Chilopsis linearis                    Bignoniaceae

Desert Willow, Flowering Willow, Desert Catalpa               CHEE-lop-is LIN-e-er-os

• Deciduous shrub or small tree, 10-30 ft (3-9 m) tall, open.  Twigs green in the first year then turn gray to reddish-brown.  Leaves alternate and opposite, simple, linear, 8-14 cm long, narrow (2-4 mm wide), margin entire (smooth), pale green; petiole short or sessile.  Flowers trumpet-shaped, pink to light violet about 3 cm long and occur in clusters up to 10 cm long at the end of twigs, appear in spring and often into fall.  Fruit narrow, elongated two-celled podlike capsule, 10-30 cm long, persist when plant is leafless in winter.
• Sun or light shade, needs well-drained soil.  Requires pruning to make attractive.  Flowers attract hummingbirds.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 8     Native to southwestern and west Texas, extreme southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, southern California and northern Mexico.  The genus has been divided into subordinate (subspecies or variety) based primarily on leaf morphology and growth form, e.g., var. arcuta and var. glutinosa.  A few cultivars are available.
• linearis: narrow, with sides nearly parellel; reference to the leaves.