Plants and Trees for New Mexico Landscapes

Use this searchable, sortable (by plant name and water usage) reference to assist you in making decisions about what kind of plants and trees to include in your next New Mexico landscaping project. Please note: specific plants may not always available. Check with us.

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Plant Name	Appearance	Type	Description	Water Use
Althea or Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus		Small tree or large shrub	Multi-trunked, but can be trained to a single trunk or hedge trimmed. Large white, pink or lavender flowers with darker contrasting throats. Summer blooming until frost. Prefers full sun and heat.	3 Low once established
Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa		Large shrub Xeric Plant	Native to the southwest; needs little care. White flowers from spring to fall with rosy pink feathery seed heads. Requires gritty well-drained soil. Full sun.	1 Very Low
Austrian Black Pine Pinus nigra		Large tree	Pyramidal form with evergreen needles. Bears pinecones. Slow to moderate growth. Individuals are decorative or use as a screen or windbreak. Tolerant of urban conditions. High temperature and wind adaptability.	3 Low once established
Autumn Sage Salvia gregii		Small Shrub	This native to southwest Texas is a cold- tender deciduous shrub at our latitude. Red blooms from late spring to fall. Prefers moderate water but tolerant of some drought. Full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Beargrass Nolina microcarpa		Medium Xeric Plant	Native to the southwest. Tough grass-like evergreen leaves forming a clump and sending up tall flower stalks bearing creamy white blooms. Hardy in the xeric landscape. Full sun.	1 Very Low
Blue Avena or Blue Oatgrass Helictotrichon semper		Ornamental Grass	Narrow blue-gray leaves form a graceful fountain-shaped clump. Fine textured straw colored flower stems grow above the foliage. Best in rich well-drained soils. Semi-evergreen. Trim back or remove dead leaves. Cold hardy. Full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Blue Fescue Festuca ovina glauca		Ornamental Grass	Small bunch grass with very fine blue leaf blades. Flowers in spikes. Centers can die out after several years. Cold hardy. Full sun.	5 Medium
Blue Mist Caryopteris clandonensis		Medium Shrub	Silvery leaved deciduous medium sized shrub. Deep violet blooms late summer and fall. Cold tolerant, Prefer good drainage. Full sun to part shade.	2 Low
Boxwood “Winter Gem” Buxus micriphylla japon		Medium Shrub	Compact evergreen with small shiny Light to medium green leaves. Used most often as a border or hedge. Can be left natural or clipped to a shape. Winter hardy, tolerant of some heat and poor soils, but not extreme sun exposure.	5 Medium
Buffalo Juniper Juniperus sabina spp.		Groundcover Shrub	Spreading evergreen with soft green scaly foliage. Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, but needs good drainage. Cold hardy. Full sun to part shade.	2 Low
Burr Oak Quercus macrocarpa		Large Tree	Deciduous Shade Tree Large deeply-cut lobed leaves. Acorns are have interesting large fringed caps. Full Sun.	5 Medium
Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii		Medium to Large Shrub	Fast-growing coarse textured Shrub. Arching spikes of small flowers attract butterflies in summer. Good to prune back heavily in early spring. Needs good drainage and regular watering.	5 Medium
Catmint Nepeta faassenii		Perennial Flower	Flowering plant with soft silvery gray aromatic foliage and spikes of lavender blue flowers. It blooms mid spring to early summer. It is related to catnip and your cat may roll in it. Hybrid does not reseed. Hardy, Full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Chamisa Chrysothamnus nauseosus		Large Shrub Xeric Plant	Native to high desert and the Rockies. The whitish stems bear small narrow leaves and fluffy clusters of bright yellow flowers. Needs very little attention, good for natural plantings, revegetation. Full sun.	1 Very Low
