plants with basal stem diameters less than 2
inches.
Following a fall burn at Santa Rita, heights velvet mesquite resprouts
were 105 percent of preburn levels in 4 years. Six years after burning,
some resprouts flowered and set seed [79].
Mesquite can tolerate pruning of the lower branches and it can be shaped into a small tree with an exposed trunk or let grown naturally with the branches touching the ground.