Mesquites (Prosopsis spp.) grow as evergreen or deciduous shrubs or small trees that can reach up to 30 feet tall under ideal conditions. These plants are enjoyed as specimens for their attractive appearance, heat tolerance and low water requirements. They grow within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 11, although individual species and varieties offer narrower potential growing ranges. These trees generally have few disease or pest problems, but the flatheaded appletree borer and multiple species of roundheaded borers can attack mesquite. An infestation is difficult to control, making it crucial to prevent problems with borers altogether or effectively limit spread.
Put on thick work gloves, long sleeves and long pants when working around mesquite if it is a variety that has thorns.
Water the mesquite infrequently and deeply in the summer when little rainfall occurs. Although mesquites have a high drought tolerance, occasional irrigation minimizes water stress and makes the mesquite less attractive to borers, which tend to invade wounded and weakened trees.
Cut off branches that are infested by borers, with oozing holes, discolored or wilting foliage, or branch dieback. Make cuts well below the bottom of the infestation and just above a branch junction or bud, or next to a branch collar, the area of raised tissue where a branch meets a larger branch.
Dispose of infested mesquite or other tree wood you prune off away from mesquites and other plants, as borers may emerge as adults and continue to plague vegetation in the area.
Lay mulch around the tree to create a 2- to 3-inch layer that extends 6 inches from the trunk to the tree's dripline, the imaginary line on the ground that reflects the edge of the mesquite's canopy. This mulched area serves as an informal, protective border that guards the mesquite trunk and branches against accidental mechanical injury.
Things You Will Need
- Work gloves
- Garden hose
- Pruning saw
- Mulch (optional)
- Household disinfectant
- If the trunk of a mesquite is infested, the best treatment option may involve removing the entire tree, especially if you have healthy, uninfested mesquites or other valued trees growing nearby.
- If you are removing portions of the mesquite tree that may be diseased, disinfect the blades of the cutting tool after each cut by soaking the tool in a household disinfectant for five minutes, then rinsing the tool with clear water or letting it air dry.
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