Yellow palo verde
Parkinsonia microphylla
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
180"–300" H × 180"–300" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
AZ, CA
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
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Foothill palo verde is a deciduous desert tree with distinctive smooth green bark that continues photosynthesis after the small leaves drop in dry periods, topped with a mass of small yellow flowers in spring. It grows on dry desert slopes and washes.
Wildlife value
Host plant for Southern Dogface.
The abundant spring flowers are a major nectar source for bees, and the genus is a documented larval host for the Southern Dogface butterfly.
Common questions
- How much sun does Yellow palo verde need?
- Yellow palo verde grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Yellow palo verde bloom?
- Yellow palo verde blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Yellow palo verde native?
- Yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) is native to AZ, CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What butterflies or moths does Yellow palo verde host?
- Yellow palo verde is a larval host plant for Southern Dogface.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Yellow palo verde? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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