Tree references and sources
Honey Mesquite
Prosopis glandulosa, commonly known as honey mesquite, is a species of small to medium-sized, thorny shrub or tree in the legume family.Wikipedia
Scientific name: Prosopis glandulosa
Higher classification: Mesquites
Rank: Species
Kingdom: Plantae
Did you know: The three species of mesquites, which include the honey mesquite, the velvet mesquite and the screw bean mesquite, share various characteristics. desertusa.com
Longevity : Perennial
Origin : Native
Season : Warm
Honey mesquite is a thorny tree ten to thirty feet in height. It invades all soils of the South Texas Plains and the Edwards Plateau. The leaves are bipinnate with two pairs of pinnae and 12 to 20 leaflets. The yellowish green flowers are found on small stalks and bloom from April to September. The seed pods are an important source of food for insects, livestock, deer, birds and small mammals. However, the seeds can be toxic in large quantities. Honey mesquite also provides cover for birds and small mammals. Native Americans used the seeds for bread and alcohol. A black dye or a cement for pottery can be generated from mesquite and the gum from bark was eaten as candy or dissolved in water for dysentery, wound or scratchy throat treatment. The wood is good for furniture, firewood, flooring or posts. It is insect and disease tolerant and can be used as an ornamental shrub or in landscaping designs. Mesquite can be managed using various herbicides.
Source: https://uvalde.tamu.edu/
Texas pecan tree
The mature pecan tree is usually 70 to 100 feet tall, as shown above, but can grow as tall as 150 feet and higher. The native pecan trees shown are estimated to be over 150 years old. Their trunks are more than three feet in diameter.
Texas is the largest producer of native pecans, and is second only to Georgia in the production of hybrid (orchard grown) varieties. The pecan became the Texas state tree by act of the Texas Legislature in 1919. Governor James Hogg favored the tree so much that he requested that one be planted at his gravesite.
The meats of the pecan are prized in Texas cuisine as well. Pecan pie made with pecans and corn syrup is a customary holiday dessert and is as much a tradition as a Christmas Tree in the living room. Many also make a habit of shelling the nuts and eating them out of hand.
Source:http://www.lsjunction.com/
