ArborNote’s Tree of the Week is the Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida). It is a species of palo Verde native to the Sonoran Deserts in the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico. It is a rapidly growing large shrub or small tree, growing between 33–39 feet, and rarely survives to 100 years. It is found predominantly in desert washes or bajadas, a result of its need for water, although occasionally it can be found in creosote desert scrub habitat, accessing seeps in desert hills up to 3,600 feet. The flowers are bright yellow, and pea-like, which cover the tree in late spring. They attract pollinators such as bees, beetles, and flies. Its name means “green pole or stick” in Spanish, referring to the green trunk and branches that perform photosynthesis, regardless of absent leaves!