
The mesquite is commonly found in all areas of Texas and the
Southwestern United States. In addition to the Texas
region, mesquite can also be found in Mexico, Western Indies and the Hawaiian
Islands. It is a deciduous tree. It bares
a honey-like sap (only in the honey mesquite) that is very sticky. The mesquite
can reach a height of 20 to 60 feet and can
grow to a thickness of nearly 3 feet. It has a life expectancy of 100 years. The
mesquite thrives in soil that is very dry.
It prefers a climate that is very hot and dry. The mesquite has very sharp
thorns that can be a problem for ranchers. The
thorns can hurt the livestock allowing parasites to infest the livestock and
perhaps killing it. It is hard for people to get rid of
mesquite because the seeds can remain dormant for a very long time. Also,
mesquite roots absorbs much of the water
underground making the other plants around it die. The leaves are pokey and
split into two. Their maximum length
is 2 inches. It is also a special resource since it provides honey. Its wood is
good for flavoring meats.