Scientific Family
Fabaceae
Other common names
ironwood
Plant type
Trees
Riparian
Yes
Plant Description
Origin
Native
An evergreen tree with a widely spreading crown that can extend to 30 feet across. Ironwood is one of the denser woods in the world.
Broad-crowned tree with gray appearance due to grayish-green, leathery, compound, pinnate leaves; leaves have 4 to 12 leaftlets; branches are spiny; flowers are white to pink to purple; fruit pods contain black seeds.
Height
To 30 feet
Width
To 30 feet
Habitat
Habitat description
Found in desert washes and on low hills often in gravelly to silty soil below.
Plant Community
Riparian
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
0
High elevation
3000
Leaves
Leaf color
Grayish-green
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaf hairs
Bottom of leaves
Spines
No
Leaf Drop
Evergreen
Leaves are finely-haired below, pinnately compound to 2 inches long. Leaflets are oblong to 3/4 inch long. At the base of each leaf is a pair of 1/2 inch long, slightly curved spines.
Flowers
Flower color
White, pink, purple
Flower shape
Irregular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
June
Flowers are pea-like, hairy with 5 unequal petals to 1/2 inch wide in short clusters.
Flower clusters
Elongated
Fruit
Fruit color
Brown
Fruit type
Pod
Pod is hairy and bean-like to 2-1/2 inches long containing 1 to 5 black seeds.