Because of our severe climate in the desert southwest we are sometimes forced to look to other deserts of the world to add diversity to our landscape palette. In some instances we look for plants that mimic the structure, shape, color or stature of plants we would like to use in the landscape but that either grow poorly or not at all in desert conditions. Two such examples are Guajillo, Acacia berlandieri and Leather Leaf Acacia, A. craspedocarpa . Guajillo offers a cold hardy alternative to Lysiloma thornberi  and Leather Leaf adds a much needed medium to small stature evergreen tree to desert landscapes.

Acacia berlandieri (Guajillo) a Texas native, shares many characteristics with the popular Lysiloma thornberi (or Fern of the Desert). Both have lush green, lacy, fern like leaves and graceful curved branching patterns; both produce creamy white ball shaped flowers in spring. Some Guajillo have short curved spurs at the some leaf nodes but are essentially thornless. The great advantage of the Guajillo is that it is cold hardy to about 10 degrees F. In typical Phoenix winters it retains most (40 to 60%) of its leaves once trees are established . The common name of this tree "Guajillo" is Spanish and means foolish or funny. It was given this name because it sometimes grows in funny or unusual places. Its range within Texas extends from the Rio Grande Plains northwest to eastern Brewster County in the Trans-Pecos, and south to Queretaro, San Luis Potosí, and Hidalgo in Mexico.

The tree grows at a moderate rate in an array of well draining soil types and settings. Mature trees grow to about 9' to 15' tall and almost as wide. Trees prefer full sun but will tolerate partial shade. A natural tendency toward multiple trunk growth coupled with a generally shrub-like growth habit means that young trees will require some pruning and shaping to achieve desired forms. 

Cream colored, mildly fragrant flowers are borne in clusters along the branches in early spring. Flowers produce broad, elongate, dark brown seedpods (very similar in appearance to those found on Lysiloma). Pods split to release seeds and most pods are eventually dropped. Acacia berlandieri adds a soft lush quality to the landscape and mixes well with a variety of desert trees and shrubs. 

Its semi-evergreen nature makes it an excellent complement to trees and shrubs that may be more deciduous in winter. Its smaller stature makes it a good accent tree or planted with taller maturing trees to create a landscape screen. Acacia berlandieri is an excellent alternative to Lysiloma in those settings where cold hardiness is an issue or where less deciduous trees are needed in desert landscapes.

Leather Leaf Acacia, (A. craspedocarpa) is an excellent, descriptive name for this Australian native. Its common name is an accurate description on the leaves, which are oval shapes, thick and fairly stiff with a webbed network of raised veins. To the touch the leaves are course and brittle. In its native Australian habitat it is an understory plant along with Cassias and Acacia aneuras. In landscape settings its dense, upright branches form an erect, compact head that make it an ideal privacy screen or windbreak shrub. It can also be used as a background or foundation plant or as individual specimens. Mature plants may reach 9' to 12' and be 6' to 8' wide. It is used primarily as a large shrub or small tree in southwestern landscape designs where it can be planted closely to form a dense hedge or as individual specimens or small groupings. Tree forms can be achieved with proper pruning that exposes the branching pattern beneath the otherwise dense foliar canopy.

In spring individual, small, bright yellow, elongated rod flowers are produced. Tan-colored, flat, 2" long pods develop from the flowers. The botanical name probably is drawn from a description of these pods since crasped translates to broad in latin and carp refers to fruit. Leather Leaf Acacia is moderately cold hardy (15 to 20 F) and grows well in full and partial sun. It will tolerate a variety of soils but does best in well-draining soils.

Established plants are highly adapted to harsh summer conditions and can survive without supplemental irrigation. Watering once a month will ensure limited growth but more frequent irrigation is needed to achieve optimal growth, appearance and flowering. This plant grows slowly and in some landscape applications it may be desirable to install larger container sizes (15 gallon to 36" box) to get more immediate impact.

Specimens pruned into tree form can be used as individual specimens or in small groupings. Leather Leaf are most commonly uses an as informal hedge planting or as part of a landscape screen. Because the growth of established specimens can be easily regulated by irrigation practices, A. craspedocarpa offers a low maintenance alternative to Oleanders or other non-desert species used as landscape screens.