There are so many types of trees to choose from. We don’t blame you for being confused. Here are some of our favorites, just a small list of the many trees available here in New Mexico. Before you head out to buy your tree, though, let’s chat a little bit about them.
As you look around town, you’ll notice trees come in all shapes and sizes. The key to choosing the perfect tree for your yard is picking the right tree for the right place. In fact, this phrase is popular among arborists.
When deciding what tree to plant, think about the tree size now and at maturity. It may look small now, but how big will it grow once it’s mature? Make sure you provide enough room for future growth. No one wants branches growing into power lines, roots disrupting your foundation or leaves blocking the solar panels on your neighbor’s house.
Learn about the rate of growth of the tree, too, so you know how long it will take to get to mature height. Other key factors in choosing the perfect tree are understanding what sun exposure the tree likes. Does it like full sun all day? If so, plant it on the south side of the house or in a location where buildings will not block its access to sunlight. Cold hardiness, heat tolerance, soil preference and irrigation needs should all be considered when choosing a tree species.
Trees are also a long-term investment. Take the time now to choose the right tree for the right place and you’ll save money in the long run.
This list of recommended trees is broken into deciduous and evergreen trees.
A deciduous tree loses its leaves annually in the fall.
Evergreen trees shed their leaves or needles periodically, but usually remain green throughout the year.
Large Deciduous Trees
‘Accolade’ Elm, Ulmus japonica x wilsoniana ‘Morton’
Burr Oak, Quercus marcrocarpa
‘Shademaster’ Honeylocust, Glenditsia triacanthos ‘Shademaster’
Japanese Pagoda Tree, Sophora japonica
Medium Deciduous Trees
Chinese Pistache, Pistacia chinensis
‘Expresso’ Kentucky Coffee Tree, Gymnocladus ‘Espresso-JFS’
Texas Red Oak, Quercus buckleyi
Goldenrain Tree, Koelreuteria paniculata
Small Deciduous Trees
Mesquite, Prosopis pubescens
Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis
Oklahoma Redbud, Cercis candensis var. Texansis ‘Oklahoma’
Purple Chastetree, Vitex agnus-castus
Evergreen Trees
Austrian Pine, Pinus nigra
Scotch Pine, Pinus sylvestris
Whichita Blue Juniper, Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’
Deodor Cedor, Cedrus deodara
Photography Courtesy of: Trees of Corrales, Waterwise Landscapes, My Landscape Coach, and The University of Minnesota
Water-Wise Vegetable Gardening
With our hot summers and low precipitation, growing vegetables in NM can be
challenging. This talk will provide strategies and recommendations for growers to
cultivate a thriving vegetable harvest in the region. Discussion will include irrigation and infrastructure suggestions, as well as selection of vegetable varieties that are well-adapted to the area.
Instructor: Stephanie Walker, PhD. Professor and Vegetable Specialist, New Mexico
State University, Extension Plant Sciences Department.
Maintaining Tree Health During Drought
Learn from Albuquerque’s leading tree expert how to identify drought stress in trees,
understand their responses to drought, and implement strategies to keep them alive and thriving in hot, dry weather.
Instructor: Joran Viers, Board Certified Master Arborist and Municipal Specialist,
International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Senior Arborist, Legacy Tree Company,
Albuquerque. Former City Forester, City of Albuquerque
Creating a Drought-Tolerant Refuge for Yourself and Wildlife
Instructor: Laurel Ladwig, M.S. She is the ABQ Backyard Refuge Program Director for the Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, a part-time faculty member in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, and Associate Director of the R.H. Mallory Center for Community Geography at the University of New Mexico and is enthusiastic about all opportunities to encourage people to develop a relationship with our wild neighbors.
Designing Resilient Landscapes: Plant Adaptations, Communities, and Selection for Arid Environments
Instructor: Maria Thomas is the Curator of Plants at the ABQ BioPark where she manages the botanical exhibits, plant collections, horticultural staff, and related programs for the 150-acre public park and garden. Additionally, Maria is an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Mexico in the Landscape Architecture department.
Climate-Ready Trees- Planting for a Warmer and (Hopefully) Shadier Future
Instructor: Marisa Y. Thompson, PhD Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist. New Mexico State University Department of Extension Plant Sciences, Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center, Think Trees NM, President of the Board (2023-current).
Plant Adaptations to Heat & Drought
Noticing the Ways Plants Thrive in our Yards and Natural Areas Learn how to Recognize Drought-Adapted Traits in Everyday Plants all Around Us.
Instructor: Marisa Y. Thompson, PhD Extension Urban Horticulture Specialist. New Mexico State University Department of Extension Plant Sciences, Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center, Think Trees NM, President of the Board (2023-current).
Hose Bib Tree Irrigation System for Your Trees: Simple Systems for Thriving Trees!
Instructor: Richard Perce has twenty years’ experience working with trees and irrigation here in New Mexico. He is a former certified arborist and currently holds the Irrigation Association’s Landscape Irrigation Auditor certification and is a certified QWEL irrigation instructor. He worked as a landscape contractor for more than a decade and is the Water Authority’s former Irrigation Efficiency Specialist. He also has a Masters of Community and Regional Planning from UNM and currently works at Anthropopulus Design + Planning.
Passive Rainwater Harvesting
This workshop introduces participants to the principles and practices of passive rainwater harvesting. Attendees will learn how to capture, slow, spread, and infiltrate rainwater into the landscape using simple, low-cost methods such as swales, berms, and basins. The workshop emphasizes working with the natural flow of water to reduce runoff, prevent erosion, and support healthy soil and plant life. By implementing passive rainwater harvesting, participants can conserve water, and create more resilient, self-sustaining landscapes.
Instructors: Anthony Luketich, Natural Resource Scientist, Anthony Luketich is a Natural Resources Scientist for Bernalillo County where he is focused on water conservation and water-wise landscape practices. He received a degree in Watershed Management and Ecohydrology from the University of Arizona where he studied the relationship between trees and water. Anthony has worked across the Southwest US as a research scientist as well as a water harvesting field technician where he became a certified water harvesting practitioner.
Bobby Mullin, Natural Resource Scientist, Bernalillo County Stormwater Quality Program Bobby Mullin is a Natural Resource Scientist for Bernalillo County in the Stormwater Quality Program. He focuses on improving stormwater quality in the Middle Rio Grande Watershed and promoting sustainable and resilient landscapes using Green Stormwater Infrastructure and rainwater harvesting. Bobby received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Bucknell University in 2011. Before joining Bernalillo County, he had worked as an environmental consultant remediating contaminated soil and groundwater and as a Research Scientist studying the impacts of climate change, drought and plant mortality in New Mexico ecosystems.
Xeriscape: The Desert Friendly Yard
Join us for learning all of the tips, and benefits of our Xeriscape program!
3 Steps to Landscape Success
Service, Settings, and Selection are the keys to landscape success!
