Desert Messenger

10 www.DesertMessenger.com June 15, 2022 Gardening with Dennis is here for you! BONDED NOTARY PUBLIC • Mobile Notary Service • Professional Correspondence • Proof Reading • Copies Year Round Quartzsite Resident 562-682-7283 THE DESERT WILLOW & THE SMOKE TREE By Alex Taft As the temperatures rise and we begin to think about how to avoid going outside except in the early morning, garden solutions drift to plants can survive and thrive in the heat while we run for air-con- ditioned spaces. This is not a good time to plant anything except cactus which transplant better when the earth is warm. For other plants and trees, it adds another level of stress, not just to the gardener digging the hole, but the plant that has to adapt to a new place and survive the heat. I asked Dennis about planting in the summer heat. His response was that it is best to avoid it but the plants can get through it. Desert Willow is a deciduous tree that survives the heat well, and also has medicinal properties. Like any desert plant it needs water, and once established does not require very much, but it will look bet- ter and bloom more if water is ad- equate. Desert Willow or Chilopsis linearis has frilly funnel like fl ow- ers that range from white to pink to purple. It is a fast grower that in the wild gravitates to washes and other drainage areas. It needs water so where they are growing naturally, is an indicator of the water table level. According to author Charles Kane, in his book, "Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest", he states, "A simple leaf infusion of Desert Wil- low applied externally like other Bignonia family plants is antifun- gal." It can bloom in the worst heat and provide grace and visual relief to the heat blasted landscape. Another tree that likes to grow in the sandy washes is the Smoke Tree, or Psorothamnus spinosus which grows only in southeastern California, southwestern Arizona, northern Sonora, Mexico and on the Baja peninsula in Mexico. It does not grow above 1,500 feet in elevation. It is a small tree that blooms in late May and June. It is then covered with fl owers that are a beautiful deep blue -purple that last about a month. It has spiny thin sil- very-gray branches. The fl owers are sweet smelling and attract bees, just as the Desert Willow fl owers attract hummingbirds. The Smoke Tree does not have any medicinal prop- erties that I could fi nd. The land- scaping along Highway 95 toward Lake Havasu City has Smoke Trees and Desert Willows planted in their desert landscape road enhancement projects. Neither tree grows large enough to interfere with power lines or obstruct vision for traffi c. Both of these trees are successful survivors of the summer heat and a pleasant change from the vari- ous Palo Verde and Mesquite trees. The Smoke Tree is a member of the pea family and is therefore related to the enduring Ironwood Tree. It has a deep tap root which is how it survives drought and that makes it very diffi cult to transplant. It is best to purchase a small plant and then it can sink its tap root deeply. Its fruit is a seeded pea pod, just like the ironwood. Both of these trees are native to the area. I have always liked smoke trees and I found all the detail I have noted regarding them, in Dennis's notebooks. Evidently, he liked them too. Note: for those who did not know Dennis, he was a part-time employ- ee of the town parks department, a Master Gardener since 1985 and instructor for the Master Gardener Class. He passed away in 2018. The 4th of July is coming soon and Lost Dogs Arizona wants to remind pet owners to keep their pets safe during 4th of July celebrations. More pets are lost around the 4th of July than any other time of the year in our state. Arizona animal shelters typically see an increase of 2 to 3 times the number of animals need- ing shelter. Many pets that get lost during this time get injured or worse. Many communities hold fi reworks days before, and even days after, the actual July 4th holiday. Pets are at risk any time the fi reworks can be heard so owners need to be aware of when fi reworks are planned for the community and do the following to keep pets safe: • Do not bring pets to fi reworks events. • Keep pets at home in a secure environment. Ideally, this would be an enclosed area inside. Pets have been known to climb fences, dig under enclosures and even break through windows and doors trying to escape. • Use a TV, Radio or "white noise" to mask loud noises. • Check your pet's ID tag now to make sure the infor- mation is current, and the tag and collar are secure. • Make sure your pet is microchipped. Contact the mi- crochip company to make sure the information they have on fi le for you is correct. If your pet is lost, contact your county's animal shelter for information and to search for your lost pet. For dogs, information is available at www.LostDogsArizona.org. Lost Dogs Arizona, in partnership with Helping Lost Pets, provides resources for owners and fi nders of lost dogs, emailed alerts, fl yers and listings on social media and on a searchable map; all provided free as a service to the community to help lost dogs get home. File lost/ found pet reports at www.HelpingLostPets.com. Tips to keep your pets safe on 4th of July The public is invited to a Meet and Greet the Candidates Forum Wednes- day, June 29th, 2022. The forum is hosted by Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. The forum will be held at the Quartzsite Senior Center, 40 N. Moon Mountain Ave., Quartzsite. Candidates are encour- aged to bring promotional materials to share with voters. Doors open to the Public at 6:00pm for meet and greet with the candi- dates at their tables. Candidates Fo- rum will start at 6:30pm Refresh- ments will be available. • Each Candidate will be allowed a 3 minute Introduction • Prepared questions will be pre- sented. The number of questions is dependent on the number of Candi- dates in attendance. Decorum will be required from ALL attendees. For more information visit www. facebook.com/QuartzsiteTourism or call 928-927-5200. Meet the Candidates planned

• Cover