Desert willow primarily occupies dry washes, intermittent streams and
other water courses, and moist canyons in deserts and mountain foothills
[
4,
16,
18,
27,
35,
49]. These sites generally have underground water
available year-round. Plants can withstand seasonal flooding quite
well, and often occupy the middle of drainage channels, sometimes
covering broad expanses in wash areas [
10,
16].
Soils: Sites are mostly well drained, neutral to basic and mildly
saline [
48]. Soils are mostly sandy to gravelly alluvium [
29,
35,
48].
Associated species: Common associates of desert washes include blue
paloverde (Cerdidium floridum), desert ironwood (Olneya tesota), catclaw
acacia (Acacia greggii), smoketree (Dalea spinosa), mesquites (Prosopis
spp.), desertbroom (Baccharis sarothroides), netleaf hackberry (Celtis
reticulata), littleleaf sumac (Rhus microphylla), Arizona walnut
(Juglans major), velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina), spitleaf brickellia
(Brickellia laciniata), cottontop (Digitaria californica) and
southwestern condalia (Condalia lycoides) [
4,
10,
16,
29,
31,
48].
Elevational range by location:
Range State Reference
below 4,000 feet (1,219 m) AZ [
18]
below 5,000 feet (1,524 m) CA [
27]
from 2,000 to 5,000 feet (610-1,524 m) TX [
32]
below 4,920 feet (1,500 m) UT [
49]