Parkinsonia ×

Hybrid Palo Verde

Semi-evergreen leaves, and smooth line green trunks and branches year round. Palo Verde means "green stick" in Spanish, and the green bark carries on photosynthesis. Survives in the desert on natural rainfall once established. Few problems. Needs some minor clean up maintenance of flowers and leaves. Prune when young to develop multi-stems and show off the beautiful bark. 'Desert Museum' is a V-shaped thornless hybrid having genetic characteristics indicating complex hybridization between three species, Parkinsonia aculeata (Mexican Palo Verde) crossed with Parkinsonia microphyllum (Foothills Palo Verde) and the hybrid then with Parkinsonia florida (Blue Palo Verde). Developed in the late 1970's by Mark Dimmitt with the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.