Native Plants

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Thursday - June 11, 2015

From: Garland, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Are Desert Willow Leaves Fragrant?
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

I have a pink Desert Willow and have noticed that the leaves are fragrant; no flowers are yet present. I cannot find any sites that agree with this finding? Is this unusual?

ANSWER:

Yes, you are correct that Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) leaves do have a mild fragrance.The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension webpage for Maricopa County have an article on Desert Willows by Cathy Rymer that talks about the shrub in detail and says "The foliage on some trees can be aromatic with a slightly medicinal fragrance."

Good luck with your plant. Hope it blooms soon for you.

From the Image Gallery

Desert willow
Chilopsis linearis