Parkinsonia praecox

Parkinsonia praecox, the palo brea or Sonoran palo verde, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to the dry Neotropics from Mexico to Argentina. A small tree reaching, it is usually a bit wider than it is tall.

Cultivation

Parkinsonia praecox is valued as a xeriscaping ornamental for its yellow wands of early-blooming flowers, its chartreuse-to-green bark, and its graceful branching habit. A drought-adapted species, it drops its leaves in the dry season. Overwatering will cause it to grow rapidly with weak wood, and then it is likely to collapse.