You've answered your own question. They want excellent drainage.

You might try doing drainage tests in different parts of your property to see where a Palo Verde might work.

You could probably find exact instructions online somewhere, but basically it involves digging a hole about 2 feet deep, filling it with water, letting it drain, and then filling it up again with water, and measuring how fast it goes down. That will tell you how good or poor your drainage is.

You might also find that you have good soil underneath the first few inches of soil that are usually packed down by a builder.

Palo Verdes do fine in clay. Witness the fact that you can find them in Texas, growing in some of the heaviest clay soils.

I need help! I live in the High Desert (Victorville), Ca and want to know how to water my two year old Desert Museum Palo Verde tree. I get so many conflicting answers from never water to water a little every day.

Great tips here from AZ Plant Lady: [Desert Museum Palo Verde[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/great-design-plant-desert-museum-palo-verde-offers-a-colorful-canopy-stsetivw-vs~17907565)

The Palo Verde here was naturalized after a couple of years. Growing in Irvine at UCCE South Coast Research and Extension Center. There are micro-sprays in the landscape if water is needed.

My friends mother had a palo verde growing in her front yard in Oceanside,ca,and it did very well for many many years.She has since passed away ,so i havn't been by there in about 4 years or so.