Tag Archive for: Flowering Palo Verde

Skies Full of Yellow Blossoms….

Blue Palo Verde

Blue Palo Verde

This is one of my most favorite times of year.

Throughout the desert Southwest, our iconic Palo Verde trees are beginning to bloom.

Gorgeous display of yellow

Gorgeous display of yellow

Drive down any street and you will undoubtedly see a gorgeous display of yellow.

Gorgeous display of yellow

There are 4 different types of Palo Verde trees that are commonly planted, which include the Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia floridium),  Palo Brea (Parkinsonia praecox), Foothills Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) and my personal favorite ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde (Parkinsonia hybrid ‘Desert Museum’).

Interestingly, not all Palo Verde species bloom at the same time.  Right now, Blue Palo Verde trees are in full bloom, yet ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verdes will begin to bloom in earnest in a few weeks.

I can hardly wait for mine to start, it looked so beautiful last year…..

Gorgeous display of yellow

Yesterday, my husband and I went to visit the Riparian Preserve in nearby Gilbert.  I have visited a few times before and I am always struck by the beauty.  We saw so many different types of birds and I took lots of photos, which I will be posting soon on my Birds & Blooms blog.

I hope you are all having a good week so far.

I love spring…..just not the allergies that come with it 😉

Flowers Raining Down….

Flowers Raining Down….

This is my favorite time of year in the garden.  You may be saying, of course it is….it is spring after all.  Isn’t that everybody’s favorite time?  Well, there is another reason.  This time of year I cannot go outside without coming back inside with a yellow flower or two in my hair.

yellow flower

Desert Museum Palo Verde (Parkinsonia hybrid ‘Desert Museum’)

All three of my Palo Verde trees are blooming.  Each one is covered in yellow blossoms.  Actually some of the branches are hanging quite low due to the weight of the flowers.  My Palo Verde tree above, is about 4 years old and will eventually grow to be about 30 ft. tall and wide.

yellow flower

 ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde flowers

Palo Verde trees are the iconic trees of the desert southwest.  The word “Palo Verde” is Spanish for “Green Stick”, which aptly describes their green trunks.

In times of extreme drought, they drop their leaves to avoid losing excess moisture and they will continue to photosynthesize through their green trunks.  What a great survival mechanism, don’t you think?

yellow flower

There are quite a few different types of Palo Verde trees.  My favorite is a hybrid that was found growing in the Tucson desert near the Sonoran Desert Musuem.  Appropriately, it is called ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde.  

It grow very quickly, is thornless, produces yellow flowers somewhat larger then their cousins and is quite low-maintenance.

Blue Palo Verde

Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia floridium)

Blue Palo Verde trees are also quite beautiful and an asset in the landscape.  Their bark has more of a gray-green color and is a slower growing Palo Verde.

Palo Verde trees flower in the spring and mine sometimes flower a little in the fall, although that is not always dependable.

Palo Brea

 Palo Brea (Parkinsona praecox)

Another type of Palo Verde is the Palo Brea tree.  Their trunk is bluish green in color.  They do have thorns and must be pruned often to keep their branches from growing downwards.  But, they are absolutely lovely in the landscape.

Foothills Palo Verde

Foothills Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)

Last, but not least, are the Foothills Palo Verde, which grow very slowly, but have beautiful branch architecture.  This is the type of Palo Verde that you will find growing out in the desert most often. 

Yellow flower

Yellow flower

Lately, every time I come back inside from the garden, I find a flower or two that has fallen into my hair. 

Did I mention that I love this time of year?