Neltuma odorata
Honey mesquite, Honey Mesquite
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Neltuma odorata (Honey mesquite) is a native California shrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by (N. velutina). Clear leaflet count and dimension differences.
Honey mesquite is a native shrub found in southern California regions including the San Joaquin Valley, coastal southern California, San Gabriel Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, and desert areas at elevations below 1,700 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces small yellow-green flowers in spike-like racemes 6 to 10 centimeters long. Growing as a shrub or small tree up to 7 meters tall with a crown often wider than its height, it features distinctively arched and crooked branches with short spines 5 to 40 millimeters long. Its compound leaves have a single pair of primary leaflets with 14 to 34 secondary leaflets, each oblong and 15 to 25 millimeters long. The plant produces linear fruits 5 to 20 centimeters long that contain 5 to 18 oblong seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species (N. velutina). Clear leaflet count and dimension differences.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Grassland, alkali flats, washes, bottoms, sandy alluvial flats, mesas
Elevation: < 1700 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Imperial, Inyo, Orange, San Diego, Ventura, Los Angeles, Fresno, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Tulare, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Butte, Kings, Placer, Yolo, San Joaquin
Outside California: to Texas, Baja California, northern Mexico
Bloom period
Neltuma odorata blooms Apr-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Acacia: Many acacias are unarmed or bear paired stipular spines with round puffball flower heads; mesquite has single axillary spines, spike-like flower racemes, and long pods pinched between the seeds.; vs Parkinsonia: Palo verde has green photosynthetic bark and yellow 5-petaled flowers; mesquite has brown bark, tiny greenish-yellow flowers in cylindric spikes, and typically one pair of pinnae.; vs Strombocarpa: Screwbean mesquite bears tightly coiled, spring-like pods; Neltuma pods are straight to slightly curved, merely constricted between the seeds.; vs Calliandra: Fairy-dusters have showy long-stamened flowers in round heads; mesquite flowers are minute in elongate spikes.; vs Albizia: Silk-tree has many pairs of pinnae, pink powderpuff flowers, and flat papery pods; mesquite has only 1--2 pairs of pinnae and thick pods narrowed between the seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is Neltuma odorata native to California?
Yes. Neltuma odorata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Neltuma odorata bloom?
Neltuma odorata blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Neltuma odorata grow?
Neltuma odorata occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Kern, Imperial, Inyo, Orange, San Diego, Ventura and other counties, at elevations of < 1700 m.
What plant family does Neltuma odorata belong to?
Neltuma odorata is in the Fabaceae family, genus Neltuma.
What habitat does Neltuma odorata grow in?
Neltuma odorata grows in Common. Grassland, alkali flats, washes, bottoms, sandy alluvial flats, mesas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.