Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis

About Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) 45 Nurseries Carry This Plant

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It is a small tree native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. Despite the common name Desert-willow, given because of its willow-like leaves, it is actually a member of the bignonia family, Bignoniaceae. It is commonly seen in washes and along riverbanks at elevations below 1500 meters in the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Ranging from 1.5 to as much as 8 meters in height, it can have the general appearance of either a shrub or a small tree. The linear curved leaves, ranging from 10-26 centimeter in length and 2-4 millimeter broad, are deciduous. It has fragrant pink flowers that hummingbirds love.

Because it is winter deciduous, it will be leafless half of the year. However, in Spring and Summer its flowers justify inclusion in a sunny, inland garden.

Plant Description

Plant Type

Shrub

Size

4.9 - 26.3 ft tall
10 - 20 ft wide

Form

Upright, Weeping

Growth Rate

Moderate, Fast

Dormancy

Winter Deciduous

Fragrance

Fragrant - Pleasant

Flower Color

Purple, Lavender, Pink, White

Flowering Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Wildlife Supported

Hummingbirds and bees are highly attracted to this plant when in bloom
Hummingbird gardens

Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed

, 2 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Rustic Sphinx Manduca rusticaManduca rustica

White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineataHyles lineata

Wavy-Lined Emerald Synchlora aerataSynchlora aerata

Landscaping Information

Sun

Full Sun

Moisture

Low

Summer Irrigation

Max 3x / month once established

Nurseries

Carried by 45

Ease of Care

Very Easy

Cold Tolerance

Tolerates cold to 15° F

Soil Drainage

Fast

Soil Description

Prefers sandy or decomposed granite soil with moisture. Soil PH: 6.0 - 9.0

Common uses

Hummingbird Gardens, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens

Companion Plants

California Fan Palm, Blue Paloverde, Desert Ironwood, Brittlebush, Chuparosa, Desert Lavender

Maintenance

As desired, during the dormant season

Propagation?

Seed germinates readily. May also be propagated by cuttings. For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Natural Setting

Site Type

Perennial desert streams, or sandy washes or canyons where there is likely to be subsurface water for most of the year. In the low desert it is typically surrounded by creosote bush scrub. In higher desert, Joshua tree woodland

Climate

Annual Precipitation: 2.6" - 24.1", Summer Precipitation: 0.31" - 3.11", Coldest Month: 33.2" - 62.5", Hottest Month: 61.5" - 88.8", Humidity: 2.47" - 46.25", Elevation: 27" - 7763"

Alternative Names

Common Names: Desert-willow, Desertwillow, Given Because, Its Willow-like Leaves

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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links: Jepson eFlora Taxon Page CalPhotos Wikipedia Calflora

Desert Willow

Chilopsis linearis

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Desert WillowChilopsis linearis

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Desert Willow

Chilopsis linearis