How to get rid of a Palo Verde Tree?

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Palo Verde or Parkinsonia is native to the North American region and is considered to be large shrub or small tree. Their names when translated to Spanish mean “green pole or stick”. They only grow up to a maximum of 30-40 feet and are pretty short-lived, usually less than 100 years. Historically Palo Verde trees have been used as food sources by the Native Americans.

Let’s take a look at how to remove Palo Verde trees as well as how to kill their root systems.

How to Kill Palo Verde Trees?

There are a number of ways to kill Palo Verde trees:

  • Foliar Spray
  • Cutting the tree down and treating the stump with Herbicides
  • Gridling or ring barking
  • Basal Bark treatment
  • Injecting the tree with killing chemicals
  • Cut surface treatment

Most of these methods have a lot of interesting quirks. I will soon publish a more specific article about how to kill trees.

One thing to note is that most of these methods will only end up killing the tree, in some instances, you will still have to remove them once they die.

The best way to kill a small Palo Verde tree

Parkinsonia trees grow fast and they have dense foliage. Interestingly, Palo Verde’s are drought deciduous, which means they will end up shedding their leaves most of the year.

Common methods such as Foliar Spray would be difficult to use because they will only be applicable for a short period of time.

Unlike most of the other trees, the branches and stems of the Palo Verde tree contain chlorophyll, thus they are capable of producing nutrients for the entire tree without leaves.

To interfere with the food supply of the tree, Basal Bark Treatment would be a perfect way to kill a small Palo Verde

This method should only be used if the trunk is less than 6-7 inches in diameter.

  1. You will need a backpack sprayer for spraying the chemical.
  2. Use an oil soluble mixture of a herbicide. The ideal proportion for mixing should be 1 part herbicide and 4-part oil carrier. (depending of manufacturer this may vary)
  3. The best options you can go for is Triclopyr. (Amazon affiliate link) There are other options like Garlon 4 Ultra, Relegate, Forestry Garlon XRT but in most states they are not available to regular consumers.
  4. Once you have the solution, spray the bottom 20 inches of the trunk with this solution and let it dry out.
  5. Repeat the spraying process again very other day for a week.

The best way to kill a large Palo Verde tree

Because of the short height of this species and its ability to make food through its stems and the trunk, the easiest quickest method here would be to cut the tree down and treat the stump with a herbicide called Tordon RTU.

If you don’t want to cut the tree down, the other alternative method would be chemical injection.

Chemical Injection method

  • You will need a 1/2 inch drill and a herbicide for this method.
  • Drill holes at a downward angle, 2-3 inches deep, along the circumference of the tree, about 2-3 feet above the ground.
  • Inject a strong herbicide like Tordon into these holes and let the chemical absorb.
  • After few hours, inject more herbicide into the holes to increase the efficiency.

See my other herbicide recommendations here.

Things to consider before removing a tree on your own

Parkinsonia trees can grow to about 40 feet high, which makes it quite tricky to remove them on your own.

Once the tree is dead, it will eventually start decomposing and fall over. Here are the signs to look out for.

To remove the tree completely, you will have to get it cut down, and get the wood transported to a local waste station.

Should you hire a professional tree removal service?

This depends on the type and size of the tree you are dealing with. If your Parkinsonia is young and small, you can cut it down yourself.

On the other hand, if the tree is big, it can get quite tricky. From killing trees to getting them cut down and transported, there are a lot of factors to consider, and hiring a professional will solve each and every one of them.

I published a tree removal cost guide so you could get an idea of how much a tree removal service would cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best time to kill the Palo Verde tree?

You should ideally kill Parkinsonia before the flowering season which follows rainfall, once the flowers are produced, they will end up releasing their seeds over the area.

Can you kill Parkinsonia without cutting it down?

Although it is not recommended that you do so, you can kill a Palo Verde without cutting it down using Basal Bark Treatment or Injecting the tree with chemicals.

Can Parkinsonia Beetles infect other trees in your garden?

If your Parkinsonia is infected with Beetles, cutting it down will just end up releasing the insects in your garden. The Beetles are attracted to this specific tree species so they won’t infect other types of trees.

Can the Foliar Spray technique be used on young Parkinsonia?

The foliar spray method will not be as effective on Parkinsonia because of the food-producing capacity of the stems and the trunks, additionally, this variety does not have foliage most time of the year.

Conclusion

A Parkinsonia should ideally be cut down to the stump and treated with a herbicide. Alternatively, you can use Basal Bark Treatment for younger trees or inject the tree with chemicals if the tree is older.

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