Great Design Plant: Desert Willow — Paint Your Summer Landscape

When you first see a desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), its beautiful flowers make it an instant favorite for warm-climate gardeners. Grown as a tree or large shrub, it adds stunning beauty to the summer landscape.

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Quick Facts

• Botanical name: Chilopsis linearis
• Common name: Desert willow
• Origin: Native to the American Southwest
• USDA zones: 6–9
• Water: Low
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Mature size: 25 feet tall and wide
• Benefits: Drought tolerant once established; best with 2–3 waterings/month in summer; attracts bees and hummingbirds
• Seasonal interest: Fragrant pink orchid-shaped flowers spring through summer
• When to plant: Spring, summer, or fall

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Distinguishing Traits

The standout trait is its flowers borne on branches with willow-shaped leaves. Not a true willow, it's related to pink and red trumpet vines. Deciduous, fast-growing, can be a large shrub or trained as a multi-trunk tree.

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Flowers have a beautiful orchid shape, contrasting with light-green foliage. Fragrant and nectar-rich, they attract bees and hummingbirds. Colors range from white to dark pink depending on variety. Popular varieties:

• 'Art's Seedless': No seedpods, better winter appearance.
• 'Bubba': Dark pink flowers, larger (30 ft), fewer seedpods.
• 'Lucretia Hamilton': Burgundy flowers, slightly smaller (20 ft).
• 'Timeless Beauty': Bicolor lavender and burgundy, no seedpods, hardy to zone 7, 15–20 ft.
• 'Warren Jones': Light pink flowers, foliage retained longer into winter, slightly less cold hardy (zone 8).

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Fast-growing tree produces narrow seedpods in fall, retained through winter after leaf drop. If seedpods are objectionable, choose seedless varieties. Desert willow is fire-wise, suitable for fire-prone areas.

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How to Use It

Versatile: large shrub or small-to-medium tree. Most popular as multi-trunk tree providing light filtered shade in summer. Place where you can watch hummingbirds visit nectar-rich flowers. Fits small areas — great patio tree. For informal hedge, allow natural form.

Pair with summer-flowering plants like trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis), Baja ruellia (Ruellia peninsularis), and angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis) for a stunning summer landscape.

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Planting Notes

Best in full sun, tolerates partial shade. Plant in well-drained soil. Not fussy — prune for shape in winter, remove suckers in spring, remove seedpods in winter if desired. Though drought tolerant, looks best with supplemental water: 2–3 times in summer, at least once a month in winter.