Mexican Ebony
Havardia mexicana
A handsome shade tree with dark, dense foliage and soft cream puffball blooms in spring.
Hardy to about 18-20°F and best in low desert; hard frost may cause partial leaf drop, so protect when young.
AMWUA Notes
Low water use; a handsome drought-tolerant shade tree.
Care Guide
Deep-soak every 2-3 weeks in summer and monthly in cooler months once established.
Wear gloves for the small thorns; train to a single or multi-trunk form and thin the canopy in late winter.
No fertilizer needed; a nitrogen-fixing legume.
Essentially pest-free.
Cream puffball flowers in spring; semi-evergreen, dropping some leaves in hard cold, with seasonal seed pods.
Soil, Feeding & Propagation
Well-draining native or decomposed-granite soil; tolerates caliche, rocky ground, and alkaline pH 7.5–8.5
Needs well-drained soil.
None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.
Grown from scarified seed; establishes from nursery stock
18–20 ft
Deep, non-aggressive roots are foundation-safe; keep 10+ ft from pools and paths for thorns and pods
Placement Tips
- •Large dense canopy about 20 ft wide for shade or screening; keep 10+ ft from pools and paths because of small thorns and pod litter.
- •Give it 18-20 ft of spread room as a substantial shade or specimen tree.
- •Excellent near-evergreen privacy screen in full sun with good drainage.
- •Site thorns away from walkways and seating.
Features
Best Uses
Companion Plants
Quick Stats
Design Styles
Include in Your Project
Love Mexican Ebony? 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 Mexican Ebony. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.
Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.