Mesquite from bean to pod

If one plantedHoney Mesquite beans how many years till the resulting tree began to produce pods?

Also I see that it is a favorite food for Coyotes and am concerned about attracting them to my property.  I'm wondering if Coyotes in Washington State would have a clue about the pods being edible since Mesquite wouldn't be a part of their natural food sources up here.

Finally could the taproot seek out water sources like an irrigation canal?  I have on above my property and am considering whether to avoid a planting location close to it for fear of the roots rupturing the side of the canal.

Honey Mesquite can be both beneficial, and a problem.  The tap root can reach a depth of nearly 200 feet, and it also has a substantial system of shallower roots.  It will find water.  Researchers in Texas have blamed its voracious appetite for water as being a cause of the lowering of the water table in areas where the tree is common.

It is so greedy for water, that not much else can survive near it.  Being a legume, it is a nitrogen fixer.

See also:  http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/Display_Onetree.aspx?tid=68

The World Conservation Union considers it one of the most problematic invasive species in the world.

John Polk wrote:
  Researchers in Texas have blamed its voracious appetite for water as being a cause of the lowering of the water table in areas where the tree is common.

It's mainly a problem where overgrazing and other practices have enabled it to proliferate.  We have maybe 3 or 4 of the trees on our place, and they don't appear to steal water from other plants.  They certainly aren't invading.  I would like more of them. 

Texans like to blame their lowering water tables on anything but Texans. 

Oh wow! I used to think the root systems went 50 feet deep, but I guess I read it incorrectly (not 50 ft... 50 meters!). I found some good information here: http://www.desertusa.com/mag06/may/mesquite.html

I have a large Mesquite tree in my back yard with a large Opuntia ellisiana cactus that will actucaly get so big it cant support itself right next to the mesquite. and a Very large Fig tree next to both and 2 small small peach frees behind the fig and i think the fig tree is what is hurting them because its getting so big.


As far as growing from the pod. i have no idea. but there was some land just down the road thats maybe..7-8 acres that was just grasing pasture maybe 3 years ago that has been taken over by mesquite thats taller then the horses in the pasture.

Mesquite tap roots have been measured at 58 metres!  Four to five foot "bushes" (more common in true desert conditions) have had lateral roots measured at 10x the height.  It is a plant well adapted to arid/semi-arid conditions.  It will find water anywhere near it.

(And, NO, "metres" is not mis-spelled...the only English speaking country in the world that spells it "meters" is the U.S...the only country that does not use the metric system!).

So I still like the idea of getting some Mesquite growing up here but I'm thinking I want to put a swale in on the hill above the canal and start one up there.  Based on the 58 metre (loved that post wish we had a 'thanks' button) planting halfway up the hill would put that depth of taproot about 60 feet above the water table so it should stay small and controlled and it wouldn't destroy the downhill side of the canal.

Maybe I should introduce some seeds to Bateman Island which is totally covered with Russian Olive and watch the competition.  Being on an island they would have the entire Columbia River to suck up

Is like for someone to give me a hypothetical plan on how to grow a Mesquite tree in zone 6b. I want a piece of my beloved AZ up here in eastern Washington.

Welcome to permies Daniel.

Good luck with that. I might be wrong but I don't think it's nearly warm enough up there for mesquite. Maybe harness some heat from the Canadian wildfires???

Yes you can. For 25 years I lived 125 miles sw of Tucson. We had tons of mesquite trees. Actually they were more like shrubs. Then I took a class  at Cascabell, about 50 miles north that was right on the San Pedro River and they had mesquite trees that were 60 feet tall and looked like trees. They told me it was because they got enough water. So to answer your question they actually need a lot more water then they get