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| Presidio Park Plant Survey |
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Parkinsonia aculeata PALO VERDE
A very drought tolerant plant, the palo verde or Jerusalem thorn is native to desert regions of the extreme southwest United States and northern Mexico. Named for English botanist John Parkinson (1567-1650), royal botanist to King Charles the First, Parkinsonia aculeata displays vibrant late spring yellow-orange flowers with five sepals and five petals. Imported throughout warmer climates of the world such as southern Europe, southern Africa, and Australia, it has become an invasive pest in Australia since being imported in 1900 for use as a shade tree. According to the U.S. Forest Service, Parkinsonia aculeata has a lifespan of about 30 years, is good for drought tolerant landscapes and has traditionally been a useful plant of the Native Americans. The palo verde was mentioned by Chauncy Jerabek in his 1969 Presidio Park Plant Identification. Today there are several scattered about the park, but one main cluster grows on the hillside above the convergence of Presidio Drive and Jackson Street. |
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