Mesquite: from pest tree to valuable domestic.

For the past 20 years, David Perino has been a champion of the mesquite tree. He is a believer in a land of non-believers. His vision is to change the outlook of people who see mesquite trees as pests and convince them that the tree is quite valuable as a veneer and lumber wood.

The mesquite is a fascinating tree that yields a rich dark brown wood from the heartwood, with distinct growth rings. Perino says the term "pest wood" can be traced to farmers wanting to convert their land to pasture or crop-growing uses. To do so, they cleared the fields of mesquite by knocking the trees down. Unfortunately, this was the wrong method. Instead of eradicating the trees, Perino said they discovered, "If you cut one stem, 100 would spring up in its place in a matter of years, ruining the fields cleared for alfalfa or cattle. The United States government has spent millions of dollars in aerial spraying programs to defoliate the trees."

Perino, who owns the San Pedro Mesquite Co. in Benson, Ariz., has had some visible success in changing the perception of mesquite. In the past two years the National Hardwood Assn. has accepted grading rules for mesquite. In addition to using mesquite to manufacture a line of Danish-style furniture, Perino has developed a line of tables made from "western-looking" mesquite veneer that Crate and Barrel Furniture Stores are carrying in the Chicago area and East Coast stores.

Despite its growing popularity as a furniture wood, Perino said he thinks the biggest acceptance of mesquite has been by the flooring industry. Mesquite is hard, heavy and capable of withstanding the kind of abuse floors take. Flooring typically uses shorter lengths than the furniture industry, too.

Expensive to work

Mesquite is a hardwood from North and South America. In the United States the tree grows in the low deserts of California, southern Nevada and southwestern Utah. It also grows in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Louisiana, as well as Mexico and Jamaica, extending south from Central America to Venezuela.

Perino explained that mesquite can be difficult to cut and is expensive due to the cost of drying and preparing the wood. "On average the lumber is one-and-a-half times the cost of cherry," he said. The veneer can cost an average of $6.50 per board foot. Although the best sources for mesquite are currently in Texas, Perino said his company is working to develop a means of importing the wood from Mexico and South America.

Perino is also working with the University of Arizona to develop his 120 acres of mesquite woodland to demonstrate how to utilize the resource totally, as a valuable lumber and veneer source and also as a fuel wood. Because of mesquite's high cost, relative to other domestic species, Perino said it is necessary to completely utilize the wood.

Short on stature but long on names

The wood is often called ironwood in the United States, which is slightly confusing since so many trees are also named ironwood. Mesquite is also confused with honey locust or Glenditsia triacanthus, while others liken mesquite to mahogany.

But the problem with the wood is that the tree is short and features a short trunk and crooked limbs which yield narrow widths and lengths of lumber, limiting its usage. However, highly figured mesquite can have a very dramatic look, wild figure,

Ken Staugas, chairman of the board of Norstam Veneers Inc., does custom slicing of mesquite into veneers. He said the wood is "very dense and difficult to cut." He has not noted an increased interest in the wood. "We cut mesquite two days per year compared with other woods that are cut year-round. The wood is harder than rosewood and averages 5 or 6 feet and requires special handling," Staugas said.

The tree grows in very dry conditions, yielding flowers twice annually that attract bees and are a source of high-quality honey. The flowers are from the Mimosa family but look slightly like yellow catkins and yield a wonderful, sweet fragrance that is very distinctive.

Those familiar with mesquite lumber say it resembles mahogany in looks and strength. The wood polishes to a beautiful, high sheen like mahogany. It would certainly have been a widely used cabinet wood if the trees had been taller and capable of being cut in lengths needed for most furniture uses. During pioneer times, early Texas settlers made good use of the mesquite trees for a variety of things, from building homes to making the hubs and spokes of wagon wheels.

Mesquite also contains a gum that has been used for centuries. Native Americans used the gum to treat wounds and sores. It was also used to mend pottery and as an ingredient to produce black dye. Donald Culross Peattie, in his book "A Natural History of Western Trees," said that, "As early as 1871, more than 12,000 pounds of the gum were gathered in one Texas county alone and sent east for use in the preparation of gumdrops and mucilage." Even today, several hundred pounds of the gum is shipped to Australia every year.

The famous mesquite grilling techniques have been in use in North America for centuries. The trunks, branches and underground stems of the mesquite tree make an excellent fuel. The underground stem, which is erroneously called the root of the tree, is the best part of the tree for fuel. The bonus of using mesquite is that it provides heat and burns slowly. It will burn to a bed of coals that lasts much longer than other woods. Blacksmiths, for example, used mesquite to stoke their fires.

Family Names

Prospis juliflora (also Prospis glandulosa) of the Family Mimosaceae

Other Names

Mesquite, honey locust, honeypod, ironwood, algaroba, western honey locust, velvet mesquite, ablarroba, honey mesquite, Texas ironwood, algarobo.

Height/Weight

Trees average between 20 and 40 feet in height. Weight is 50 pounds per cubic foot. Specific gravity is 0.80.

Properties

Hard, strong wood with high bending and crushing strengths. It has medium stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Works well with hand or machine tools, with slight blunting to cutting edges. Pre-bore before nailing. Glues well. Difficult to stain, but polishes to a high sheen.