Chinese Pistache Pistache chinensis		Large tree	Deciduous shade tree with beautiful orange to red fall color. Slow to moderate growth. Can handle alkaline soils, wide temperature range and watering regimens. Full sun.	3 Low once established
Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens		Medium to Large Tree	Evergreen native to the Rocky Mountains. Stiff pyramidal shape can vary in proportions dependent on variety. Does best with cold winters and well- drained soils. Full sun to light shade.	4 Low to Medium
Crabapple (Flowering) Malus spp.		Medium Tree	Ornamental flowering tree. Lavish white, pink or red flowers in spring. Does bear small fruit. Varieties vary in their disease-resistance. Not all are heat tolerant. Full Sun.	6 Medium to High
Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia indica		Small Tree	Usually multi-trunked deciduous. Attractive bark. Profuse summer flowers of pink, lavender or red. Nice fall color. Prune in winter or early spring. Full sun.	5 Medium
Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis		Small Tree	Multi-trunked form can be pruned to have interesting character. Deciduous leaves, Long bloom period of pink to maroon flowers. Persistent seed pods. Full sun.	3 Low once established
Elaeagnus or Silverberry Elaeagnus pungens		Large Shrub	Evergreen with naturally sprawling form can be pruned to be smaller and denser. Interesting olive green leaves with rough silver 'dust', branches have rusty color. Tough plant can handle exposure to heat and wind. Full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Fernbush Chamaebatiaria millefolium		Medium to Large Shrub	Semievergreen native to the Rockies with soft ferny foliage. Small white flowers in clusters midsummer. Cold hardy. Needs good drainage. Full sun.	2 Low
Forestiera or New Mexico Olive Forestiera neomexicana		Small Tree	Native shrubby tree with small light green leaves. Can be pruned to be a focal point or left natural for excellent screening. Birds love the small fruits born by the female trees. Full Sun.	4 Low to Medium
Gambel’s Oak Quercus gambelii		Tree	Native oak with classical lobed leaves. Form varies from small Multi-trunked to large single-trunk tree. Deciduous. Fall acorns. Can spread from roots. Adaptable to wide range of soil and moisture levels. Hardy. Full sun.	4 Low to Medium
Grayleaf Cotoneaster Cotoneaster buxifolius		Small Shrub	Evergreen shrub with small gray-green leaves on stiff attractive dark reddish brown stems. Small white flowers cover the plant in spring giving way to bright red berries that hang on into winter. Full sun to part shade. Not cold-hardy at higher elevations.	5 Medium
Indian Blanketflower Gaillardia		Perennial Flower	Native composite flowers with colorful Red centers surrounded by yellow. Do well in the hot sun and poor soils with good drainage.	4 Low to Medium
Indian Hawthorn Raphiolepis indica		Small to Large Shrub	Broadleaf evergreen. Size from 2' to 6' dependent on variety. White to pink flowers most profuse in spring. Prefers full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Karl Foerster Reed Grass Calamagrostis acutiflora		Ornamental Grass	More erect arching clump of foliage with very upright golden flower stalks often used in dried flower arrangements. Adapatable, cold hardy. Full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Knock-out Rose Rosa spp.		Medium Shrub	Compact shrub rose Deciduous, varieties found with red, pink, or yellow flowers which bloom from spring to fall. Disease-resistant and hardy. Full sun.	4 Low to Medium
Lavender (English) Lavandula angustifolia		Shrub	Evergreen varieties with gray green to soft green foliage and violet blue flowers. Very fragrant. More cold hardy than other lavenders, but still tend to be short-lived. Need very good drainage. Full sun to light shade from west sun.	4 Low to Medium
Maidengrass Miscanthus sinensis		Ornamental Grass	One of the larger ornamental clumping grasses with attractive flower plumes rising above the foliage. Cold hardy. Cut back old foliage before new growth in spring. Dividing every few years increases plant vigor. Full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Manhattan Euonymus Euonymus kiautschovicus		Large shrub	Evergreen although the dark glossy green leaves may be lost when the temperature drops below zero °F. Useful as a screen or background shrub. Full to part sun.	5 Medium
