Botanical Scout plant profile

Blue Palo Verde

Parkinsonia florida

Blue-green bark, a broad airy crown, and a vivid yellow spring display. Choose it when you have room for a spreading desert tree.

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See what your seedlings can become

Mature plant shown for reference. Seedlings are what you receive.

AI-generated growth reference of a small Blue Palo Verde tree with blue-green bark and yellow spring flowers, shown in full — Mature plant — growth reference

Three Blue Palo Verde seedlings in a four-inch nursery pot beside an inch ruler — Seedlings — plants you receive

Plant fit at a glance

Mature height & width: About 25–30 ft tall and wide; allow space for a spreading crown
Foliage: Semi-evergreen; may shed leaves in drought or cold
Winter cold: Approximately 15–20°F for established plants; protect seedlings
Before planting: Small thorns; allow clearance around branches.

Dimensions and cold guidance describe established plants, not a guarantee for seedlings. Protect young plants; soil, drainage, exposure, and freeze duration matter.

Growing reference

Open the growing guide

Before you choose

Is it a good match for your landscape?

Mature form: Fast-growing desert tree with a broad, airy crown
Growing conditions: Full sun · Intense heat · Fast-draining soil · Deep, infrequent watering · Xeriscapes and wildlife gardens

Allow space for its broad canopy. Sharply drained soil and deep, well-spaced watering support strong structure, while winter protection helps young plants establish.

Acclimation, establishment watering, and arrival care are explained once in the Botanical Scout growing guide →

The personal story

Why I keep growing Blue Palo Verde

Its green bark is not merely decorative. It performs much of the tree's photosynthesis after drought causes the tiny leaves to fall, allowing the tree to conserve water while continuing to make energy.

Blue Palo Verde comes from the Sonoran Desert, where it often grows along washes and arroyos that receive occasional runoff. Those pulses of water help explain its relatively fast growth and broad canopy.

Palo verde means green stick. When drought causes its small leaves to drop, the green bark continues photosynthesis. Spring brings masses of yellow flowers, while the open canopy provides shelter for other desert plants.

Blue Palo Verde

See what your seedlings can become

Plant fit at a glance

Is it a good match for your landscape?

Why I keep growing Blue Palo Verde

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