Sonoran Desert
- The most interesting region in the world -
Adaptations
The Palo Verde which is known for its green branches, use those green branches to photosynthesize since palo verde often drop its leaves during the warm season and in response to fall cooling. Palo verde also has the ability to drop stems and branches to combat drought. Another way it combats drought, like many other desert plants, is its waxy coating and a deep root system.
Uses
The Palo Verde is used in varying ways. Due to its large canopy, it offers warmth in winter and shade in the summer for Saguaros. Its seeds were even used as a food source by Native Americans. Also, the Palo Verde Root Borer Beetle uses the palo verde’s roots as a food source.
Palo Verde
Description
Well known for its greenish branches and trunks the Palo Verde is a spiny, multi-trunked, deciduous tree. Its has twice pinnate leaves, seed pods containing one to eight seeds, and during flowering season the palo verde in blanketed in tons of small yellow blossoms. Some species of Palo Verde reach 20 feet height while others will top out at around 40 feet.
Life Cycle
The palo verde’s flowers bloom for two weeks in the spring and can be pollinated by a number of bees. When seeds have matured they fall to the ground to be broken open by floods or weather before the seeds can begin to germinate. Then the palo verde lives to an age of around 100.
Region
Palo Verde grow all across the Sonoran Desert. They occur in California, Baja California, Arizona, Mexico, plus nearby areas. Although, the different types of palo verde slightly vary where they are located. For instance, the blue palo verde primarily occurs in washes while the foothill will occur primarily in the uplands.
