Summary: Prosopis juliflora (Mesquite) is a plant in the Fabaceae family. Verdica documents 27 traditional uses, 35 phytochemical compounds, and 22 herb-drug interactions for this species.
Native to Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean, Prosopis juliflora or Mesquite is a deciduous, shrub or tree growing up to 12 m in height and 1.2 m in trunk diameter. It has a large crown that is flat-topped with open canopy. The leaves are bipinnate, light green, compounded with 12 to 20 leaflets. The flowers occur in clusters of two to five. It is an invasive species but it is still used for forage, environmental management, medicine, and food. It is used to increase lactation, increase weight in children, and in preparing medicinal syrups. The seed pods are eaten raw, roasted, or ground into a powder. The powder is then mixed with water to make a refreshing drink or pudding, or fermented into an alcoholic beverage. The flowers can also be eaten raw, roasted, or made into tea. The trunk produces a gum which is used in making sweets. The bark yields tannin while the wood produces fiber used in paper production. The wood is also used as firewood and for making charcoal.
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Watering | Moderate — drought tolerant once established |
| Soil | Well-drained; nitrogen-fixing — minimal fertilizer needed |
| Hardiness Zone | Varies widely (USDA 2-11) |
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