Guajillo
Senegalia berlandieri
A compact tree with delightfully fragrant cream puffball flowers and fine, feathery foliage.
Hardy to about 15-18°F in low and mid desert; frost hardy once established.
AMWUA Notes
Low water; a fine-textured, fragrant small tree well suited to screening.
Care Guide
Deep-soak every 2-3 weeks in summer once established; drought tolerant.
Wear gloves for the variable thorns; thin the multi-trunk form into a small tree or leave shrubby, working in late winter.
No fertilizer needed; a nitrogen-fixing legume.
Essentially pest-free.
Fragrant cream puffballs from late winter into spring (allergen pollen); semi-evergreen fine foliage with pod litter.
Soil, Feeding & Propagation
Sharply draining rocky, limestone, or decomposed-granite soil; thrives on caliche and alkaline pH 7.5–8.5
Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.
None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.
Grown from scarified seed; establishes from nursery stock
10–12 ft
Deep, non-aggressive roots; keep thorns and pod litter back from pools and walkways
Placement Tips
- •Compact at about 12 ft with lacy foliage, good as a small specimen or screen.
- •Variable thorns, so site it off walkways and pools.
- •Fragrant early blooms are nice near seating, though the allergen pollen makes it a poor fit for allergy-sensitive patios.
- •Full sun with good drainage.
Features
Best Uses
Companion Plants
Quick Stats
Design Styles
Include in Your Project
Love Guajillo? 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 Guajillo. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.
Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.
Guajillo — common questions
Answers for low-desert Phoenix conditions, drawn from this plant’s growing data.
How much water does Guajillo need in Phoenix?
Guajillo is a low-water tree once established. Deep-soak every 2-3 weeks in summer once established; drought tolerant. Low water; a fine-textured, fragrant small tree well suited to screening.
How big does Guajillo get?
Expect roughly 12 ft tall and 12 ft wide at maturity, with a moderate growth rate. Allow about 10–12 ft of spacing when planting. Deep, non-aggressive roots; keep thorns and pod litter back from pools and walkways.
Can you plant Guajillo near a pool?
Not ideally. Guajillo is not rated pool-friendly, so it is better placed away from the pool deck and skimmer. Litter is rated moderate.
Can Guajillo handle Arizona heat and winter frost?
Guajillo is hardy in USDA 9-11 and wants full sun. Hardy to about 15-18°F in low and mid desert; frost hardy once established. Fragrant cream puffballs from late winter into spring (allergen pollen); semi-evergreen fine foliage with pod litter.
Does Guajillo have thorns?
Yes — Guajillo has variable thorns. Site it back from walkways, seating and pool decks where people brush past.
Is Guajillo safe around pets?
Guajillo is listed as pet-friendly in this guide. If your dog is a determined chewer, check any new plant with your vet before planting.
When does Guajillo bloom in Arizona?
Guajillo blooms in spring, with cream flowers. The flowers are fragrant.
How much maintenance does Guajillo need?
Guajillo is moderate-maintenance. Leaf, flower and pod litter is rated moderate. Wear gloves for the variable thorns; thin the multi-trunk form into a small tree or leave shrubby, working in late winter.
What kind of soil does Guajillo need?
Sharply draining rocky, limestone, or decomposed-granite soil; thrives on caliche and alkaline pH 7.5–8.5. It needs no supplemental feeding. No fertilizer needed; a nitrogen-fixing legume.
Is Guajillo native to Arizona?
No. Guajillo is not an Arizona native; it originates from the Southern Texas, Northeastern Mexico, but it is grown successfully in low-desert landscapes here.