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Landscape
Safely
Trees for Desert Climates
for Safe Landscaping Near IID Equipment
Often, many trees are planted under lID’s right-of-way and are in close proximity of power lines creating hazardous
conditions. Carefully consider the type of tree you plant near IID power lines and equipment so that these do not pose a
hazard to you or your community. The following is a list of trees native to this area and have a growth range (height) of
15 to 35 feet.
Acacia Species. Includes a group of trees native
to Australia and to Southwestern United States,
Texas and South America. All have a tolerance to
heat and are low to moderate water users once
established. A. aneura, mulga, evergreen and
thornless, grows to 20’ height by 15’ -20’ width.
Blooms heaviest in the summer with yellow
catkins. Small, narrow, silvery-grey leaves and
structure has an olive tree leathery look. Hardy
to 24°F. Australia. A. craspedocarpa. Leather leaf
acacia at 10’ -15’ ft. with gray-green leaves is a
good alternate for oleander. Evergreen, hardy to
18° degrees. Australia. A. saligna. Blue leaf wittle
with vertical growth and A. salcinia, willow
acacia, hardy to 20°F. A good alternate choice for
weeping willows. Both have dark green, evergreen
foliage. Both with graceful verticality to 15’-25’
and with yellow catkins in late winter and spring.
A. stenophylla, shoestring acacia with strong
vertical graceful, stringy, soft gray-green evergreen
growth, can reach 25’ -30’ height, a clean tree with
a 15’ -20’ spread, ideal in narrow areas. Hardy to
18°F. A. smallii (A. minuda). Sweet acacia, is a
native of Mexico, hardy to 20°F, has fern-like vaseshaped growth. Deciduous to semi-deciduous,
multi-trunk or standard form that grows to 20’ -25’
height and spread, and is noted for fragrant spring
bloom. A. penatula, Sierra Madre acacia, native to
Mexico with a fern-like growth similar to albizia
julibrissin, silk tree, forms a low 20’ -30’ wide
evergreen canopy and 15’-20’ height. Cold hardy
to 20°F.
African Sumac, rhus lancea. Leaves mediumgreen. A dense wide-spreading tree with a light
weeping or drooping habit. Mature trees of 20’-25’
may be twice as wide as they are high. Trees are
ideal for small garden. Reddish stems are most
attractive. 20°F. Native to South Africa. Low to
moderate moisture needs.
Crape Myrtle, lagerstoemia indica. Vigorous
deciduous, grower develops into fine 20’-25’
small tree covered with striking white, pink, red,
purple flowers in summer, Avoid planting in lawn
areas, develops mildew problems with excessive
humidity. Many colors available. 20°F.
Silk Tree, Mimosa Tree, albizia julibrissin.
Small, deciduous, 20’-25’ with graceful light green
feathery foliage, abundance of rich pink silk-like
flowers produced in summer. Flower and pods
litter. Sometimes short-lived. Low to moderate
water, deep watering essential. Hardy to 15°F.
Jerusalem Thorn, parkinsolan aculeata, ratama,
bigota. Small 25’ deciduous, for hot, sunny dry
places. Zigzagging, bright green branches and
fern-like foliage bold masses of small, bright
yellow flowers in early summer. Wide tolerance
to wind, heat, and drought. Most effective growth
with adequate water. 25°F. Low water use.
Cajeput Tree, melaleuca quinquenervia, Swamp
Tea Tree. Slender. 20’-35’ evergreen tree with
spongy, light colored bark, rich green foliage
gracefully crowds branches. Some thinning
necessary with age. Takes high wind. Slender
spikes of creamy-white flowers in summer. Deep
water, avoid shallow rooting. Low to moderate
water use. Cold tender at 28°F.
Bottle-brush, callistemon viminalis. Exceptionally
small tree, 20’-30’ high and 15’ spread, freely
branching small evergreen. Pendulous branches
filled with magnificent red flowers during
mid-spring and summer. From Australia. With
excessive watering, trees can become chlorotic.
Sun 20°F.
C.I. Lucretia Hamilton. Deciduous native to
Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts. Only grows to
15’-18’. This tree has dark purple foliage. Flowers
in spring, summer and fall. Hardy 5-10°degrees F.
Moderate water.
Evergreen, chitalpa tashkentenis. Selected from
Russia, large leaves. Has larger vivid flower
dusters. Use in small garden areas, size 20’ -30’ is
ideal. Availability may be limited. 25-28°F.
Desert Willow, chilapsis linearis. Common English
names: Desert Willow, Flowering Willow, Willow Leaf
catalpa, Bow Willow. Common Spanish names: Mimbre,
Flor De Mimbre, and Acuahuitl. Small deciduous tree
up to 25’, occasionally more. Excellent xeric tree;
orchid like flowers with shades of pink, purple,
and white appear throughout the warm season.
Light water, full sun, good drainage. Attracts
hummingbirds. Hardy.
Japanese Plum, eriabotrya japonica, Loquat.
Small to medium size 10’-20’ evergreen with
decorative tropical dark green leaves and pear
shaped, orange-yellow edible fruit. Strong, open
branching habit. Partial shade best. 10°F. Moderate
water needs.
Palo Verde, cercidium Species. Have a definite
personality characterized by blue-green bark,
naturally developed multiple trunks with widely
spreading 25’-35’ growth pattern and a similar
height. This may vary with the species, depth of
moisture and soil types. Flowering season with
masses of fragrant yellow flowers occurs in late
spring of April and early May. C. floridum, Blue
Palo Verde, usually blooms first. C. microphyllum,
Littleleaf Palo Verde, at 20’, more dwarflike and
a stiffer look, has pale yellow flowers. C. praecox,
Palo Brea also known as Sonoran Palo Verde, has
more upright structure and thornier branches.
