Parkinsonia florida
Blue palo verde
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Parkinsonia florida (Blue palo verde) is a native California shrub / tree in the Fabaceae family, recognized by blue-green leaves, zigzag branches, and large yellow flowers.
Blue palo verde is a California native tree found in the Desert bioregion in desert washes and floodplains at elevations around 1,100 meters. Flowering from April to May, this tree produces bright yellow flowers with orange dots on petals 2 to 2.5 centimeters long. Growing to less than 8 meters tall with spreading, zigzagged branches and thorns in leaf axils, it has a distinctive blue-green appearance. Its compound leaves feature blue-green primary leaflets with 2 to 6 secondary leaflets, each 4 to 8 millimeters long. The tree produces flat, tan fruits 3 to 10 centimeters long with a distinctive beak-like tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; key features are blue-green leaves, zigzag branches, and large yellow flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Washes, floodplains
Elevation: +- 1100 m.
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego, Los Angeles
Outside California: to Arizona, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Parkinsonia florida blooms Apr-May (generally 2 weeks before.
How to tell it apart
vs Neltuma: Parkinsonia has bright green bark and spine-like leaf stems; Neltuma has brown bark and normal compound leaves.; vs Acacia: Parkinsonia has green bark and straight spines at nodes; California Acacias have gray bark and fluffy ball flowers.; vs Senna: Parkinsonia has prominent spines at nodes and green bark; Senna is spineless with normal bark.; vs Psorodendron: Parkinsonia has straight spines at nodes and green bark; Psorodendron has spine-tipped branches.; vs Vachellia: Parkinsonia has green photosynthetic bark; Vachellia has gray-brown bark and paired white spines.
Frequently asked questions
Is Parkinsonia florida native to California?
Yes. Parkinsonia florida is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Parkinsonia florida bloom?
Parkinsonia florida blooms Apr-May (generally 2 weeks before.
Where in California does Parkinsonia florida grow?
Parkinsonia florida occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego, Los Angeles, at elevations of +- 1100 m..
What plant family does Parkinsonia florida belong to?
Parkinsonia florida is in the Fabaceae family, genus Parkinsonia.
What habitat does Parkinsonia florida grow in?
Parkinsonia florida grows in Uncommon. Washes, floodplains.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.