The Russian hawthorn is a small tree with arching stems that form a rounded crown about 20 feet tall by 20 feet wide. In the late spring, clusters of white flowers appear. Groupings of small ¼- to ½-inch vibrant red fruits appear in late summer and persist until the birds carry them off. Foliage is a soft green, turning shades of yellow, orange and red in the fall. This tree has thorns, and as it ages its trunk develops a gnarled character, both which have visual interest in the winter. Maintenance involves trimming any suckers and every few years thinning out crossing branches. Once established (at around three years) water to a depth of 24” every two weeks when temperatures are above 85 degrees and once a month during cooler weather.
The Chinquapin oak (also spelled Chinkapin)is a rugged, adaptable shade tree native to New Mexico and primarily occurring in the southeastern mountains. This long-lived deciduous tree is valued for its extreme hardiness in arid climates, and it thrives in high-pH, alkaline, and limestone-based soils. It is a premier choice for landscaping in hot, dry areas because of its deep root system and drought tolerance once established. The tree is easily identified by its rough scabby bark and its glossy, dark-green, oblong leaves with serrated edges. In the fall, foliage turns vibrant shades of yellow, gold, orange or copper. It produces small, sweet acorns that are the preferred food for squirrels, deer, wild turkeys and songbirds like woodpeckers and blue jays. Given its potential width of 30-40 feet, plant it where it has room to spread. This oak will provide southern or western shade to homes under its spreading rounded crown.
As a keystone species, it hosts hundreds of caterpillar species that support local bird populations. Native American tribes, such as the Cherokee and Koasati, traditionally used infusions of the bark and roots for medicinal purposes, including treating fevers, headaches and stomach aches.
The El Capitan cultivar is specifically selected from New Mexico populations for its ability to tolerate higher elevations and more arid, low-humidity environments compared to Eastern varieties.
Hackberry is a medium-sized tree, known also as common hackberry or western hackberry. It has a broad upright top with ascending then arching branches. The bark is interesting with rough warty growths and a corky texture. Leaves are light green throughout the year with a little yellow fall color. The cherrylike fruits often hang on the trees throughout the winter, providing many birds with food. It can tolerate a wide range of soils, moisture conditions and harsh climates, as well as urban abuse. The roots rarely lift sidewalks, and the canopy is relatively upright, making it a good tree in tight spaces. Maintenance is minimal — prune every few years as needed during the dormant season.
Fruit that the birds enjoy on the common hackberry.
Fig trees are a beautiful addition to local backyard orchards. Their large leaves give yards a lush tropical appearance, and the sweet fruit is wonderful for eating fresh, drying, fruit leathers, baking, jams and canning. Fig trees can produce two fruit crops per year: the “breba” crop in the spring and “main” crop in summer.
The primary limitation for figs is low winter or spring temperatures that may sometimes partially or completely kill fig tree canopies. If the roots are not killed during winter, fig trees that have experienced freezing temperatures usually grow back vigorously and can even produce some main crop fruit in the first year of regrowth. Fig trees should be planted in a protected area next to a south facing wall and mulched or tarped to minimize freeze damage. Figs are tolerant of abuse and relatively content with intense sunlight, extended droughts and alkaline soils.
“Celeste,” “Brown Turkey,” “Hardy Chicago,” “Desert King,” Kadota” and “Violette de Bordeaux” are only a few of the fig varieties that do well. “Black Mission” is a readily available but not very cold hardy for the greater Albuquerque area. In general, backyard fig varieties require no cross-pollination to produce fruit.
Smoketree is a small accent tree grown for its whimsical cloudlike misty spring blooms and its year-round dark purple color. It is not native to New Mexico but does well in just about any soil. Locate in full sun and cover with 3-4 inches of shredded wood chip mulch. Water to a depth of 24 inches twice a month once established when hot and monthly throughout the year. This tree is great for patios and looks nice when planted with grey green plants like artemisia or sages.
This tree, recently introduced to the Southwest area, is a large drought tolerant shade tree. Clusters of fragrant flowers appear in May/June when it is swarmed with pollinating bees. It has small deep blue-green leaves that turn yellow in the fall, visually interesting seed pods, gray colored bark, coarse ascending branches and can endure extreme temperatures. The name comes from its seeds being roasted and used as a coffee substitute.
