Mesquite (also spelled mezquit and mezquite) is a common name for some plants in the genera Neltuma and Strombocarpa, which contain over 50 species of spiny, deep-rooted leguminous shrubs and small trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas. Until 2022, these genera were traditionally included in a broad view of the genus Prosopis, but that genus is now restricted to a few species native to the Old World. Mesquites have extremely long taproots to seek water from very far under ground, making them extremely drought-tolerant. As they are legumes, mesquites are one of the few sources of fixed nitrogen in the desert habitat. Their fruits, known as "mesquite pods", are dry and often sweet, edible for humans and livestock, and served as a staple food for indigenous peoples in the deserts of North America.
History Mesquites have been in North America since the Pliocene era and their wood has been dated to 3300 BPY. They are thought to have evolved with extinct megafauna, which ate their fruit and dispersed their seeds. With the arrival of cattle to the New World, mesquites gained a new seed disperser and were able to increase in abundance. Another theory is that mesquites had always been present in grasslands, but recurring fires had delayed plant and seed development before the emergence of livestock and grazing.
Etymology The English word mesquite is borrowed from the Mexican Spanish word mezquite, which in turn was borrowed from the Nāhuatl term mizquitl.
Habitat Mesquites grow as a small shrub in shallow soil or as tall as 15 metres (49 ft) in deep soil with adequate moisture, and form a canopy often wider than tall. Many species often have multiple trunks. They have bipinnate leaflets of a light green to blue hue that cast a light to deep shade, depending on the species. Spikes of flowers form in spring and summer that form a flat pod of beans 5–15 centimetres (2–6 in) long. Most species form thorns. When cut to the ground, the tree can often recover.
Human uses The pods of most mesquite species are edible. Once the pod is dry, the whole pod can be ground into flour and made into bread. The Cahuilla and Tohono O'odham indigenous peoples of western North America were known to use mesquite as a staple food. Mesquite wood was a popular type of wood used by early Spaniards to build ships, but is now used most commonly for high-end rustic furniture and cabinets. Scraps and small pieces are used commonly as wood for cooking with smoke in the United States. Red-orange sap can be found on the branches of mesquite trees during the summer. This sap was used by those who lived in the desert for several medicinal treatments. The sap was used as a salve and spread on burns and cuts to speed up the healing process. Gargling a mixture of water and sap was used to soothe sore throats, and the same mixture was said to be able to cure upset stomachs. Some species are an important honey plant in their native range, producing a highly valued honey. In the Southwest United States and Mexico, both native and South American species are planted as drought-tolerant shade trees. Thornless selections are often used. In Calvinia, in the Northern Cape province of South Africa where the trees were once considered invasive, the mesquite pods are now being turned into coffee.
As an introduced and invasive species
Some species have become problematic invasive species in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Mesquites are also often regarded as "invasive" pests within their native range on rangelands of the Southwestern United States.
In its native range In the United States, native mesquites have increased in abundance and become the dominant woody plant on 38,000,000 hectares (94,000,000 acres) of semiarid grasslands. Their recent success is mostly attributed to the introduction of domestic livestock, although other factors include climate change, overgrazing, and the reduction of fire frequency. Studies have shown that grass production increases following control of mesquite. In Mexico and the US, the two most problematic species are Eastern honey mesquite (Neltuma glandulosa) and velvet mesquite (Neltuma velutina). Eastern honey mesquite is considered the most common and widely spread "pest" plant in Texas. An estimated 25% of Texas grasslands support mesquite and 16 million acres (6.5 million hectares) have dense stands reported to suppress the majority of grass production. At lower densities (i.e. savannas or a scattered thickets), native mesquites have ecological and economic benefits such as enhanced soil fertility, shade and food for livestock, wildlife habitat, and serving as a nurse plant for other plant species.
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