Light: Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade is beneficial in hotter Phoenix locations. Avoid exposures with intense reflected heat from walls or pavement.
Water: Moderate water needs, increasing during Phoenix summers. Water deeply across the root zone, allowing the upper few inches of soil to dry between irrigations. Irrigate newly planted trees more frequently until established.
Soil: Well-drained soil; tolerates loam, sand, and clay if drainage is adequate. Alkaline Phoenix soils may cause iron chlorosis. Apply organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.
Mature size: Typically 20–30 feet tall and 15–25 feet wide; occasionally larger under favorable conditions.
Bloom: Late winter to early spring, commonly February–March in Phoenix; timing varies with weather.
Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen to semi-evergreen; may briefly lose much of its foliage during cold weather or before flowering.
Growth rate: Moderate to fast with adequate irrigation.