The Palo Verde tree

The best thing about most drought tolerant/desert xeriscape trees, shrubs and ground-covers is that because they have adapted to such harsh environments that the desert southwest offers they are generally easy to grow and nearly maintenance free. I say "nearly" because in all reality there is no such thing as a completely maintenance anything. No matter what type of vegetation we may be dealing with there will be periods when they need some type of care.

One such tree however that needs relatively little care and maintenance is the Palo Verde tree - a must for any southwestern/desert style landscape. Palo Verde's, Parkinsonia (Cercidium) spp, are not only tough they are absolutely reliable performers and require little, if any, direct water once established. They are also very fast growers that can quickly provide light, filtered shade cover.

These trees are native to virtually all of the desert southwest , from California to Texas and northern Mexico. Hence the different species such as the Mexican Palo Verde, Blue Palo Verde and the Yellow or Foothill Palo Verde. There is also a hybridized version of Palo Verde, Parkinsonia ‘Desert Museum’ which has extremely favorable characteristics for landscape use and has steadily become the preferred specified cultivar for many landscape architects and designers.

Palo Verde's generally grow 15 to 20 feet tall but can occasionally reach higher, sometimes close to 30 feet. Sometimes spread can be as much as twice that of the height. This should definitely be considered especially if the trees are direct watered. If not then the spread will usually be slightly less. The tree is deciduous and will drop its leaves in the fall. One interesting note about the adaptability of the tree is that in extremely dry conditions the tree will shed its leaves yet continue to photosynthesize because of the chlorophyll stored in its trunk and branches. The tree is usually hardy to 10 to 15 degrees and may even endure lower temperatures.

The leaf size and structure of the Palo Verde depends on the species. The tree produces a very delicate pale yellow flower in great abundance which is indeed quite striking to behold. Palo Verde's produce woody seed capsules which are four to six inches long. These mature in mid to late summer. Excepting for the hybrids the tree produces an extremely sharp thorn that prevents any desire to climb the tree.

Don't blame the grass...II

In a previous blog, “Don’t Blame the Grass”, based on a recent article from the San Jose Mercury News was in response to how some Bay Area communities may possibly begin restricting lawn sizes.

Articles such as these seem to be the norm these days as the environmental effects of lawn care and maintenance, whether a residential space or a large expanse of lawn, continues to be a hot topic.

Just a few days ago I read another article on the Science Daily web site about a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Irvine titled, “Urban 'Green' Spaces May Contribute to Global Warming.” The study attempts to make the point that large lawn turf areas, such as those found in urban parks, actually contribute negative effects towards ‘global greenhouse gases’ [sic] and the study even goes so far as to make the claim that, “..it is impossible for these lawns (large turf areas) to be net greenhouse gas sinks because too much fuel is used to maintain them.”

Now for those who don’t know a ’greenhouse gas sink’ is any large area of vegetation that has the ability to take carbon emissions and return those carbon emissions back into the earth. Previous studies have proven that large turf and vegetation areas actually have a positive effect on the earth and it’s eco-systems because these green areas do in fact have the ability to take carbon emissions and return them to the earth where they came from.

This brings up an interesting question then and that question is, So what's the solution?

The solution is simple and that solution doesn’t have to involve removing vast amounts of low lying greenery and vegetation that, in the long run, has a tremendous benefit not only on the environment but the overall quality of life that is enhanced by using and enjoying those vast open spaces.

That’s one thing that stuck me about the article frankly. It offered reasons why there are these perceived problems but it offered absolutely nothing in the way of solutions.

So what is the bottom line? I'll leave that for you to decide. I’m just a simple landscape designer taking up residence in the vast Mojave Desert. But I can say this and will continue to say this. Learn how to properly and effectively maintain not only the lawn turf that you may have in your landscape but also the other vegetation you may have in your landscape.

This is going to lead to a number of benefits. By properly maintaining your individual lawn space and the surrounding vegetation you will actually lower your water bill. Making sure your sprinkler system is properly timed and set at proper intervals in critical in providing effective irrigation to the landscape.

Pay close attention to the weather reports for your area and adjust or even shut off the irrigation system in relation to the anticipated weather. This simple practice can lead to preventing water waste so sprinklers don’t run on a rainy day. Fertilize your lawn with organic fertilizers not chemical based fertilizers. Have your lawn professionally aerated twice a year (spring/fall). This will promote and maintain healthy root growth.

Lastly, be prepared to share these suggestions with your friends and neighbors because, in the long run, everyone benefits from a well maintained lawn.