Habitat: washes,valleys
Life Form: tree
Leaf Description: alternate bipinnate
Flower Color: yellow or yellowish
Flowering Period: Mar. to Aug.
Spines: long short straight spines
Family: Fabaceae (bean family)
Abundance: abundant,widespread

The Velvet mesquite seed pods are the staff of life to many animals of the Sonoran Desert. They are high in protein, sweet, contain iron, calcium, B vitamins and trace minerals. Additional Information:
Felger, R.S. and S. Rutman. 2015. Ajo Peak to Tinajas Altas: a flora of southwestern Arizona. Part 14. Eudicots: Fabaceae - legume family. Phytoneuron 2015-58: 1-83. Published 20 Oct 2015. ISSN 2153 733X page 59 (13.1 MB pdf)