Palo Blanco. Acacia willardiana. Note Midrib. Leaflet Structure.	Bark. Palo Blanco, Acacia willardiana
Flower. Palo Blanco. Acacia willardiana.	Leaf. Palo Blanco. Acacia willardiana.

Palo Blanco Trees. Acacia willardiana Pea Family ( Fabaceae ), Palo Blanco. Also Called: Willard's Acacia, Willard Acacia, White Barked Acacia, Palo Liso, & Guinola. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. A slender graceful upright deciduous/evergreen tree with sparse foliage up to 15 - 20 feet tall, 10 to 15 feet spread; peeling outer bark reveals the white inner bark; very small leaves at the end of elongated petioles. The common name translates into "White Stick", describing its unique peeling white bark. White Barked Acacia & Palo Blanco are the two common names usually associated with Acacia willardiana. Acacia willardiana, also called Palo Blanco tree, is an evergreen plant in the genus Acacia native to both Arizona, & Mexico. The Spanish common name ( palo blanco ), translates into 'white stick', defining its peeling white bark. There is another white-trunked legume tree native to Baja California, Lysiloma candidum, that is also called palo blanco. Palo Blanco can grow 10 � 20 feet or more, with a spread of 10 to 15 feet in height. It is a very slender tree with few branches as well as leaves. The leaf stems resemble its leaves or cladophylls. it has either a white or yellow-colored peeling off bark. The leaves have 5-6 leaflets in the end. It may drop leaves in autumn and winter. The flowers are like catkins, rod - like, white or light yellow in color. The pods are multi - chambered, and about 3 - 4 inches long. The flowers occur in pale yellow spikes. The plant is found in the western Sonora desert and of northwestern Sinaloa ( both in Mexico), its native place, is in rocky bajdas, slopes and arroyos, also near the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) from 0 to 2,200 feet elevation. Its compound leaves have a thin 4 inch mid - rib that divides the leaf to form two leaflets about 1 - 3 inches long. Each leaflet then bears ten tiny leaflets. The trees canopy is almost transparent providing a very thin amount of shade. The canopy has white to cream colored, rod shape flowers, which appearing in the spring and they mature into dark brown, 3 inch to 8 inch long seed pods during the summer. The author of this page, George DeLange several years ago, has personally observed these trees growing around Bah�a Kino, which is a town in the Mexican state of Sonora, Hermosillo (municipality), on the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California). Quick Notes: Height: Up to about 10 - 20 feet tall, 10 to 15 feet spread. Slow Growing. Trunk: 3 to 11 inches in diameter. Bark: Peeling white bark. Flowers: The flowers are catkins, rod like, 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches long, white to cream or light yellow in color. Blooming Time: Spring and again in Mid July to November. Seed Pod: Seedpods 1 - 3 inches long, about 1/2 inch wide. Leaves: Compound leaves with a thin 4 inch midrib that divides to form two leaflets about 1 - 3 inches long. Each leaflet then bears ten tiny leaflets. Found: Native of Sonora Mexico. Elevation: Native below 2,200 feet. Hardiness: USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F) Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Habitat: rocky bajdas, slopes and arroyos, also near the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) from 0 to 2,200 feet elevation. Miscellaneous: Photos Taken At April 23, 2008. Phoenix Desert Botantical Garden. A low water use landscaping plant in the Phoenix and Tucson areas.