Mesquite, in general, is a member of the Legume Family and as such restores nitrogen to the soil. They are deciduous (shed foliage at the end of the growing season) and have bean pods, which have been used by humans and animals as a food source going back to long before the Southwest became part of America. The Native Americans used the mesquite pod for tea, syrup, and ground meal (pinole). The bark was used for basket making, fabrics, and medicine. The needle sharp thorns were used as sewing needles. Mesquite thorns are straight and help in identifying them.

Mesquite grows along stream beds, washes, on slopes, mesas and on the plains. Much of the growth in former grasslands was a result of the military occupation of the Southwest during the 1865-1890 period when about 100,000 military personnel, their families, and their horses were there. Therefore there was an over grazing of the land and the cattle would pass the seeds through their droppings, causing a spread of the mesquite.

Next to ironwood, mesquite is the best firewood of the desert, because it burns slowly and is smokeless. The wood is very hard and has been compared to hickory. It is so hard and durable that it has been used for ax handles. Among the top consumers of mesquite seeds are Gambel's quail, scaled quail, and dove. Foliage and twigs are eaten by mule deer and white-tailed deer. The leaves, and sometimes the bark, are eaten by rabbits, skunks, rats, and mice. It is estimated that over 75% of a coyote's diet in late summer is mesquite beans. Mesquite has very distinguished wood grain which is caused by unique factors. The dormant buds, just under the bark, mesquite the traditional "bird's eye" figure. The dormant buds never begin growing unless the tree is injured or cut down, and then they sprout profusely from the stump.

Honey Mesquite produces a flavored honey and that is considered a very tasty type. This type of mesquite has a willow-like appearance and produces greenish yellow fragrant flowers, 2 to 3 inches long that appear in March. The flowers produce narrow, bright red to tan seedpods in summer that roughly look like pea pods. The bark is smooth and brown and it roughens with age. They grow best in full sun and well draining soil. The sapwood is a lemon yellow, while the heartwood is a deep reddish brown. The wood is dense, close grained, very hard and heavy. It is exceedingly resistant to heartwood decay, with thin sapwood.

Screwbean Mesquite produces very distinct spiral seed pods that describe the name. It is found primarily along bottom lands and along streams and rivers. The bark has light brown to reddish, smooth bark that separates into long shaggy strips. The flowers are 3/16 of an in. long, light yellow and crowded in narrow clusters 2 in long. The sweetish, nutritious pods can be eaten and are browsed by livestock and wildlife. Indians made meal, cakes, and syrup from the pods and prepared a treatment for wounds from the root bark.

Since mesquite is so hard, it takes a high temperature to do any woodburning on it. However it's close grain makes it burn in lots of detail if sanded smoothly.

Mesquite pieces a few inches wide. Notice the beautiful color and the nice close grain.