Olneya tesota A.Gray

An evergreen tree. It grows 4.5-9 m high and spreads 3.8-8 m wide. It has a short trunk. It can have several stems. It has a broad crown. The leaves are greyish-green. They are divided into leaflets along the stalk. The leaves are 5 cm long. The flowers are like pea flowers and are pink or light purple. They grow in clusters. The pods have 1-4 seeds.

Dry desert watercourses, sandy and rocky soils of plains, slopes and along dry washes, where storm runoff increases the available moisture, often forming open woodland with other tree species; at elevations up to 900 metres.

The seeds are eaten raw or roasted. They can be used in casseroles. The seeds can be dried and stored. They can be ground into flour and used in cakes. The water is often changed several times. The roasted seeds are used as a substitute for coffee.

Plants can be grown from seed.