A Tale of Two Desert Trees

Spring in the desert has been a fascinating experience delighting all the senses. I have fallen in love with two trees as I watched them unfold in different, but equally delightful fashion. Because of these two trees, I was able to move past missing the delightful spring blooming trees I knew in Michigan.
The tree pictured above is the Desert Willow. It is not a true willow being from the Bignonia (Chilopsis) family rather than the Willow (Salix) family. If it were a true Willow it would have a very difficult time surviving in a low desert climate. It grows up to 20' tall and has linear leaves. The flowers are 1 1/4" , bell-shaped, light pink to lavender in color with yellow ridges and purple lines. Actually, they remind me just a bit of the Orchids that have been blooming in my house this spring:-) They attract hummingbirds, which is a plus in my mind, and provide food for the resident as well as migrant hummers.
The second tree which I have been so intrigued by is called the Desert Ironwood. It is a member of the Pea family, so I will expect to see pods developing as the summer progresses. I first noticed this tree in landscapes as I drove about our community. It reminded me a bit of the Crabapple trees that are blooming in the spring in Michigan. However, the blossoms were much more subtle and created almost a smoke-like appearance to the tree. One day when we were hiking in San Tan Mountain Park I saw several in bloom up close and personal. I realized that there were no leaves on the tree, only blossoms. At that time, I did not know what kind of tree it was -- I just knew it was beautiful! A few days later, I had the opportunity to ask the Park staff what the tree was and found out it was the Desert Ironwood.
I wish I could make room for this tree in my home landscape, but that isn't going to be possible. So I will just enjoy it on my hikes at the Park each spring. Of note is that the earliest blossoms have been replaced by tiny green leaves, which when mature will be 2 1/4" long and be a blue-green color.
Maybe some year you can come visit me in the Arizona in the spring and see these trees for yourself. I promise that you, too, will fall in love with them!

Sonoran Saguaro Spring

The Saguaro, sentinel of the Sonoran Desert, has fascinated me from the very moment I laid eyes on them! So I excitedly anticipated the arrival of spring 2011 when I would be able to see this beautiful plant flower. Each winter walk at San Tan Mountain Park found me looking for signs of change and the promise of blossoms. In the photo above you can see the white ring on the lower right arm of the right Saguaro. I was sure that this meant that buds would be appearing soon. I was so excited! (Don't miss the Gambel's Quail in the middle of the picture.)

Late April brought sightings of Saguaro blossoms on many of these plants. I was surprised to notice that not many opened at the same time. If they all opened at once, it would leave the desert creatures who depend on the blossoms for moisture and nourishment with a very short window of time to have this available to them. Thankfully God knew best when He ordered the rhythms of nature!
Above are two beautiful blossoms I photographed this morning. You will note that there are other blooms in various stages of development. Most of them have already opened, been pollinated, and are beginning to develop fruit. The main pollinator of Saguaro blossoms is the White-winged Dove (cousin to the Mourning Dove), although other birds, mammals and insects also contribute to the pollination process.
The fruit of the Saguaro will also provide moisture and nourishment in the weeks to come. Without this stately plant, many birds and animals would not survive in the desert.
My fascination with the desert continues to grow as we explore it on almost a daily basis. I don't think I will ever grow tired of watching its rhythms. I look forward to sharing more of our new surroundings with you in future blogs.