Smoke Tree
Psorothamnus spinosus (formerly Dalea spinosa). FABACEAE (formerly LEGUMINOSAE).
Planting and Growing Smoke Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow smoke trees in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, pods, and seeds of smoke trees
- Growing conditions for smoke trees
- When to plant smoke trees
- How to plant smoke trees
- How to prune smoke trees
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of smoke trees
- Landscape uses of smoke trees
- Pest and disease control for smoke trees
Growing Smoke Trees
Several cultivars of slow-growing, long-lived, bushy, deciduous trees, to 20 ft. (6 m) tall, with smooth, silver gray, light green, hairy, lance-shaped, pointed leaves, to 1/2 in. (12 mm) long, and gray, smooth or furrowed bark armed with sharp spines.
Smoke Tree Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Seeds
Many showy, pealike, pink, purple, violet flowers, in late spring, borne in dangling clusters, 1-1/2–2 in. (38–50 mm) long, form kidney-shaped, hairy, beanlike pods, 1–2 in. (25–50 mm) long, each bearing a single seed, in late summer.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 7–9. Hardy. Best in hot-summer, arid climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
Dry, well-drained, sandy soil. Fertility: Average–low. 6.5–8.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun. Space 7–10 ft. (2.2–3 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep damp until established; allow soil to dry between waterings. Avoid fertilizing and pruning. Propagate by seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, backgrounds, screens, shade in arid gardens. Good for cutting. Pest and disease resistant.