PlantFiles: Desert Willow, Desert Catalpa, Flowering Willow, Orchid of the Desert
Chilopsis linearis

If you want a certain color bloom,, buy a plant when it is in flower. I was disappointed when one of mine bloomed and it was a very pale washed out color. I have heard this tree can be started from cuttings.

This is an absolutely beautiful tree that should replace mimosa in areas where the winds are often strong and can break the weaker tree. There are some huge old specimens in OKC even though 7b is not on the zone list.

I had long admired this plant when I visited my folks in New Mexico; then saw it offered locally a year ago. I planted it on the west-southwest side of the house, and, since we get a lot of moisture here in Delaware, put it in a high point with very sandy soil, to ensure it doesn't have wet feet. I did water it weekly when there was no rain the first summer, to get it established.

It bloomed constantly all summer. With an unusually wet and cold winter this year, we wondered whether it would be back, but it is leafing out now and looks very healthy.

They have this growing at the Denver Botanic Garden, Zone 5a-5b. You can see where it froze down to the ground and re-grew. In this area, Zone 5b-6a (sheltered) I have seen it both as a froze-&-regrew bush, and as a small tree. Apparently it needs a pollinator, because when there is only one around, it doesn't get seed pods. Also, it may prefer slightly acid soil, but it tolerates alkaline.

I have seen this plant growing at Martinez Lake, AZ and also along the road to San Felipe MX. I've started a couple from seeds (La Mesa CA), but they're not looking too happy right now (February). Love this tree!

Although we are zone 7 A or B - depends on where you look... I have a 12 ft and a 6 ft specimens in my garden that were started from seeds 5 years ago.
Love the flowers and the willowy look of the tree

I have a bunch of seeds that I have dried, and want to get these growing. I live in Austin TX (not sure what zone this is)

These plants love the desert conditions of el paso. They do not need much water either, so the city water company reccomends that people here grow them. Only downside is that they can form a bush-like tree if you are not careful.

Here in the joshua tree high desert, these willows grow abundantly, I have seen them naturally occurring in desert washes. Also I have two in my front yard and now every year I get many volunteers that are easy to dig up and transplant when they are dormant. I love the sweeping nature of the branches. It gives an oriental feel to the landscape. Also this willow gives off a very pungent fragrance after a rainfall that is very pleasing to the senses. Drought tolerant, I am lining my side road with them as a privacy screen

We had two desert willows that were just barely tree height in our back yard when we moved in 14 years ago. The larger is now about 20' tall with a branching, almost round form. Its sister is as tall, but narrower.

This tree needs lots of pruning or it will branch out and take over the place. I wasn't into gardening when we moved in so the two have taken over our back yard. They provide welcome shade in our hot West Texas summers. Their leaves appear late in the spring, and they flower all summer and into fall. In late fall or early winter, they drop their long, narrow willow-like leaves and their long beany seed pods. Here in Midland, in my unimproved yard, they are self seeding if the seed finds the right conditions. If encouraged, they will grow well and once established will need no extra water even in our area where we get only about 14" of rainfall per year.

We just had ours given to us this past spring and haven't seen the blooms yet but it is already about four feet tall.I cant wait to see it next year with blooms on it.

My Chilopsis linearis has survived two winters near an east wall in Denver, and grown to ten feet in the process with very little water. The tips of branches seem to die during th e winter, and have heard that in Colorado Springs (higher elevation) it sometimes dies to the ground, but can be regrown as a bush and pruned back into a tree if desired - worth the risk! Beautiful in its long bloom; neighbors covet the seedlings. Easy to prune into a nice profile. The variety we have is pink-flowered and is a child of a plant bought from a nursery in Albuquerque.
EDIT: June 2010 and this tree is now 9 years old and in fine condition; 12-15' tall now and has never suffered significant die-back; we have a smaller tree, about 5' tall, that was planted in 2003; it hasn't died back either, but seems to be a different species because of the lower growth rate; we do now get seedpods on both trees, but i've never seen a seedling

Desert Willow grows wonderfully in the desert areas surrounding Las Vegas, Nevada - from Mesquite, Nevada down to Bakersfield, California.

Not much to look at in the winter but the true "Orchid of the Desert" all summer long. The 1 1/2" purple to white cone-shaped flowers moving easily in the summer breezes. This small tree or bush has been crossed with the Catalpa bignoides to produce another beautiful tree/bush: the X Chitalpa tashkentensis.

When you first plant this small tree, it grows very fast at first, then slows as it gets larger. The flowers are simply beautiful and catch your eye. Hummingbirds love the flowers on this tree too! Can be be grown to look like a large shrub, or pruned to look more tree-like. A very draught tolerant tree that requires little to no additional water in the summer once established.

A small, deciduous tree, height to 15 feet, blooms April to September. Native to Texas and the Southwest, will grow in full sun and partial shade.

The Desert Willow needs very well-drained soil. Although it grows best along streams and low places, it does not like wet feet. It grows well in rocky and gravel soils. It grows in very hot and dry areas.

Native Americans used the flowers, leaves and bark medicinally. They also used its wood for bows and baskets.