Parkinsonia
Palo verde · also Mexican palo verde, Blue palo verde, Jerusalem thorn
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Parkinsonia is a genus of large shrubs or small trees known for their green bark, which performs much of the photosynthesis, especially when the finely-textured leaves are shed during dry seasons. They produce showy, fragrant yellow flowers and are native to semi-desert regions of Africa and the Americas. These drought-tolerant trees are durable, pest-free, and valued as ornamental specimens, shade trees, and windbreaks in urban landscapes, thriving in full sun.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 6432.4%—8.0 in
- 90.00%——
No city in this list records planting dates for this species, so age is blank throughout.
Traits
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Mature height
- 15–25 ft
- Canopy spread
- 15–25 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water needs
- Low
- Drought tolerance
- High
- Wildlife value
- Moderate
- Blooms
- Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Trunk diameters across every city: median 8.0 in, mean 8.4 in, 90th percentile 15 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Deserts & Xeric Shrublands
- Sonoran desert
- Galápagos Islands xeric scrub
Tropical & Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
- Central American dry forests
Other Parkinsonia in the catalogue
5 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
