Acorns!

This time of year becomes a dangerous time for people who walk under our trees.  The oak trees have started dropping their acorns all over the courtyard.  Acorns, or bellotas in Spanish, can be made into several food dishes, but I have not tried ours yet and am not sure I would because I am not a squirrel.  However, I have heard that they are very good.  I just hate cleaning them up and pulling out the babies when they start to sprout.  They get everywhere!!!  The worst part is that when you clean them up, more fall and so it looks like you never cleaned in the first place. 

These trees are becoming more and more popular in Tucson.  They are slow growing here, but once they get to mature size, they make a beautiful addition to the landscape.  I would consider them a VERY messy tree and you can see previous posts on this plants from back in March about the leaf drop.  But if you are interested in a large and attractive tree that can withstand the cold, drought, and heat, this is your tree that will provide hundreds of years of shade.  Just be patient as they grow slow and be patient with the mess they leave on your grounds:)  I will be honest....these trees convinced me to purchase our place as I had never seen these guys grow in the desert.  They are incredible trees to have around the property and will provide you with more shade than you can handle.