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Field guide
Blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida)
Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0

also Palo verde

Blue palo verde

Parkinsonia florida

Family:
Fabaceae
Elevation:
500 ft – 4,000 ft
Bloom:
Mar – May
Region:
Southwest

A graceful desert tree with smooth blue-green bark and branches that photosynthesize, briefly leafy and then smothered in a spectacular haze of yellow spring flowers. A classic Sonoran wash tree and important nurse plant for young saguaros.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

Deeply drought tolerant once established, drawing on wash and floodplain moisture; water young trees periodically to establish, then taper off. Overwatering and shallow frequent irrigation cause weak, rot-prone growth and windthrow.

Sun & exposure

Full sun and reflected heat; the green bark keeps photosynthesizing when leaves drop in drought.

Soil

Tolerant of poor, alkaline, gravelly, and caliche desert soils; needs good drainage and dislikes constantly wet ground.

In the Southwest

Sonoran and frost-sensitive — young trees are damaged by hard freezes, so it is not reliably hardy in colder high-desert areas. Branches bear short thorns. Prune structurally in the dry season. Flowers feed native bees and the tree shelters seedling cacti.

Common problems & fixes

  • Palo verde root borer — large beetle grubs feed on roots and cause sudden decline of mature trees

    Fix — Keep trees vigorous with deep, infrequent watering and avoid overwatering; healthy trees tolerate the grubs.

  • Storm and monsoon breakage — brittle wood and heavy canopies split in high winds

    Fix — Prune structurally when young and thin the canopy so wind passes through instead of catching it.

  • Mistletoe and witches'-broom in the branches

    Fix — Prune out mistletoe well back into healthy wood before it berries, and remove broomed limbs.

Pets & toxicity

No known toxicity to dogs or cats; thorns are the hazard.

Easy to confuse with

  • Foothill palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) — yellow-green bark, paler flowers, blooms slightly later
  • Mexican palo verde (Parkinsonia aculeata) — long whip-like leaf stalks, weepier habit

Sources

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