Baja elephant tree, or torote blanco

Description:

Trees to 20 feet tall and as wide, marginally frost tolerant with tip damage at 32 degrees F, death at 25 degrees F. Plants do best in full sun. Exfoliating white outer bark reveals blue-green, photosynthetic inner bark. Leaves dark green, pinnately compound, pubescent, drought deciduous. Cream flowers with pink centers appear in May, and can bloom into September, depending on moisture levels.

Habitat:

The single species is Pachycormus discolor endemic to the Baja California peninsula.

Notes:

Second photo taken on Hwy 1, south of Tres Virgenes Volcanoes. It may be the largest Pachycormus known, and conveniently located near the shorter darker, unrelated "elephant tree" Bursera microphylla (at bottom right in photo).