Family: Fabaceae

Large shrub or eventually a small tree, deciduous, with an upright shape. Plants are best kept shrubby and in the low desert will usually be under 15’ tall. Specimens have been known elsewhere to reach 25’. Flowers in spring through summer with large puffball flowers that are nectar rich and very sweet smelling. Legume pods follow the flowers.

Provide full to part sun, and moderate to low water when established. Good drainage is a must with this species. This plant is hardy to 0-5°F.

The flowers provide nectar for numerous insects. The protein rich seeds are eaten by many animals. There is no recorded human use of this plant for food.

The name of the genus comes from the Greek 'leukos' meaning "white" in reference to the color of the flowers of some species. The specific epithet is from the Latin word 'retusus' meaning "a blunt" or "notched tip" in reference tips of the leaflets.

This plant is native to rocky well drained sandy and limestone soils in dry canyons from the western portions of the Edwards Plateau and the Trans-Pecos area in Texas, west to New Mexico and south in Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico from 1500 to 5500 feet.

This species is native to Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico and Texas in the United States in rocky, limestone areas; dry canyons.

Photo by Octavia Sánchez, iNaturalist