Feather Bush
Lysiloma watsonii
A lush native tree with feathery, fern-like foliage that gives a tropical feel to Sonoran Desert gardens.
Frost-sensitive, hardy to about 20-25°F and best in low desert; defoliates and dies back in a hard freeze, then recovers.
AMWUA Notes
Low to moderate water; a native, but its fine leaf litter is heavy, so site it away from pools.
Care Guide
Deep-soak weekly in peak summer and every two weeks otherwise once established.
Train the multi-trunk form to a tree or leave as a large shrub; thin in late winter and prune frost-damaged tips in spring.
No fertilizer needed; a nitrogen-fixing native.
Essentially pest-free.
Cream puffball flowers in late spring; drought- and cold-deciduous with heavy fine-leaf and pod litter.
Soil, Feeding & Propagation
Well-draining native, rocky, or decomposed-granite soil; tolerates caliche and alkaline pH 7.5–8.5
Needs well-drained soil.
None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.
Grown from scarified seed; frost-tender, so establish in a warm microclimate
12–15 ft
Non-aggressive roots; safe near hardscape, but keep 12+ ft from pools for heavy fine-leaf litter
Placement Tips
- •About 15 ft of lush, tropical-looking canopy; leaf litter is heavy, so keep it 12+ ft from pools and skimmers.
- •Frost-tender, so plant in a warm microclimate or south-facing exposure.
- •Grow as a multi-trunk specimen for a fern-like canopy in a Sonoran garden.
- •Full sun; give it room for its 15 ft spread.
Features
Best Uses
Companion Plants
Quick Stats
Design Styles
Include in Your Project
Love Feather Bush? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.
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Use this care guide to maintain your Feather Bush. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.
Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.