Hop Tree
Ptelea trifoliata
Photographed in Rackensack Canyon, Maricopa Co., Arizona. Aug. 3, 2008.
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SHRUB / SMALL TREE: Grows to be a small tree in moister climates, but in
the Sonoran Desert it is usually a shrub up to a few meters tall with several
main branches.
UNARMED. No thorns or spines.
LEAVES: Leaves are shiny with three leaflets each. Note that the leaves
are alternate on the stem (Ashes, which might look similar, have opposite
leaves). Citrus or unleasant aroma from crushed leaves.
RANGE: Uncommon to rare in the Sonoran Desert. Look in deep shady
canyons or in chaparral habitats just above the elevation of Sonoran Desert.
FRUIT: Flat, hop-like seeds with a wide papery wing. Conspicuous when in
fruit.
FLOWERS: Small, whitish in contracted panicles. Fragrant.