Jerusalem Thorn
Parkinsonia aculeata
NEMBA category
English: Jerusalem Thorn, Mexican Palo Verde
Parkinsonia aculeata, commonly known as the Mexican Palo Verde or Jerusalem Thorn, is a spiny, deciduous shrub or small tree native to the Americas. It grows up to 5 to 10 metres tall, with long, slender, green branches and small, bright green leaves divided into numerous tiny leaflets. Its striking yellow flowers with orange markings bloom in clusters, followed by long, brown seed pods.
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Origins: United States to Argentina
Overall Appearance: A thorny shrub or small tree, often with a multi-stemmed trunk up to 10 metres high, characterised by its green bark, sparse feathery foliage, and long, sharp spines. Can form dense thickets and is very drought-tolerant.
Leaves: Bipinnately compound, but the leaflets are tiny and quickly shed, giving the appearance of almost leaflessness. The main function of photosynthesis is taken over by the green stems and bark. The remaining leaflets are 2-4 mm long, oblong, and arranged along a flattened, green leaf stalk (phyllode) which acts like a leaf.
Flowers: Small, fragrant, and yellow, about 1-2 cm in diameter are borne in loose racemes (flower stalks) at the ends of branches. Flowers have five petals, one of which is often slightly larger and marked with red or orange at the base. Flowering occurs primarily in spring and summer (September to March).
Fruits: Slender, flattened, and slightly curved pods, 5-15 cm long and about 1 cm wide are green when young, turning brown as they mature. Pods are constricted between the seeds, giving them a beaded appearance.
Seeds: Small, hard, and brown, 3-6 mm long. Several seeds are contained in each pod.
Bark: Smooth and green when young, becoming greyish-brown and slightly fissured with age. The green bark allows the tree to photosynthesise even when leafless.
Wood: Hard, heavy, and close-grained.
Soil Type: Tolerant of a wide range of soil types, including sandy, rocky, and clay soils, but prefers well-drained soils.
Aspect: Prefers full sun.
Edible Parts: The seeds have been used as a famine food, but require careful preparation to remove toxins. Generally not recommended.
Poisonous Parts: The seeds contain toxins that can cause illness if ingested in large quantities without proper preparation.
Problem Provinces: Widespread, particularly problematic in drier regions like the Northern Cape, North West, Limpopo, and parts of the Eastern Cape and Free State.
Invades: Watercourses, floodplains, roadsides
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