A third color for paloverde

You may recall that Parkinsonia aculeata is called a paloverde tree because of its green bark. Back in July you saw a springtime picture of this species’ dense yellow flowers, and now I’ll add that the tree also produces plenty of thorns, which, though they have no business being red, are. The one shown here was about an inch long.

This picture is from September 7 at a thankfully undeveloped property behind a hospital and a medical building in northwest Austin.

© 2012 Steven Schwartzman