Mugho Pine Pinus mugo mugo		Medium shrub	Slow growing evergreen shrub forms a symmetrical mound. Prefers good drainage. Cold and wind tolerant. Full sun.	4 Low to Medium
Nandina or Heavenly Bamboo Nandina domestica spp.		Small to Large shrub	Evergreen with light, fine-textured stems and leaves reminiscent of bamboo. New growth pink to bronze turning light green. In fall and winter it can change to reds and purple. Sprays of creamy white flowers in late spring can produce red berries (requires two plants). Prefers rich soil and some shade from hottest sun.	5 Medium
Ocotillo Fouquieria splendens		Medium Xeric Plant	Desert native of the Southwest. Clump of grooved thorny stems with occasional small green leaves. Bright orange clusters of flowers appear in hot weather, but not dependable. Not cold hardy at all. Full sun.	1 Very Low
Palm Yucca Yucca faxoniana		Large Xeric Plant	Tall trunk-forming yucca with sharp pointed leaves up to 2 1/2" wide. The dead leaves persist folding down to cover the trunk. Central flower stalk with large white blooms. Not cold-hardy at higher elevations.	1 Very Low
Pineleaf Penstemon Penstemon pinifolius		Perennial Flower	Native to southern New Mexico with needle-like bright green leaves and Red flowers thru summer. Small size. Good in borders, rock gardens, as ground cover. Attracts hummingbirds. Adaptable to many conditions, but needs good drainage. Cold hardy. Full sun to part shade.	4 Low to Medium
Piñon Pinus edulis		Medium Tree	Native evergreen pine with pyramidal shape as a young tree develops character with age. Pinon nuts are edible. Needs full sun and good drainage to thrive. Susceptible to "pine beetle" attack when stressed.	4 Low to Medium
Potentilla Potentilla fruticosa		Small Shrub	Deciduous native to mountain meadows that flowers from late spring to early fall. Cold hardy, tolerant of poor soils, heat and drought. Do best in well-drained soil with moderate water supplied. Full sun to part shade.	5 Medium
Prickly Pear Opuntia spp.		Medium Xeric Plant	Widespread with many species including "Beavertail" types as well as Cholla. Their hardiness varies greatly. Flowers are large, some are shades of yellow while others are pink to red. All bear sharp spines or bristles. Full sun.	2 Low
Purple Leaf Plum Prunus cerastifera		Medium tree	Ornamental shade tree. Profuse pink blooms in spring followed by dark purple leaves. Cold hardy. Full Sun.	5 Medium
Purple-leaf Wintercreeper Euonymus "Coloratus"		Groundcover Shrub	Broadleaf evergreen groundcover with sprawling branches. Leaves green in summer turn purple in fall and winter. Better in full sun better than ivy, but also grows well in shade. Hardy.	5 Medium
Red Pygmy Barberry Berberis thunbergii spp.		Small Shrub	Slender arching spiny stems with small finely textured rich red leaves. Very cold hardy. Prefers moderate water and full sun for best leaf color.	5 Medium
Red Tip Photinia Photinia fraseri		Large Shrub	Evergreen with young emerging red leaves turning dark green with age. Fast growth and large leaves make it suitable as a screen plant, informal hedge. Can be pruned to tree form or espaliered. Full sun.	5 Medium
Red Yucca Hesperaloe parviflora		Medium Xeric Plant	Native to Texas and southern New Mexico. Narrow pointed evergreen leaves and tall flower stalks bearing many red blooms. from late spring to early fall. Very heat tolerant. Requires little water, but blooms better with some added water during hottest weather.	2 Low
Regal Mist Grass Muhlenbergia capillaris		Ornamental Grass	Green mounding foliage with a summer show of fine rosy red sprays of flowers spreading across the top of the clump. Cutting back in late winter encourages new spring growth. Full sun.	5 Medium
Rocky Mountain Juniper Juniperus scopulorum		Small to Medium Tree	Native evergreen has several varieties cultivated for the landscape. Some are quite blue while others may be bright green. All are dense and conical to columnar in form. Prefer full sun.	2 Low
