Parkinsonia florida - BLUE PALOVERDE Sapling

One of the most popular trees for desert gardens, the Blue Paloverde is a small, graceful tree with a short blue-green trunk and a loose, spreading crown. The foliage of small pinnately compound blue-green leaves is absent most of the year in response to dryness. However, photosynthesis is performed by the smooth, spiny, blue-green branches and twigs. In spring, masses of bright golden-yellow flowers cover the entire tree and the spectacular floral show may continue until midsummer, in response to summer rainfall. Rich in nectar, the flowers attract hummingbirds and bees as well as many other insects. Pollinated flowers give way to bean-like seed pods that are valued by birds and mammals. Long-lived (up to 150 years old), fast-growing, drought tolerant, Blue Paloverde is a great tree for gardens where its architectural qualities can be admired. This desert plant is also useful for erosion control. Dazzling in bloom, the Blue Paloverde is the state tree of Arizona.
 
Common Names: Parkinsonia florida, Blue Paloverde, Cercidium floridum
Name Meaning: Parkinsonia: in honor of the English apothecary and botanist John Parkinson (1567–1650); florida: a reference to its first documented locations in the Sonoran Desert regions of the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico; palo: Spanish "stick"; verde: Spanish "green", referring to the tree's green bark on the trunk and branches.
Plant Family: Fabaceae (legume, pea, bean)
Native Range: Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico
Grow Zone (Hardiness): 8 - 12 (20°F) Find my zone
Bloom: Yellow flowers spring through summer followed by bean-like seed pods
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining
Water: Low
Growth Rate/Habit: Fast/Upright, spreading
Mature Height: 20-25 ft. tall x 15-20 ft. wide
 
SOLD AS A POTTED SAPLING, 15-20 inches tall.
 
Photos by Waterwise Community Center/Flickr, CC BY 2.0