# blue palo verde (*Parkinsonia florida*) The blue palo verde is a beautiful tree with bright green bark and yellow flowers. It grows in warm, sunny places and provides shade for animals and people alike. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Desert - **Also known as:** Green palo verde ![blue palo verde](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cercidium_floridum_whole.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cercidium_floridum_whole.jpg) ## Appearance The blue palo verde has distinctive smooth, blue-green bark that gives the tree its name. Its branches are often thorny and its leaves are small and scarce, especially during dry periods. In spring, it bursts into a brilliant display of bright yellow, pea-like flowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Parkinsonia ## Interesting facts - It produces pods filled with seeds, which are a vital food source for many desert creatures! - Its name 'palo verde' means 'green stick' in Spanish, referring to its unique bark! - The blue palo verde's wood is very hard, historically used for tools and fuel by native peoples! - This amazing desert tree can live for over 100 years, standing strong through many summers! ## Special abilities - **Bark Photosynthesis:** Blue palo verde can photosynthesize through its green bark, allowing it to produce energy even when it sheds its tiny leaves to save water. - **Drought Deciduous:** Blue palo verde can shed its small leaves during extreme drought, which helps it conserve precious water in its arid desert home. - **Thorny Protector:** Blue palo verde has sharp thorns along its branches that help defend it from browsing animals seeking a meal. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 500-1500 cm - **Spread:** 500-1000 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Eats:** [House Finch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-finch) (*Haemorhous mexicanus*) — eats the seeds from pods - **Eats:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — eats seed pods fallen on ground - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses on leaves and twigs - **Shelter:** Curved-bill Thrasher (*Toxostoma curvirostre*) — uses branches for nesting ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Stay on paths when exploring around trees and be careful not to touch any sharp thorns. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify blue palo verde? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is blue palo verde? 500-1500 cm ### How wide does blue palo verde spread? 500-1000 cm ### How big are the flowers on blue palo verde? 1-2 cm ### When does blue palo verde bloom? Spring ### Is blue palo verde edible? Yes ### Is blue palo verde toxic? None ### What is blue palo verde's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southern-nevada-zoological-botanical-park) — Nevada, US · Zoo - [Las Vegas High School Neighborhood Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/las-vegas-high-school-neighborhood-historic-district) — Nevada, US · Historic District - [Riverside Mountains](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/riverside-mountains) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/southern-nevada-zoological-botanical-park-nevada) — Nevada, US · Zoo - [Springs Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/springs-preserve) — Nevada, US · Nature Reserve - [The Gardens at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-gardens-at-the-las-vegas-springs-preserve) — Nevada, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see blue palo verde](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blue-palo-verde) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Blue Palo Verde: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-palo-verde)