Scotch Broom or Moonlight Broom Cytisis scoparius		Medium to Large Shrub	Green cane-like stems with small leaves. Many varieties having different colors of blooms. Hardy and wind-tolerant. Also adaptable to infertile soils, but prefer some added acid in alkaline conditions. Full sun.	5 Medium
Smoketree Cotinus coggygria		Small Tree	Broad urn-shaped form at maturity, usually multi-stemmed. As the blooms age they send out a profusion of pink fuzzy stalks. Prefer poor rocky soils with good drainage. Full Sun.	4 Low to Medium
Sotol Dasylirion wheeleri		Medium Xeric Plant	Native desert plant. Tough evergreen leaves with toothed edges forms a ball-shaped clump. Can develop a trunk of dried dead leaves with age. Produces a tall spike of white flowers. Needs full sun, not cold-hardy.	1 Very Low
Spanish Broom Spartium junceum		Large Shrub	Many green almost leafless stems bloom with bright yellow pea-like flowers. Fragrant. Can be pruned to fill out. Best in poor rocky soil. Good bank cover. Can become overgrown.	5 Medium
Sycamore Platanus acerfolia		Large Tree	Deciduous shade tree with large trunk and branches. Older bark peels off revealing smooth bark below. Leaves are large and lobed. Brown spherical seed clusters drop in fall. Full Sun.	7 High
Tam Juniper Juniperus sabina spp.		Groundcover Shrub	Spreading evergreen with dense blue-green scaly foliage. Tolerant of a wide range of soil types, but need good drainage. Cold hardy. Some problems with pests. Full sun to part shade.	2 Low
Thornless Hawthorn Cratageus crus-galli inermis		Small to Medium Tree	Graceful Multi-trunk with small shiny dark green leaves which show off the bright red fall berries. Turns orange to red in fall. Hardy and tolerant of poor soils. Full Sun.	5 Medium
Threadgrass or Mexican Feather Grass Nassella tennuisima		Ornamental Grass	Native bunch grass with the finest leaves is very active in the slightest breeze. Flower stems arch outward with light sivery green awns that last into winter. Can reseed easily. Cold hardy. Full sun.	2 Low
Three-leaf Sumac Rhus trilobata		Medium Shrub	Deciduous native with clumping form. Bright green leaves turn crimson in winter. Interesting winter form. Red berries enjoyed by wildlife and good for jellies. Tolerates cold and wind, poor soils, and some drought. Full sun.	2 Low
Valley Cottonwood Populus var. wislizenii		Large Tree	Native variety developing massive contorted trunk and branches. Bright shiny light green triangular leaves to about 4" across turn bright golden yellow in fall. Used as a lawn tree in a large setting. Full sun.	7 High
Vinca or Periwinkle Vinca minor		Groundcover Perennial	Trailing evergreen with stems that root where they toch the soil. Lavender-blue flowers occur in early spring. Adaptable to a variety of soils. Can be planted under trees. Not as invasive as the larger Vinca Major. Cold hardy, prefers shade.	5 Medium
Vitex Vitex agnus-castus		Small tree or large shrub	Broad spreading multi-trunked form with deciduous leaves. Spikes of lavender blooms have best color in full sun. Tolerant of heat and many soil types. Full sun. Susceptible to winter freezing.	5 Medium
Washington Hawthorn Cratageus phaenopyrum		Small to Medium Tree	Graceful multi-stemmed tree with year-round interest. Covered with white flowers in spring, glossy lobed leaves turn bright orange to red in fall. Red berries persist well into winter. Hardy and tolerant of poor soils. Full Sun.	5 Medium
Whirling Butterflies Gaura lindheimeri		Perennial Flower	Native to Texas with open airy growth. Flower stalks have many 1" white flowers loved by butterflies. Blooms from spring to fall. Hardy, long-lived. Some drought-tolerance. Full sun.	4 Low to Medium
Winter Jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum		Groundcover	Long slender arching green stems form mound up to 4' high or cascade down over terrace walls. Good for bank cover and naturalizing. Bright yellow flowers appear in late winter or early spring. Very cold hardy. Full to part sun.	2 Low