Parkinsonia florida (Benth. ex A. Gray) S. Watson
Blue palo verde, blue paloverde, palo verde
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Rosidae Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order Fabales Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family Fabaceae Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus Parkinsonia Named for John Parkinson, author, botanist, Apothecary of London and king’s herbalist to James I
Species florida Either (1) free flowering, producing abundant flowers; or (2) bright
About plant names...
Blue Palo Verde is a native of the Sonoran Desert.
Identification: This species is found in desert areas,
typically near rivers or desert wash areas that receive at least intermittent water. It reaches 15-30′ (4.6-9.1 m) in
height. Leaves are bipinnate, with leaflets ⅛-¼″ (3.2-6.3 mm) long. It is found
in association with honey mesquite, smoketree, ironwood ,
desert willow , and
catclaw acacia .
This table compares blue palo verde with foothills palo verde.
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.7 cm)
5/2/2018 · Bajada Trail, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
You are here Parkinsonia florida
Parkinsonia microphylla
Common Name
blue palo verde
foothills Palo Verde
Plant
15-30′ (4.6-9.1 m). Trunk and branches are bluish green, photosynthetic.
10-20′ (3-6.1 m) high, and about the same around. Bark is smooth and yellow-green in color.
Flowers
Bright yellow, blooming earlier than foothills palo verde. Photo by Stan Shebs.
Yellow. Photo by aspidoscelis (Flickr).
Leaves
Bipinnate , with leaflets ⅛-¼″ (3.2-6.3 mm) long; often leafless.
In small pinnate stalks up to 1″ (2.5 cm), containing a row of tiny, round leaflets. Dropped entirely during droughts.
Fruit
A flat pod with one or more seeds, brown, turning white with age, up to 3″ (7.6 cm) long.
2-3″ (5-7.6 cm) seed pods contain up to five seeds.
Range/ Zones
Habitats
Creosote bush scrub, below 3600′ (1.1 km)
Mohave and Sonoran deserts of Arizona, California, and Baja Mexico; at up to 4000′ (1.2 km)
Type
Wild
Wild
Flowering blue paloverde. By Stan Shebs.
Online References:
Southeastern Arizona Wildflowers and the Plants of the Sonoran Desert
Discover Life
Cals.arizona.edu
Treesofnorthamerica.net
CalPhotos
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Sonoran Desert Digital Library
5/1/2018 · Sara Park, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 6 × 4″ (14 × 10 cm)
5/1/2018 · Sara Park, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
5/2/2018 · Bajada Trail, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm)
5/1/2018 · Sara Park, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
5/2/2018 · Bajada Trail, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Cercidium floridum Benth. ex A. Gray
Cercidium floridum Benth. ex A. Gray ssp. floridum
Parkinsonia florida description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.7 cm)
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm)
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona
5/2/2018 · Bajada Trail, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm)
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona
5/1/2018 · Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Havasu City, Arizona · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
Range:
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