Chilopsis linearis – “Desert-Willow”

Family: Trumpet Vine (Bignoniaceae)
Form: Shrub or small deciduous tree
Habitat: Washes
Leaves: Linear, long and willow-like; alternate and opposite
Translation: “Chilopsis” is Greek for “lip-like” which describes the shape of the flowers; “linearis” is Latin for “narrow” and refers to the shape of the leaves
Notes: Not a true willow. (True willows are in the genus Salix of the Willow Family.) Because of its showy flowers and attractive foliage, it has also been adopted as a landscaping plant. Desert-Willow can be recognized when it is not flowering by its long, thin seed pods. Though it often takes the form of a branchy, multi-trunked shrub, it can also grow into a small tree, reaching a height of 20 feet (6 m). The largest known Desert-Willow is an individual in Gila, Arizona, that is 68 feet (20 m) tall and 51 inches (1.3 m) in diameter! Desert-Willow’s roots can go down 50 feet (15 m) to reach water. It loses its leaves when the weather gets cold or during drought. In northern Mexico, people brew a tea from the dried flowers to make a cough syrup. The plant is also considered to be anti-fungal, and has been used to treat candidasis, athlete’s foot and wounds.
Native American Uses: The Cahuilla ate the flowers and seedpods, though only sparingly as other food was preferred. Much more useful were the branches, which can bend almost in two without breaking, and are strong and resistant to decay. The Cahuilla used it to make hunting bows, long-handled tools for picking nuts and cactus fruits, and large granary baskets for storing Mesquite pods. They also used the wood to frame buildings, and pounded and stretched the bark for clothing and cordage. The Havasupai used it in basketry and cradle boards.
Animal Associations: Large black carpenter ants are the main pollinators: as they crawl in and out of the blossoms seeking nectar, pollen rubs off onto their bodies and is transferred from flower to flower. Pollinators also include Bumble Bees and hummingbirds, such as Anna’s Hummingbird. Larval food plant for a moth, Eucaterva variaria, which spins attractive silky cocoons in the twigs.