Desert Plants: Ironwood

As part of the recurring series about recommended plants for our region, we hear about the desert ironwood, Olneya tesota, which is a tough and essential tree in the Sonoran Desert. Among other attributes, the ironwood trees provide shade, habitat, and nutrition to plant and animal species in our region.
Producer: Tony Paniagua
Videographers: Gage Judd, Jandro Dávalos
Editor: Jandro Dávalos

[@emmahardesty4330]

Thanks for this feature. Ironwoods sprout easily from its beans, contrary to what many plant books will say. They also grow quickly in a simple permaculture environment of directed, shared water.

[@terhuneb]

Excellent information from a valuable source. I wish everyone in the American Southwest could watch this.

[@b_uppy]

You can divert streetwater to water these as well as use roof runoff, instead of using pumped water...

[@zakbeyersdoerfer9778]

Great content! Thaaaaaaanks!

[@robertjohnson5370]

Greetings. Thank you for your Presentation

[@massoodn9410]

Iron wood is highly prized in wood turning. And very expensive 😊

[@bikegunexpert6010]

Awesome video bro

[@davidschmidt270]

Admiring your handiwork LORD....!

[@danilofelipe2606]

Top!

[@YeshuaT-bm6ss]

I was going to ask you about eating the beans because they're like the Mesquite tree so I curious if they were used for flower like they did with the mesquite beans. Thanks for a great video

[@terrytenley9327]

I think your explainion of the tree you missed it bad.. Tress are like people.. The ironwood is an invader.. I other words it will root and grow where many desert species can’t get started.. Just walk around.. the hottest slope is anything facing the south west.. Thus the shade this tree creates to the northeast is a growing zone.. The ironwood is much much tougher to withstand heat than even the cactus.. As a kid growing up in Phoenix in the early 60’s one could see the tree nursed other plants with its shade.. Ten years later and I was going to forestry schools.. You learn how trees survive.. But this guy is not about trees and their survival.. In the much shade areas so many plants can set roots and grow from ironwood shade.. Ironwood needs full sunlight for seedling to grow.. Not shade.. The same is true in forests of the west.. Ponderosa pine needs full sun light to grow from seedling.. In the dark forest you will not see p pine.. Thus is openings fir get scalded and can’t grow unless shade.. You will not see small seedling of p pine in a dark forest.. So trees perform under different sunlight.. When trees are clearcut it is to promote that that need full sunlight..you hear the word monoculture.. Where preservationist want other trees planted in open areas when their survival rates are less than 2%. it’s too hot.. There are reasons to clearcut.. to promote the invader trees and often have more values to consumers..

[@BigBadJohn1892]

clear cut is never ideal

[@terrytenley9327]

@@BigBadJohn1892 what does this mean here..? Are you being a disrupter..

[@BigBadJohn1892]

@@terrytenley9327 not worth the discourse but you are on the opposite side. Trees do not like to be pruned. Biggest healthiest trees are in forests - never pruned by an arrogant human thinking he knows what the plant needs - limb removal! Reciprocal of this : “Hey human, you’ll grow better if I remove your extremities”

[@giuseppemoschetta2944]

Is it possible to plant it in the desert of Sahara? What other trees would you recommend? Thank you

[@BigBadJohn1892]

yes when it does rain follow the water and slow it down with any means necessary. it will rehydrate the land