Prosopis glandulosa 
System : Terrestrial
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Plantae
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliopsida
Fabales
Fabaceae
- General
- Distribution
- Impact
- Management
- Bibliography
- Contact
Common name
mesquite (English), honey mesquite (English), Texas mesquite (English), Mesquite-Busch (German)
Synonym
Similar species
Summary
Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite) is a perennial, woody, deciduous shrub or small tree. It forms impenetrable thickets that compete strongly with native species for available soil water, suppress grass growth and may reduce understory species diversity.
Species Description
Multi-stemmed shrub, branches with zigzag shape. Bipinnate leaves generally dark green but can be bluish green, leaflets 5-15 times as long as broad (20mm long). Flowers are yellow and grouped in dense drooping \"lamb's tail\" spikes. Seed pods bean-like (10-20cm long) with slight constrictions. Spines above axillary bud.
Notes
Occurs over climatically diverse regions, grows well on all soil types. Thrives in high temps >38°C. Moderate frost tolerance. Moderate salt tolerance. Pods high in sugar (16%) and protein (12%) and so are sought by animals.
Lifecycle Stages
Seeds viable 2-50 years. Maturity 2-5 years. Flowering commences in summer. Seeds mature 35-40 days after flowering. Plants may be deciduous. Seeds germinate after warm temperatures and rain, these conditions may occur only sopradically. Spread facilitated by grazing animals.
Habitat Description
Occurs over climatically diverse regions, grows well on all soil types. Thrives in high temps >38°C. Moderate frost tolerance. Moderate salt tolerance. Pods high in sugar (16%) and protein (12%) and so are sought by animals.
Reproduction
Seed production and suckering (dormant buds below the ground, stimulated by disturbance).
10's of thousands of seeds per square metre per year, seedling mortality high less than 800 seedlings per hectare after one year
10's of thousands of seeds per square metre per year, seedling mortality high less than 800 seedlings per hectare after one year
Nutrition
No signficance nutrient requirements.
Principal source:
Compiler: IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)
Updates with support from the Overseas Territories Environmental Programme (OTEP) project XOT603, a joint project with the Cayman Islands Government - Department of Environment
Review: Craig Walton, Senior Policy Officer (Ecologist), Land Protection, Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Queensland, Australia.
Publication date: 2010-04-13
Recommended citation: Global Invasive Species Database (2024) Species profile: Prosopis glandulosa. Downloaded from http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=137 on 24-04-2024.
General Impacts
Rapidly outcompetes understorey plants resulting in complete loss of grass cover. Erosion is exacerbated by allelopathic affects of ground litter.
Management Info
Preventative measures: A Risk assessment of Prosopis spp. for Australia was prepared by Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) using the Australian risk assessment system (Pheloung, 1995). The result is a score of 20 and a recommendation of: reject the plant for import (Australia) or species likely to be a pest (Pacific).
The Best Practice Manual Mesquite Control and management options for mesquite (Prosopis spp.) in Australia aims to provide the most current information on mesquite in Australia. The control and management options presented in this manual are the combined results of years of trials carried out by many dedicated researchers, landholders, herbicide companies, government officers, landcare groups and others. As mesquite species respond differently to control methods, the most effective method or combination of methods will vary depending on the size, density and species of mesquite present. The manual includes a 'mesquite control tool box'. Included also are a number of case studies to demonstrate best practice.
