The lacy, fern like leaves of Guajillo are soft to the touch and hide small, innocuous thorns along stems. This native of Texas and Chihuahua will act much more like a shrub if you let it, but with some training it can become a charming upright tree. Small cream white flower balls adorn the feathery leaves in spring, producing long velvety fruit pods in summer. As with most trees native to the desert Southwest, Guajillo needs little to no supplemental water once established, but will grow faster if irrigated. The name "Guajillo" means foolish or funny in Spanish, and comes from the tree's tendency to grow in unusual places in the wild.