One can hardly find a more vibrant tree than the’Desert Museum’ palo verde, with its distinctive green trunk and yellow flowers that appear in spring. Although there are several species of palo verde,’Desert Museum’ has the very best features, including that it is thornless, has a beautiful vase shape and flowers over an extended time period.
The product of another species of palo verde that grow naturally close Tucson,’Desert Museum’ is quickly becoming a celebrity in the landscape and is now being used beyond the desert’s boundaries in areas such as Southern California. As if these reasons were not enough to make you wish to add one to your landscape, then this type of palo verde is drought tolerant and grows fast.
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Botanical name: Parkinsonia x’Desert Museum’ (syn Cercidium x’Desert Museum’)
Common title:‘Desert Museum’ palo verde
Origin: Native to Arizona
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zone 8; find your zone)
Water necessity: Low
Light requirement: Total sun
Mature size: 25 feet tall and broad
Benefits and tolerances: Drought tolerant once established
Seasonal interest: blossoms in spring and may continue sporadically during summer and into fall
When to plant: Fall or spring
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Distinguishing attributes. The very recognizable trait of any palo verde tree is its own green trunks and branches. Tiny green leaves produce a airy canopy, which generates filtered shade under.
‘Desert Museum’ has the very best features of its three parents — Mexican palo verde (Parkinsonia aculeata), blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida) and small leaf palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) –using a glowing green trunk, bigger flowers and a more upright growth habit.
Unlike its own parents,’Desert Museum’ is thornless, which makes it suitable for pedestrian areas; it is most frequently grown as a multitrunked tree.
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Bright yellow flowers appear in midspring and can last intermittently through summer and into fall.
All palo verde trees are drought deciduous, meaning that they drop their leaves during periods of drought. Their green trunks are still carry on photosynthesis at the absence of leaves, allowing the tree to endure until rainfall arrives.
Because’Desert Museum’ is a hybridvehicle, it can’t be grown from seed. It’s propagated via cuttings.
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
The best way to use it. Plant it in locations where filtered shade is wanted. ‘Desert Museum’ palo verde trees do well in areas with full sun and reflected heat, which makes them the perfect tree for paved areas, in which their broad canopy creates welcome shade.
This gorgeous tree provides a focal point in the landscape when planted separately or in a row.
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Many flowering plants enjoy protection against the hot desert sun when implanted underneath the filtered shade of’Desert Museum’ palo verde. Gold lantana and purple trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis)make amazing additions to the arctic landscape, but they do enjoy some relief in the desert sun.
Autumn sage (Salvia greggii)looks amazing implanted around the base of this tree and will appreciate the filtered shade during summer.
Shown: ‘Desert Museum’ palo verde with gold and purple lantana
Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting
Planting notes. Plant this tree in well-drained soil and in full sun. The pit must be at least three times broader then the root ball, which will help the roots grow outward. The depth of the hole ought to be no deeper than the root ball.
Do not waste money on purchasing a massive tree. Because it develops quickly, a 15-gallon tree will probably catch up with a bigger box tree after it’s planted in the ground.
Prune in summer, after flowering slows down, focusing on preserving its vase shape.
Although it’s drought tolerant,’Desert Museum’ palo verde does enjoy periodic deep watering. Take care not to overwater, which may lead to limb breakage.