Established trees win survive on 200 mm of annual rainfall. Typically slow growing in the wild, established plants can grow up to 60 cm per year under favorable conditions in cultivation. Olneya tesota shows no tendency to become weedy. Optimum conditions for fruit production are not fully documented. Unless supplemental irrigation is available in and regions, O. tesota grows slowly, prolonging the time it tales for the tree to reach flowering size.
Heavy infestations can weaken and even kW mature trees.
Control can be achieved by periodically removing the clumps of mistletoe. Young plants may be severely damaged by browsing, particularly by rodents. No significant disease problems have been reported. The plants do not appear to be fire resistant. The spiny stems can be a nuisance to people working around the plants.