Type: Evergreen Tree
Exposure: Full sun
Water Use: Low
Mature Size: 10’-15’ x 4’-6’
Wichita Blue Juniper, Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’ provides a beautiful shade of steely blue and grows year-round, 10’-15’ tall and only 4’-6’ wide. This upright evergreen that adapts to a wide range of well-drained soils makes a colorful hedge. Pruning destroys the natural shape so it’s best to plant this in a place where it has room to grow.
Type: Evergreen tree (female only)
Exposure: Full sun
Water Use: Low
Mature Size: 40’ x 20’
There are many varieties of Rocky Mountain juniper, with foliage ranging in color from gray to blue-green to dark green. All have a tidy cone-like form with some cultivars offering a columnar-like structure that’s ideal for filling in tighter spaces and providing architectural interest. They can serve many functions in the landscape: as a windbreak, visual screen and habitat planting. Slow-growing and long-lived, the Rocky Mountain juniper is drought-tolerant and adapts to a variety of soil types.
Type: Evergreen Tree
Exposure: Full Sun
Water: Medium
Height and Spread: 40’ x 18”
The Afghan Pine is a proven winner for our tough high desert climate. A native of central Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region, it performs exceptionally well in our alkaline soils. Once rooted it is drought tolerant and fast growing, making this evergreen an excellent choice for wind breaks and privacy screens. Its long evergreen needles grow in pairs, which gives it a softer appearance than other pines. The Afghan Pine offers a refreshing swath of green in the landscape during winter months.
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.
‘Accolade’ Elm, Ulmus japonica x wilsoniana ‘Morton’
Burr Oak, Quercus marcrocarpa
‘Shademaster’ Honeylocust, Glenditsia triacanthos ‘Shademaster’
Japanese Pagoda Tree, Sophora japonica
Chinese Pistache, Pistacia chinensis
‘Expresso’ Kentucky Coffee Tree, Gymnocladus ‘Espresso-JFS’
Texas Red Oak, Quercus buckleyi
Goldenrain Tree, Koelreuteria paniculata
Mesquite, Prosopis pubescens
Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis
Oklahoma Redbud, Cercis candensis var. Texansis ‘Oklahoma’
Purple Chastetree, Vitex agnus-castus
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