Foothills Palo Verde
Parkinsonia microphylla
A sculptural Sonoran native with luminous lime-green bark and a canopy of bright yellow blooms that lights up the spring desert.
Cold hardy to about 10-15°F, a low- and mid-desert native with excellent heat and frost tolerance.
AMWUA Notes
Extremely low water; an iconic slow-growing Sonoran native that needs almost no supplemental irrigation once mature.
Care Guide
Deep-soak monthly in summer while establishing; needs essentially no supplemental water once mature.
Prune minimally to preserve the natural sculptural form; avoid heavy cuts since the green bark photosynthesizes. Work in late winter.
No fertilizer needed; a tough native.
Palo verde borer and mistletoe are the main concerns.
Pale-yellow bloom in late spring, a bit later than blue palo verde; drought-deciduous with green twigs and light litter.
Soil, Feeding & Propagation
Sharply draining rocky, gravelly, or decomposed-granite soil; thrives on lean caliche and alkaline pH 7.5–8.5
Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.
None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.
Grown from scarified seed; very slow-growing, so start from established stock
25–30 ft
Deep, non-aggressive roots; keep 15+ ft from pools for thorns and seasonal litter
Placement Tips
- •Broad 30 ft slow sculptural native with a signature Sonoran look; give it open space.
- •Small thorns and seasonal litter make it a poor poolside choice; keep 15+ ft from pools.
- •Slow-growing, so start with an established plant, and pair it with saguaro as a classic nurse tree.
- •Full sun; a keystone habitat tree for native and pollinator gardens.
Features
Best Uses
Ecological Value
Attracts
Companion Plants
Quick Stats
Design Styles
Include in Your Project
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Use this care guide to maintain your Foothills Palo Verde. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.
Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.
Foothills Palo Verde — common questions
Answers for low-desert Phoenix conditions, drawn from this plant’s growing data.
How much water does Foothills Palo Verde need in Phoenix?
Foothills Palo Verde is a very low-water tree once established. Deep-soak monthly in summer while establishing; needs essentially no supplemental water once mature. Extremely low water; an iconic slow-growing Sonoran native that needs almost no supplemental irrigation once mature.
How big does Foothills Palo Verde get?
Expect roughly 25 ft tall and 30 ft wide at maturity, with a slow growth rate. Allow about 25–30 ft of spacing when planting. Deep, non-aggressive roots; keep 15+ ft from pools for thorns and seasonal litter.
Can you plant Foothills Palo Verde near a pool?
Not ideally. Foothills Palo Verde is not rated pool-friendly, so it is better placed away from the pool deck and skimmer. Litter is rated seasonal.
Can Foothills Palo Verde handle Arizona heat and winter frost?
Foothills Palo Verde is hardy in USDA 9-11 and wants full sun. Cold hardy to about 10-15°F, a low- and mid-desert native with excellent heat and frost tolerance. Pale-yellow bloom in late spring, a bit later than blue palo verde; drought-deciduous with green twigs and light litter.
Does Foothills Palo Verde have thorns?
Yes — Foothills Palo Verde has small thorns. Site it back from walkways, seating and pool decks where people brush past.
Is Foothills Palo Verde safe around pets?
Foothills Palo Verde is listed as pet-friendly in this guide. If your dog is a determined chewer, check any new plant with your vet before planting.
When does Foothills Palo Verde bloom in Arizona?
Foothills Palo Verde blooms in spring, with bright yellow flowers. The bloom draws bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, moths.
How much maintenance does Foothills Palo Verde need?
Foothills Palo Verde is moderate-maintenance. Leaf, flower and pod litter is rated seasonal. Prune minimally to preserve the natural sculptural form; avoid heavy cuts since the green bark photosynthesizes. Work in late winter.
What kind of soil does Foothills Palo Verde need?
Sharply draining rocky, gravelly, or decomposed-granite soil; thrives on lean caliche and alkaline pH 7.5–8.5. It needs no supplemental feeding. No fertilizer needed; a tough native.
Is Foothills Palo Verde native to Arizona?
Yes. Foothills Palo Verde is native to Arizona and to the Sonoran Desert, so it is adapted to local rainfall, soil and heat.