Shade - Ironwood

The Ironwood tree only grows in the Southwest’s Sonoran desert. It is one of the biggest and oldest plants, growing to heights of 45 feet and persisting in the desert heat for as long as 1,200 years.  A member of the pea family, the Ironwood nurtures hundreds of species of wildlife and is ecologically vital in virtually every corner of the Sonoran desert. The Ironwood gets its name from its dense, strong iron-like wood. One of the heaviest woods in the world, a mere cubic foot of Ironwood can weigh up to 66 pounds. It is so heavy that if you drop a piece of ironwood in water, it will sink.

Single or multi-trunked, the Ironwood is considered an evergreen tree despite the fact that its leaves only live one year. The small bluish-green leaves grow in pairs with a pair of spines located beneath each leaf. The leaves remain on the tree until it blooms during May and June. The Ironwoods become filled with flowers that range in color from pink to purple to white. When the flowers wither, new leaves grow in and push the old ones off. The Ironwood is never really without leaves.