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Smoke Tree

Psorothamnus spinosus

Smoke tree is a nearly leafless, gray, spiny desert tree that looks like drifting smoke until it bursts into indigo-blue flowers, a spectacular nitrogen-fixer of desert washes.

Family
Fabaceae
Type
tree
Lifespan
perennial
Height
10–25 ft
Spacing
10–20 ft apart
Light
sun
Soil moisture
dry
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline
Bloom
May, June, July
Bloom colors
blue, purple
Wildlife value
pollinators, butterflies, larval host
Landscape uses
specimen, hedge or screen
Native states
AZ, CA, NV