Mesquite

Mesquite is a common name for some plants in the genera Neltuma and Strombocarpa, which contain over 50 species of spiny, deep-rooted leguminous shrubs and small trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas. Until 2022, these genera were traditionally included in a broad view of the genus Prosopis, but that genus is now restricted to a few species native to the Old World.^[1]

Mesquites have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under ground. As they are legumes, mesquites are one of the few sources of fixed nitrogen in the desert habitat. The trees bloom from spring to summer. They often produce fruits known as "pods". Mesquites are able to grow up to 8 metres (26 ft) tall, depending on site and climate. They are deciduous and depending on location and rainfall have either deep or shallow roots. Mesquites are considered long-lived because of the low mortality rate after the dicotyledonous stage and juveniles are also able to survive in conditions with low light and drought. The Cahuilla indigenous people of western North America were known to eat the seeds of mesquite.^[2]