General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Moderately alkaline (7.9 – 8.4)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 7b -15 °C (5 °F) to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 10b
Plant Height: 10 to 30 feet (3-9 m)
Leaves: Deciduous
Fruit: Dehiscent
Other: Contains many winged seeds.
Fruiting Time: Year Round
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: Pink
Purple
Red
White
Other: Pink, red, or purple, sometimes white or yellow and purple streaked.
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring
Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Late summer or early fall
Suitable Locations: Street Tree
Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree
Xeriscapic
Uses: Shade Tree
Flowering Tree
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Birds
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Resistances: Flood Resistant
Drought tolerant
Salt tolerant
Toxicity: Leaves are poisonous
Roots are poisonous
Fruit is poisonous
Other: All parts are toxic.
Propagation: Seeds: Days to germinate: 5-14 days.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Pollinators: Moths and Butterflies
Birds
Bees
Containers: Not suitable for containers
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Goes Dormant

Image
Common names
  • Desert Willow
  • Desert Catalpa
  • Orchid of the Desert
  • Flowering Willow
  • Willow-Leaved Catalpa

Photo Gallery
Location: St Louis - MoBOT
Location: Home
Location: Lone Pine, CA
Date: 2019-10-04
Planted at visitor's center.
Location: 3 y.o. specimen my rural property in Gause, Texas
Date: 2022-05-16
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: April 2012
Location: North Central TX Zone 8a
Date: 2018-08-16
At Trader Joe's on Lowest Greenville, Dallas
Location: Glendale, AZ
Date: 2019-09-05
Desert Willow Bloom
Location: Glendale, AZ
Date: April 26, 2020
Desert Willow, Glendale, Arizona
Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2022-05-16
3 year old specimen that nearly died in Texas Feb 2021 snow/ice s

Date: 2002-08-05
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (May 2022)
Date: 2022-04-03
Location: My yard in Arlington, Texas.
Date: Summer 2010
Close up of flower.
Location: All pictures taken in/on my gardens/greenhouse/property
Date: 2019-02-28
Location: Denver Botanical Garden
Date: 2021-07-07

Date: 2016-06-24
Location: My backyard
Date: 2021-07-23
Newly sprouted seedlings
Location: DISCLAIMER: This is an old photo from an old phone. I don't know why, but the photos look "deep fried". sorry about that.
Location: Springs Preserve garden in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Date: May
photo by Stan Shebs
Location: Texas
Desert Willow

Date: 2002-08-05
Steven J. Baskauf http://bioimages.vanderbilt.edu/
Location: My yard in Arlington, Texas.
Date: Summer 2010
These  flowers are beautful.
Location: Denver Botanical Garden
Date: 2021-07-07
Location: DISCLAIMER: This is an old photo from an old phone. I don't know why, but the photos look "deep fried". sorry about that.
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: April 2012
Photo by Dutchlady1
Comments:
  • Posted by tabbycat (Youngsville, LA - Zone 9b) on Oct 23, 2018 3:34 PM concerning plant:
    I got seeds for this pretty flowering tree in last fall's NFSR Swap from RHarbison in Texas. For lack of space, I put off planting them until now in October. I sowed 7 seeds indoors under my SunBlaster lights and they all sprouted in one week. I will grow them under the SunBlaster lights all winter. By spring they should have a head start and be nicely rooted pot plants. I am offering the surplus seeds in the DND Swap since they are viable and quick to sprout.
  • Posted by KFredenburg (Black Hills, SD - Zone 5a) on Jun 23, 2020 9:38 PM concerning plant:
    Habitat: along desert washes, streams, and highways where water collects. Range: Southern California to southern Texas; south into northern Mexico.
Plant Events from our members
MunchkinsMom On March 1, 2016 Transplanted
North fence by Pond l gallon, about 12" tall
MunchkinsMom On October 10, 2015 Obtained plant
UCD Plant Sale 1 gallon, about 12" tall
Mielikki On August 26, 2023 Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc)
Killed in Arborgeddon 2023
Mielikki On September 30, 2021 Transplanted
Mielikki On September 17, 2021 Obtained plant
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
id by Hamwild Oct 21, 2019 1:54 PM 11
Doesn't this look more like a Chitalpa? by Gardener2493 Jul 24, 2021 12:24 PM 3

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