Bloomipedia
Little-leaved palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)
Photo: Rachel Stringham via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Little-leaved palo verde

Parkinsonia microphylla

Little-leaved palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) is a shrub or small tree in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native to Arizona

Little-leaved palo verde is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Arizona it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

2states where USDA records it
6,745AZ sightings*
6,766U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arizona

Quick look

Parkinsonia microphylla, the yellow paloverde, foothill paloverde or little-leaved palo verde; syn. Cercidium microphyllum), is a species of palo verde.

  • It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Arizona. NatureServe
  • In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 6,745 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #11 among the 132 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Arizona, most flowering sightings come in March–May.

Flowering records by month in Arizona (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (90 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Arizona
Salvage assessed On Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025): salvage assessed (permit needed to remove). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Please leave it where it grows

Please don't pick or dig this flower: it's on Arizona's rare plant list (salvage assessed). AAC R3-3 App. A

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records little-leaved palo verde in 2 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, Yuma.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Cercidium microphyllum.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 10 counties across 2 states; the most are in Arizona (9), California (1).

Other Parkinsonia on Bloomipedia (2): Mexican palo verde, Blue palo verde.

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

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Sources