Parkinsonia

Family. Caesalpinieae. 

Origin. South America. 

Description. Parkinsonia is a large, showy, thorny tree, 2 to 8 m high, or shrub. Young shoots are green, drooping, abundantly branched, have thorns up to 1 cm long. The leaves are compound, pinnate, about 25 cm long, consisting of 25 - 30 very small oblong-oval green leaves, arranged alternately. At night, the leaves fold. In spring or summer, flowering occurs, during which the plant forms small inflorescences - brushes consisting of yellow, fragrant flowers up to 2 cm in diameter. After flowering, green pods with seeds are formed, which turn brown when ripe.

Height. It grows quickly; in indoor conditions, shoots are cut to the desired height.

Care at home

Temperature conditions

In spring and summer, the temperature should be about 20° C; the plant overwinters at a cooler temperature, about 15° C. Do not expose parkinsonia to temperatures below 5° C.

Lighting

Shoots and leaves can receive direct sunlight in the morning and evening. On hot days, arrange shading. In autumn and winter, the lighting should be as high as possible.

Care

To maintain a compact shape before flowering, parkinsonia can be trimmed to the required height and shape. These trees can easily tolerate even drastic pruning. 

Substrate

Adapts well to most types of soil with good drainage, even tolerates growing in soils poor in nutrients.

Feeding

From spring to autumn, feed with liquid complex fertilizers every 2 weeks. 

Flowering time

Spring Summer.

Air humidity

It tolerates the dry air of heated rooms well and does not need spraying. 

Soil moisture

Young parkinsonias need to be watered regularly during the growing season. The soil should dry out between waterings to a depth of about 3 - 5 cm. In autumn, the frequency of watering is reduced in accordance with the temperature of the content. Mature plants are drought-resistant. 

Transplant

Young seedlings are replanted annually into larger pots. Mature plants should be replanted in the spring, before flowering, every 2–3 years. For large tub bushes, the top layer of soil is replaced with fresh soil every year.

Reproduction

The seeds are sown in the spring; they must first be doused with boiling water. Stem cuttings in spring and summer. 

Pests and diseases

When exposed to cold drafts or prolonged drought, the plant sheds its leaves. Parkinsonia does not tolerate standing water.