AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION: Meyer, Rachelle. [4] Used as a staple food for centuries by desert dwellers, this high protein meal contains good quantities of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc, and is rich in the amino acid lysine as well. Its spines and leaves are smaller, and there are fewer of these leaves in every cluster. The screwbean mesquite is a small tree or shrub native to southern California. Mesquite is high in fiber, moderate in sugar, and 8% protei… It is small for a tree, usually topping out at 30 feet (9 m.) in height. The Pimas cooked the pods in dirt-covered pits over intervals of a few days. [4] The Pimas cooked the pods in dirt-covered pits over intervals of a few days. While both trees' seed pods are long and legumous, the velvet mesquite pods have a slight velvety appearance and feel. [3] The wood is durable and considered attractive, and it may be used in woodworking. 501. The pod is gnarly and thick, protecting its nutrient rich seeds from wildlife. The screwbean mesquite is a small tree or shrub native to southern California. [5] Mesquite is a traditional Native American food source, being used to make meal, cakes and syrup. [1], This plant grows to about 7 m (23 ft). Screwbean mesquite is known to provide excellent dry flour without too much fuss, and velvet mesquite provides its own unique sweetness. 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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Screwbean Mesquite (Prosopis pubescens) The Screwbean Mesquite is a shrub or small tree characterized by 2-inch, screw-like pods and spiny, twisted branches. The pods of all 3 common species of mesquite -- Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Screwbean Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and Velvet Mesquite (Prosopis velutina) -- are edible, although the Screwbean is less flavorful than the more widespread Honey Mesquite. With its multiple trunks and spreading branches, it can sometimes grow to be wider than it is tall. The seed pods, which are light green and 2 to 6 inches (5-15 cm.) The Screwbean Mesquite has light-brown to reddish, smooth bark that separates into long, shaggy strips. Keep reading to learn more screwbean mesquite info, including screwbean mesquite care and how to grow screwbean mesquite trees. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. The tightly twisted seedpods (legumes) are up to 5 centimeters long and very much resemble turned screws. It differs from its cousin, the traditional mesquite tree, in a few ways. The plant also grows in a clockwise spiral. But a variety of animals still feast on the seeds, including birds, native rodents and even coyotes. [3], It is found along streams and valleys in deserts, particularly in damp or saline soil. Mesquite is a traditional Native American food source, being used to make meal, cakes and syrup. Chilean Mesquite Trees. Perhaps the most recognizable feature of a screwbean mesquite is its seedpod. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Hardy in USDA zones 7 through 10, the screwbean mesquite tree (Prosopis pubescens) ranges from the American Southwest and Texas into Central and South America. It has light brown bark, usually short, straight spines 1 to 3 centimeters long, twice-compound leaves, and numerous small yellowish flowers appearing in elongate spikes. Screwbean mesquite pods curl around back onto themselves and are the easiest to identify. This page was last edited on 4 October 2020, at 10:18. Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/propub/all.html []. in length, grow in a very tightly coiled spiral shape. Prosopis pubescens, commonly known as screwbean mesquite,[2] is a species of flowering shrub or small tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the southwestern United States (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, California, southern Nevada and Utah) and northern Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora). [3] It can be found on playas and other areas of alkaline substrates. FEIS ABBREVIATION: PROPUB SYNONYMS: None NRCS PLANT CODE [102]: PRPU COMMON NAMES: screwb… The pods are edible and can be eaten raw when they are young in the spring, or pounded into meal when dry in the autumn. National Audubon Society, Field Guide to Trees, Western Region, North America, 1980, pg. It sets itself apart from its traditional mesquite cousin with its attractive, corkscrew shaped bean pods that appear in the summer. [4], "UC/JEPS: Jepson Manual treatment for PROSOPIS pubescens", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prosopis_pubescens&oldid=981770520, Articles with dead external links from April 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The fruits may be used as a coffee substitute. It grows alongside common plants of this habitat type, such as arrowweed (Pluchea sericea) and tamarisks. Used as a staple food for centuries by desert dwellers, this high protein meal contains good quantities of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc, and is rich in the amino acid lysine as well. What is a screwbean mesquite tree? Like those of other Prosopis species, Screwbean Mesquite has nutritious seedpods that can be eaten. Honeybean and velvet mesquite are a little harder to differentiate. [3] Many species of birds nest and roost in the trees, and small mammals find shelter in thicketlike stands.