25°F. All tolerate extremes in heat, full sun, react
better to well-drained soils such as sand, loam,
gravel or decomposed granite. Low to moderate
deep watering promotes better growth. Except
for Palo Brea, are hardy to the low 20°F. Palo
Verde trees help to create the desert look in home
gardens. Favored in the wildlife gardens. With
their twiggy, fern-like blue-green growth and
dense canopies, trees can provide dense shade
around the home to help create energy savings.
Thornberi, Feather Tree, lysiloma microphylla
var. Finely divided fern-like foliage creates a
lush tropical appearance. Dappled shade effect
for under planting is most effective in the minioasis area around the home. With age at 6-10
years, the multi-stem growth can reach 15’-20’.
Landscape
Safely
At 25° degrees F, deciduous, and at 20° degrees F,
branch damage can occur. After a spring show of
creamy-white, puffball flowers, seedpods create
litter in early summer, but can be readily removed.
Feather bush thrives in low to moderate water use
and with good drainage and in full sun. Excess
moisture can create chlorotic conditions in the
summer months.
Ornamental Olive, olea europaea. Round-headed
20’-30’ evergreen. Distinctive gray-green foliage
on graceful, yet gnarled branches. O. ‘Swan Hill’
fruitless selection prime choice. With adequate
moisture, better growth, neglect brings woody
effect. 15°F. Low water use.
Desert Ironwood, olneya tesota. Just as olive
trees create a focal point in the landscape, desert
ironwood has similar gray-green foliage and trunk
character with a look-alike effect. Lavender, pealike flowers perform heavily in the spring during
April-May and attract bees in abundance. Slow
growth to 25’-30’. Requires some patience, yet the
reward with picturesque growth is worth waiting
for. Hardiness is in the 20° degree F range before
foliage damage. Thorns on branches can create
problems if trees are used in traffic areas, but it is
still a handsome tree.
Trees for Desert Climates
for Safe Landscaping Near IID Equipment
Texas Ebony, pithecellobium flexicaule. The
density of growth, dark green foliage, spiny twigs
provides great security feature in the garden.
Native to Texas and New Mexico provides
hardiness factor that relates to use in any other
desert area. Growth even though slow becomes
more picturesque in maturity. Mature height at
20’-30’ and spread of 15’-20’ makes this a valued
evergreen for the small garden, just avoid a
location with traffic. The yellow fragrant flowers
in the late spring month are well noted. Low to
moderate water creates good growth response.
Good drainage and deep watering important.
Trees adapt to many soils. Plant in full sun. Takes
extremes in heat and cold to 20°F.
summer months, prune drooping branches and
thin inside to prevent excessive top-heavy growth
and wind damage. Using drip or bubbler heads
can encourage deep rooting. P. chilensis, Chilean
Mesquite, has similar growing habit, without the
thorns. Both selections grow with great vigor in
youth with as much as 6’ or more in one season.
Young trees need staking and adequate ties to
help support heavy top growth. Deep water to
encourage deep rooting to maintain heavy
top growth.
Willow Pittosporum, pittosporum phillyraeoides.
Evergreen, handsome, light gray-green,
pendulous. Small flowers. Vertical growth to 15’30’. 15°F. Native to Australia. Low water use.
Chaste Tree, vitex agnus-castus. Deciduous, to 15’25’, with gray-green, dense, foliage. Blue or white
flowers produced in summer. Hardy. Full sun.
Native to southern Europe. Low water use.
Mesquite, prospis Species. In recent years,
the number of mesquite species has increased
with each one having special merit. The North
American mesquites such as P. velutina, Velvet
Mesquite, grow to 30’ height and width, foliage
is gray-green, deciduous, and stems develop
thorns. However, thorns become less abundant
with maturity. P. glandulosa var. glandulosa,
Honey Mesquite, is rapid growing to a similar
size, thorny and native to the Chihuahuan
Desert region of Texas and has bright green
foliage that resembles schinus molle, California
Pepper. Both species are hardy to 15° degrees F,
and have low water use needs after becoming
established. In contrast are hybrid mesquites
from South America of many growing habits. P.
alba, Argentine Mesquite, is thorny, upright,
rapid-growing, lush, dark green, fern-like foliage,
nearly evergreen and hardy to 15° F. P. alba,
‘Colorado’, a clone of Argentine Mesquite, is semideciduous, consistently thornless and drought
tolerant. However, performs well in turf with deep
watering and is cold hardy to 10°F. Since this tree
is a clone, shape, size and growth appearance
habit is consistently uniform, size to 30’-35’
height and width. Since growth is rapid during
Prairie Flameleaf Sumac, R. lanceolata. Valued
deciduous tree native to West Texas. 12’-15’ tall, 10’
wide. Foliage turns from to red and orange in fall.
0-5° F.
Before you start any landscaping project, call the
Underground Service Alert, toll free, at 8-1-1 two
working days before you begin your project. Experts
will locate electric, gas, telephone, water and sewer
lines on your land. If you notice vegetation growing
into IID’s power lines or equipment, please call our
Customer Service Center at 1-800-303-7756.
Disclaimer
Although the information and statements contained herein
are presented in good faith and believed to be correct,
the Imperial Irrigation District makes no representations
or warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of the
information.
Information is supplied upon the condition that the persons
receiving same will make their own determination as to its
suitability for their purposes prior to use. In no event will
the Imperial Irrigation District be responsible for damages
of any nature whatsoever resulting from the use or reliance
upon information from this guide or the items to which the
information refers.
The Imperial Irrigation District does not warrant the
accuracy or timeliness of the materials contained herein and
has no liability for any errors or omissions in the materials.
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