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Parkinsonia florida
Parkinsonia florida (Benth. ex A. Gray) S. Watson
Blue Paloverde
Fabaceae (Pea Family)
Synonym(s): Cercidium floridum, Cercidium floridum ssp. floridum
USDA Symbol: pafl6
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Spiny, small tree, leafless most of the year, with a short blue-green trunk and widely spreading, very open crown.
Although leaves are absent most of the year, photosynthesis, the manufacture of food, is performed by the blue-green branches and twigs. Native Americans cooked and ate the immature beanlike pods and ground the mature seeds for meal. Twigs and pods of paloverdes serve as browse for wildlife and emergency food for livestock; the seeds are consumed by rodents and birds; and the flowers are a source of honey. This species is useful for erosion control along drainages. The Spanish common name, paloverde, means "green tree" or "green pole."
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Tree
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Up to about 30 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: YellowBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Distribution
USA: AZ , CA , NVNative Distribution: Central and S. Arizona, SE. California, and NW. Mexico; 4000' (1219 m).
Native Habitat: Along washes and valleys and sometimes on lower slopes of deserts and desert grasslands.
Find Seed or Plants
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Bibliography
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) CalfloraWebref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Parkinsonia florida in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Parkinsonia florida in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Parkinsonia florida
Metadata
Record Modified: 2022-11-17Research By: TWC Staff