Bubba Desert Willow
Latin Name: Chilopsis linearis 'Bubba'
Price range: $19.95 through $45.95
- Pot Size: 1 Gallon, 5 Gallon (Local Pickup Only)
Chilopsis linearis ‘Bubba’ is an upright, fast-growing selection of desert willow with a fuller, more treelike shape than the wild plant. Its narrow leaves are wider, glossier, and deeper green than most desert willows, giving the canopy a lush, almost tropical look. From late spring into summer, it carries fragrant trumpet flowers in two tones of pink and burgundy, each throat marked with fine yellow lines. Those lines are nectar guides that steer hummingbirds and bees toward the flower’s center. Trained to a single trunk, ‘Bubba’ reads as a small shade tree; left alone, it fills out as a broad, leafy shrub.
Plant Details
Quick Information
- Latin Name: Chilopsis linearis ‘Bubba’
- Plant Family: Bignoniaceae
- Common Names: Desert Willow, Bubba Desert Willow
- Origin / Native Range: Garden selection; parent species native to desert washes and grasslands of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico
- Mature Height × Width: 20–30 ft × 15–20 ft
- Exposure Requirements: Full Sun
- Irrigation Requirements: Low
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7–10
- Cold Hardiness: –10°F to 0°F
- Bloom Time: Late Spring through Summer
- Bloom Color: Burgundy and Pink (two-tone)
General Information
Chilopsis linearis ‘Bubba’ grows more upright than a typical desert willow. It forms a single dominant leader, so it reads as a small tree rather than a bushy shrub. Its leaves are long and narrow, but wider and glossier than the wild plant’s. That extra width, paired with a deep green color, gives the canopy a full, leafy look throughout the growing season. Growers often train young plants to one trunk or several. Left unpruned, ‘Bubba’ rounds out into a large shrub. In winter, the plant drops its leaves, showing slender, gently curving branches. Narrow seedpods may hang on the bare stems, though ‘Bubba’ sets fewer than most desert willows.
In the wild, desert willow grows along sandy washes and dry creek beds across the Southwest. It roots in gravelly, rocky ground and handles long dry spells once established. These habits carry into the garden. ‘Bubba’ wants full sun and fast-draining soil. It also handles alkaline ground and caliche, the hard, lime-rich hardpan common across the desert Southwest. The tree shrugs off reflected heat from walls and pavement, which makes it useful near sidewalks and driveways. After the roots settle in, it needs little water. The fragrant flowers draw hummingbirds and native bees, which sip nectar deep in each trumpet. Because it makes fewer seedpods than most selections, it drops less litter below the canopy.
Despite its willow-like leaves, ‘Bubba’ is not a true willow. Desert willow belongs to the trumpet-vine family, Bignoniaceae. Its closer relatives include the catalpa tree, yellow bells (Tecoma stans), and trumpet vine (Campsis radicans). The trumpet-shaped flowers show that kinship at a glance. ‘Bubba’ itself began as a selection made by Paul Cox at the San Antonio Botanical Garden in Texas. Because it is grown from cuttings rather than seed, every ‘Bubba’ shares the same upright form and two-tone flower color. Bloom timing shifts with the weather. In hot summers, flowering often comes in waves after rain, so the display returns again and again through the warm months.
General Planting & Cultivation Information
Even drought-tolerant plants require regular watering until they are well established, good drainage is essential. If planting in containers, avoid pots without drainage holes.
Irrigate by watering deeply and then allowing the top several inches of soil to dry between waterings. This encourages the plant to send roots deep into the earth in search of moisture, helping it to become established, prevent root rot, build drought tolerance, and resilience to wind, heat, and cold.
The length of time between waterings will vary depending on your growing conditions and environment. Use a moisture meter for precise irrigation.
When planting, set the plant at the same depth as it was in its current container. For trees, ensure the top of the root flare is at soil level.
Young plants are vulnerable to harsh conditions, so consider growing them in larger containers until mature.
When planting in the ground, research the optimal planting season for your climate zone and protect young plants from frost.
To support establishment, consider creating a microclimate with nurse plants, shade, or wind protection. This can reduce stress, conserve soil moisture, and increase long-term success.
Protect the small, immature plants from rabbits and deer.
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