Tag Archive for: Palo Verde ‘Desert Museum’

Old and New Blend Together in a Backyard Landscape

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palo verde tree bougainvillea backyard landscape

Revamping Your Backyard Landscape

Assessing the Need for Change

Do you have parts of your backyard landscape that you would like to change? Perhaps you have areas you like in your garden. There are also plants you are tired of or are struggling to manage.

I want to show you what I did in my backyard, where I blended both old and new elements. First, a little history:

Balancing Old and New in a Backyard Landscape

Preserving What Works

I was fairly happy with the areas bordering the walls of the backyard. These areas have colorful shrubs such as Bougainvillea, Coral Fountain, and Yellow Bells.

Bid Farewell to the Dominant Lawn

We removed the large lawn that had dominated the center of my backyard space last year. We made the decision to replace the grass with a focus on plants that I love and that would blend well with the existing plants.

Creating a Harmonious Landscape

A New Focal Point

The focal point is a new flagstone seating area with Adirondack chairs arranged around a portable firepit. Around this area, boulders add height and texture. Angelita Daisy, Artichoke Agave, Blackfoot Daisy, and Pink Muhly grasses surround the seating area, which adds year-round color and texture.

In another area, a gentle mound stands planted with a ‘Bubba’ Desert Willow tree. Purple Trailing Lantana grows around the tree and will soon cover the entire mound in a mass of purple blooms.

Embracing Change and Growth

At this point, the new plants are still rather small. However, plants grow quickly in the desert climate and, in another year, will soon reach their mature size.

The Beauty of Seamless Integration

The result? A backyard landscape where the new and old will blend seamlessly together. I am delighted with how the finished product looks. It took me a long time to decide what to do with this area – it is so much easier to design someone else’s yard than your own.

Stay Tuned for more Transformations:

Progress! One-Year Post Desert Landscape Renovation

The Best Palo Verde Tree Variety

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I don’t have a favorite tree….I actually have quite a few favorites.  But, if I had to pick one that I like most of all, it would be the ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde (Parkinsonia x ‘Desert Museum’).

Palo Verde tree

Remarkable Hybrid Origins of the ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde

This Palo Verde is natural hybrid, resulting from 3 other Palo Verde tree species – Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia mexicans), Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida) and Little Leaf Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) trees.

I have grown this tree in commercial settings as well as in my own landscape with great results.

Palo Verde tree

Best Qualities of the ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde (Parkinsonia x ‘Desert Museum’)

1. Drought Tolerance

The ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde is renowned for its exceptional drought tolerance. This hardy tree thrives in arid desert conditions, making it a perfect choice for water-efficient landscaping.

2. Striking Aesthetic Appeal

With its vibrant yellow flowers that burst into bloom during the spring, the ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde is a visual delight. Its green bark adds to its aesthetic charm, making it an iconic feature in any desert landscape.

3. Low Maintenance

This desert tree requires minimal maintenance, making it an excellent choice for homeowners and landscapers looking for easy-care options. Its adaptability to harsh desert environments means less fuss and more enjoyment.

4. Fast Growth

The ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde is thornless and known for its relatively fast growth rate. It quickly establishes itself, providing shade and beauty to your landscape in a shorter time compared to many other trees.

5. Long Blooming Season

With a lengthy blooming season extending from late spring through early summer, this Palo Verde tree provides an extended period of vibrant yellow blossoms, attracting pollinators and adding life to your garden.

6. Wildlife Attraction

This tree attracts various wildlife, including birds and pollinators, making it an excellent choice for creating a biodiverse and vibrant ecosystem in your yard.

7. Low Water Requirements

Ideal for water-conscious gardeners, the ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verde has low water requirements once established, reducing the need for irrigation and conserving precious water resources.

8. Heat Tolerance

It thrives in scorching desert heat, maintaining its vitality even during the hottest summer months, ensuring a consistent and appealing appearance throughout the year.

9. Pest and Disease Resistance

This Palo Verde variety is relatively resistant to common pests and diseases, reducing the need for chemical interventions and promoting an eco-friendlier garden environment.

10. Versatile Landscaping

Its versatility allows it to be used in various landscaping settings, including as a shade tree, focal point, or as part of a xeriscape design, adding both beauty and functionality to your outdoor space. ‘Desert Museum’ Palo Verdes do great in full sun and areas with reflected heat such as a parking lot or in a west-facing exposure.

A Palo Verde Tree That Rises Above the Rest

I love how beautiful flowers in spring, when they bloom.  I also think they are pretty when they blanket the ground.

If you are somewhat of a neat and tidy gardener, then you may not enjoy the flowering season as much as I do.

Don’t waste your money on a large-size tree. Because they grow fairly quickly, a 15-gallon is a good size to start out with. Once planted in the ground, a 15-gallon will grow more quickly then a larger-size container. The reason is that smaller trees are younger and handle transplant stress better.  So save yourself money and go with the smaller tree.

My Desert Museum Palo Verde and an Unfortunate Event

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?

Spring Has Sprung….February GBBD

The weather has warmed into the low 70’s this week and the flowers are beginning to burst out of their buds….

full bloom

 Pink Beauty (Eremophily laanii)  The first few blooms are beginning to appear on this Australian native. Grows up to 6 ft. high and blooms spring through fall.

Desert Senna

Desert Senna (Senna artemisiodes sturtii)

Another of my Australian favorites and are drought tolerant and extremely easy to grow.

Grows up to 6 ft. high and flowers in the spring. 

Firecracker Penstemon

Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii)

This Southwest Desert native has reached full bloom, causing hummingbirds to eagerly drink of it’s nectar.

Grows up to 2 ft. high, when flowering.  Blooms winter through spring (removing spent flowers, will cause more blooms to form and prolong the flowering period).

Palo Verde

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

It’s early, but the first few blooms on my Palo Verde tree are starting to appear.

This beautiful tree grows approximately 30 ft. high and wide.  In late spring, the tree will be a mass of beautiful yellow flowers.

Bower Vine

Bower Vine (Pandorea jasminoides)

This blossom is ready to open and join it’s neighbors and reveal its magenta heart.

Grows on a trellis for support and blooms fall through spring in the desert. 

full bloom

Purple Lilac Vine (Hardenbergia violaceae)

My second favorite Australian native, is in full bloom and is buzzing with bees.

Grows on a trellis or as a groundcover.  Blooms in February. 

full bloom

Violas and Alyssum

My annuals have bloomed non-stop all winter and show no signs of quitting any time soon.

full bloom

Valentine (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’)

My favorite Australian native who is aptly named for the time of year when it reaches full bloom.

Grows approximately 3 ft. high and wide.  Blooms December through April.

This is my monthly contribution to Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, which occurs on the 15th of each month.  Please visit Carol of May Dreams Gardens to see what is blooming in other gardens around the world.