Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet

by Jody Daline, Native Plants of Arizona 2004
Common names: Desert willow (1,2) Mimbre, jano, desert catalpa, flowering willow (4)
Family: Bignoniaceae (1)
Synonymy:
Etymology: linearis translates into “narrow and parallel sided (usually leaves)” (3)

 Identification
Growth Form: perennial tree/shrub (1,2) Grows to 25 feet (4)
Roots: minimum depth 12 inches, adapted to coarse soils, drought tolerant (1)
Stem: bark is brown, scaly (2,4) trunk to 1 foot in diameter (4)
Leaves: opposite, simple, linear or narrowly lanceolate, 6 to 12 inches long, ½ inch wide or less, entire margin, deciduous, glabrous, sometimes sticky (2), light green, untoothed (4)
Inflorescence/flowers: Flowers perfect, trumpet-like, white with some purple ¾ to 1 ½ inches wide (2)
Fruit: capsule, slender, 7 to 12 inches long and ¼ inch wide (2)
Similar species:

 Ecology
Life history: perennial tree/shrub (1,2)
Native/introduced: native to U.S. and Mexico (1,5)
Photosynthetic pathway:
Phenology: flowers appear in May-June in small clusters (2)
Distribution: Native to warm locations along streams in southwestern Utah and throughout the extreme southwestern U.S. and Mexico (2,5), in deserts, grasslands, foothills, and mesas from 1,500 to 5,000 feet elevation (4)

Uses
Could be used as a small ornamental but is rarely (2), Desert willows help control erosion by forming dense thickets along washes (4), wood was used for bows by Native Americans (4)

References

1. USDA, NRCS. 2004. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 ( http://plants.usda.gov ). National Plant Data Center , Baton Rouge , Louisiana 70874-4490 USA .

2. Kuhns, M. 1998. Trees of Utah and the Intermountain West. Utah State University Press. Logan , Utah 84322-7800 .

3. Gledhill, D. 1985. The Names of Plants. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge , England .

4. . Epple, A.O. 1995. A field guide to the plants of Arizona . Falcon Press Publishing Company. Helena , Montana .

5. Mason Jr., C.T., and P.B. Mason. 1987. A handbook of Mexican roadside flora. The University of Arizona Press , U.S.A.