Family: Fabaceae

Neltuma glandulosa (formerly Prosopis glandulosa), commonly known as honey mesquite, is a small to medium-sized tree native to the arid and semi-arid regions of the southern United States and northern Mexico. It is well adapted to hot, dry environments, with deep roots, feathery compound leaves, and long, slender seed pods that contain a sweet pulp. Honey mesquite has been widely planted for shade, windbreaks, erosion control, and fodder, and its hard, dense wood is valued for firewood and charcoal. The pods have also been used traditionally as livestock feed and, in some cultures, ground into flour.

Despite its usefulness, honey mesquite poses significant environmental risks outside its native range. It can spread aggressively by seed, especially along waterways and disturbed areas, forming dense thickets that outcompete native plants and alter soil moisture and nutrient dynamics. Its sharp thorns can injure people, livestock, and wildlife, and dense infestations can reduce pasture productivity and restrict access to land. Once established, honey mesquite is difficult to control due to its deep root system and ability to resprout after cutting, making it a long-term management challenge and a threat to native ecosystems and agricultural lands.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized several locations worldwide
  
• Serious weed of rangelands and the environment
  
• Possessed thorns
  
• Tolerates many soil conditions (and potentially able to exploit many different habitat types)
  
• Thicket-forming
  
• Hybridizes with other Prosopis species
  
• Reaches maturity in 3 years or more
  
• Pods and seeds eaten and dispersed by animals (livestock)
  
• Pods and seeds moved by water
  
• Forms a persistent seed bank
  
• Resprouts vigorously after damage, including cutting and fires

Low Risk Traits:

• Fodder tree for livestock
  
• Mostly Shade-intolerant
  
• Self-incompatible
  
• Timber tree