Mesquite Characteristics

Somewhat straight grained but often wavy. Mesquite trees are short desert plants that yield boards with knots, splits, worm holes, etc. Woodworkers use the defects as points of interest in the finished pieces.

Color Range

Rich dark brown heartwood with wavy darker lines.

Other Names

Honey Mesquite, Argentine Mesquite

Some Typical Uses

Furniture, flooring, cabinetry, fine art, turnings

What's the Tree Like?

This is a small, twisted, short-trunked tree, 20 to 50 feet high, or a large shrub. It is very slow growing, ill-shaped and scrawny looking tree with an exceptionally deep tap root.

Mesquite grows in

Deserts of North and South America; Texas, Arizona, Mexico, Argentina