The blue palo verde tree (Parkinsonia florida) is one of two native Arizona palo verde trees, the other being Foothills palo verde. Of the two, blue palo verde is larger and naturally grows in washes, which means it requires a bit more supplemental water, particularly when it’s establishing.
This tree has a lovely blue-green trunk and tiny leaves. It has beautiful yellow flowers in the springtime which bloom in large amounts. For this reason, it probably isn’t the best choice for planting near a pool. However, the litter from the flowers is fairly short-lived. The flowers are insect-pollinated (mainly by bees)so they don’t produce a lot of pollen on an individual basis.
Blue palo verde grows taller than other species of palo verde, up to around 40 or even 50 feet. It also has a wider spread than other species, and thus will need more room in your yard to avoid having to prune it.
It does great in full sun, and is a member of the legume family so it does not require any fertilization since it’s a nitrogen-fixer. It grows naturally in washes and likes more irrigation than other palo verdes, but some slight mulching will help keep its soil moist. The tree is hardy to around 12 F so you can plant it even in cold areas of town. It’s native to hillsides up to around 3,500 feet, so if you’re below this altitude it should grow well for you.
Many people don’t know that the flowers and seed pods of this tree are edible. The pods can be eaten when fresh and young or prepared similarly to green beans. If the seeds have dried on the tree, they can be harvested and sprouted, or roasted and salted.
Blue palo verde trees also provide food for various native critters, and are a great source of pollen and nectar for our native bees. The trees are also habitat for hummingbirds, who like to nest in them, and small mammals, along with other native birds.
