JERUSALEM THORN - Parkinsonia aculeata

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JERUSALEM THORN Parkinsonia aculeata

small tree with short trunk

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Jerusalem thorn, also called Mexican palo verde is a small tree growing to 25 ft tall with a short trunk and a graceful, spreading, sometimes weeping, crown to 20 ft wide. The slender branches and twigs have green bark, and are armed with stout spines up to 1 in long. Jerusalem thorn has peculiar straplike, twice compound leaves that look like long, feathery streamers.
Jerusalem thorn is well suited to informal landscapes. Use it in a cactus and succulent garden and let its lacy foliage and slender twigs contrast with the solid blocky shapes of the succulents. Unaffected by heat, Jerusalem thorn makes a fine street or patio tree and provides a delicate, filtered shade.
Jerusalem thorn is highly adapted to life in the desert. It has largely done away with leaves that lose water through evaporation and transpiration, producing its food instead within the photosynthetic tissue of the bark.
Native Americans harvested the seeds of Jerusalem thorn which they sun dried for storage and parched over dry heat before eating.

Hardy zone 8-11

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Sowing instructions

About 25% of the light brown seeds germinate readily. The rest of the light brown seeds and all of the dark brown seeds have hard seed coats which must be scarified before they will germinate. Use a file to open the seed coat or soak for 24 hours in hot water. Plant in spring after all danger of frost in well drained soil and bright light.

Zone 8-11

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Sowing instructions

About 25% of the light brown seeds germinate readily. The rest of the light brown seeds and all of the dark brown seeds have hard seed coats which must be scarified before they will germinate. Use a file to open the seed coat or soak for 24 hours in hot water. Plant in spring after all danger of frost in well drained soil and bright light.