What is this tall grassy type plant?

[KarenSoCal]

Title says it all...low desert SE of Palm Springs CA.

 

[Iochroma]

Perhaps some kind of exotic Acacia

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Desert willow.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Agreed with Will; the beautiful desert willow.

 

[KarenSoCal]

So it's safe that it's inside the outdoor enclosure I'm building? There's also mesquite and California Pepper tree. Not for eating, but just for shade.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

So it's safe that it's inside the outdoor enclosure I'm building? There's also mesquite and California Pepper tree. Not for eating, but just for shade.

Give a person a fish, feed them for a day, show a person how to fish, feed them for life.

To sort out the potential quality of a food item or its potential to be toxic you start by putting the common names in google with the word 'wiki' Like this (desert willow wiki) then you can see the latin name, some images, and many general resources like some kind of ethno-botany or industrial uses, all kinds of stuff. You use the latin name for pages like www.feedipedia.org to see if it's outright used as a feed item or not. You can use the latin name and the word "toxic". You can use the search tool called "pubmed" to see if there is any published account of actual poisoning or some weird study that might have looked at a compound in the plant and it's potential medicinal uses.. Google has another search called 'google scholar' where you might be able to see if tortoises that overlap the native range of the plant have been known to eat it.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Give a person a fish, feed them for a day, show a person how to fish, feed them for life.

To sort out the potential quality of a food item or its potential to be toxic you start by putting the common names in google with the word 'wiki' Like this (desert willow wiki) then you can see the latin name, some images, and many general resources like some kind of ethno-botany or industrial uses, all kinds of stuff. You use the latin name for pages like www.feedipedia.org to see if it's outright used as a feed item or not. You can use the latin name and the word "toxic". You can use the search tool called "pubmed" to see if there is any published account of actual poisoning or some weird study that might have looked at a compound in the plant and it's potential medicinal uses.. Google has another search called 'google scholar' where you might be able to see if tortoises that overlap the native range of the plant have been known to eat it.

Thank you Will! I will do just that, and I have saved your message for future reference! [emoji3]

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Thank you Will! I will do just that, and I have saved your message for future reference! [emoji3]

Please share your results. And I am so extremely happy you decided to take my response positively. That is very good feeling for me to have, starting the weekend off with a bang now.

 

[Iochroma]

If by "desert willow", you mean Chiltopsis, I believe that you are mistaken.

 

[RosemaryDW]

If by "desert willow", you mean Chiltopsis, I believe that you are mistaken.

I did, at least. I'm happy to be educated, if you don't mind.

 

[KarenSoCal]

If by "desert willow", you mean Chiltopsis, I believe that you are mistaken.

The original purpose of this thread was to identify the plant. I have been told by 2 posters that it is desert willow (chilopsis linearis).

What do you think it is? I'm open to alternative possibilities.

These little trees were planted underneath a mesquite, very close together, by the house's previous owner. They should have been moved, but now are so well rooted, I don't think they can be.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Please share your results. And I am so extremely happy you decided to take my response positively. That is very good feeling for me to have, starting the weekend off with a bang now.

I did my research...I found nothing re' desert willows being toxic, irritating, or anything else. They attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and birds, and bighorn sheep eat them. They have some medicinal value. They are also able to extract gold from the soil they are planted in...but don't look to get rich. We're talking nanoparticles here!

 

[RosemaryDW]

The original purpose of this thread was to identify the plant. I have been told by 2 posters that it is desert willow (chilopsis linearis).

Lochroma is the best plant expert we have so if thinks it isn't desert willow, we definitely want to hear what he has to say. I believe Will would agree.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Lochroma is the best plant expert we have so if thinks it isn't desert willow, we definitely want to hear what he has to say. I believe Will would agree.

Ok thanks! I'll tag him.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Lochroma is the best plant expert we have so if thinks it isn't desert willow, we definitely want to hear what he has to say. I believe Will would agree.

@iochroma
You've been recommended as the plant expert. There seems to be some disagreement on this, so could you tell me? Thanks for your help! [emoji3]

 

[Hugo's Home]

From what I've seen and mine that I have it doesn't look like a desert willow. Ever seen it flower?
Here is what mine looks like it is an except I paid 20 bucks on clearance at lowes!!

 

[Iochroma]

As i said in my first post, it looks like one of the exotic species of Acacia. Maybe one of the Australian species. The flowers will be needed for a more positive ID.
Edit: I would not want an Acacia in an animal enclosure.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

As i said in my first post, it looks like one of the exotic species of Acacia. Maybe one of the Australian species. The flowers will be needed for a more positive ID.
Edit: I would not want an Acacia in an animal enclosure.

Acacia are an African group of trees? I think some are a food source for leopards, but from what I've read there are many kinds and some are seasonally avoided by most herbivores.

On the two plants ( one from the OP and one from Hugo's Home ) the mystery one and the desert willow, the quality of the images are good enough to see they are not the same. But darn it all they look really close.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=10 ??????????????????????????????????????

 

[Iochroma]

I was more thinking of:
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?strSearchText=acacia&plant_id=19&page=