Mesquite is a tough, thorny tree or shrub that grows in hot, dry regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. These plants thrive in desert conditions that would kill most other trees, sending roots down as deep as 190 feet to reach underground water. Their scientific name is Prosopis, and they produce long seed pods that Native Americans ground into flour for thousands of years.

Today, mesquite is famous for the wood it produces. When burned, mesquite wood creates a distinctive sweet, smoky flavor that makes grilled meat taste incredible. Texas barbecue restaurants often use mesquite wood in their smokers, and you might see “mesquite-grilled” on restaurant menus. The wood burns hot and slow, making it perfect for cooking.

While mesquite trees provide valuable wood and food, ranchers sometimes consider them pests because they spread quickly across grasslands, and cattle can't digest the pods easily. But these hardy survivors have adapted perfectly to harsh desert life, staying green even during brutal droughts when other plants wither and die.