Not a southwestern desert native, this striking shrub, 3 to 10 feet
high, was introduced from South America and has escaped from cultivation
to establish itself in parts of the desert where conditions are
suitable. The blossoms are showy but ill-smelling, and are popular as
ornamentals about homes, especially in Mexico. The shrub’s principal
advantage in landscape plantings is its long blossoming period, which
sometimes lasts from April to September.
_Caesalpinia gilliesii_ Pea Family
[Illustration: BIRD-OF-PARADISE-FLOWER]