Need Identification

[W. Gray]

If it matters, we have a local barbecue that uses nothing but mesquite wood.

[frawin]

Yes, lots of places in Texas use Mesquite, but we personally prefer hickory.  Frank  smokes quite a lot of meat for family gatherings, reunions, etc.  The thing about Mesquite is it spreads so fast--like the cedars are spreading in Oklahoma and Kansas.  The Mesquite saps a tremendous amount of water from the subsurface.  I have heard people say that they keep the thorns picked off and after awhile, they don't produce thorns.  If that is true, they would make a great shade tree as they grow quite large, but you would still probably have to contend with the beans. 

The wood is also used in making furniture, bowls, and different art  I must say it is beautiful too.

Myrna

[Diane Amberg]

 I got into this one late, but you are right, that is definitely a young mesquite, probably" honey" mesquite but maybe "velvet." Those beans gave it away. They are quite edible and can be ground into flour called "pinole." Critters love those beans and bees love the flowers. The bigger they get, the deeper the big tap root goes, that's why they are so successful in desert regions. I learned about those, creosote and rabbit bush, Saguaro and others when we visited El Paso and Tuscon. 

[Rudy Taylor]

Wacky weed.

Definitely wacky weed.

[emptynest]

Wilma,
You know Don Seaton's sophomore class out at the High school has to identify trees and do a leaf collection for his class.  It is quite involved, but what I am getting at is:  Why don't you call Lisa and Gary Harrod's daughter, Kayla, or Michelle and Kevin Weber's son, Tanner, and ask them if they would bring their "tree books" over and secure the identity to your mystery?  Even Don Seaton himself might come over.  Every year sophomores scour the community/county to gather leaves and identify trees. It might be worth a try and is also good for the youth to make a connection with others in their town/community.    Just an idea.

[Diane Amberg]

 A very good idea

[Jo McDonald]

Another round of applause for our Emptynest.!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAA ** Teacher....you are some kind of good !!!!

[frawin]

Kayla is my Niece and pretty sharp, I will accept her answer, I know if she doesn't know she will say so..
Frank

[Wilma]

I am still in a quandary.  One more bit of information.  The leaves on this are about 8 inches long and the leaf petals are about an inch, a dark green and tough.  The seed pods are about 2 inches long and turn purple as they ripen.  Does this still fit the mesquite?  My sources disagree on the length of the leaves and the seed pods.  One saying that the leaves and pods are like mine and the internet source saying that the leaves are 2 to 3 inches and the pods up to 8 inches.  Can you tell me, without taking a trip to see, what the length of the leaves and pods of the southwestern mesquite is?  Also, mine doesn't have the thorns the book describes.  I have cut this thing off a couple of times, thinking it was the coffee bean tree that can become a nuisance here.

[frawin]

Wilma, Mesquite leaves and texture can or are somewhat different in areas or times of more moisture and/or cooler. My hunting lease is covered with mesquite I will try to get out  there and take a picture for you. Also the thorns are bigger the older the growth.
Frank