State Plant Listings
New Mexico
Vegetation References
(Dominant plant species present in each vegetation type are listed in Appendix C)
17 Pine-Douglas Fir Forest (Pinus-Pseudotsuga)
20 Southwestern Spruce Fir Forest (Picea-Abies)
21 Juniper-Pinyon Woodland (Juniperus-Pinus)
27 Oak-Juniper Woodland (Quercus-Juniperus)
32 Great Basin Sagebrush (Artemisia)
34 Saltbrush-Geasewood (Artiplex-Sarcobatus)
36 Creosote Bush-Bur Sage (Larrea-Franseria)
46 Fescue-Mountain Muhly Prairie (Festuca-Muhlenbergia)
47 Grama-Galleta Steppe (Bouteloua-Hilaria)
52 Grama-Tobosa Shrubsteppe (Bouteloua-Hilaria-Larrea)
53 Trans-Pecos Savanna (Flourensia-Larrea)
58 Grama-Buffalo Grass (Bouteloua-Buchloe)
64 Shinnery (Quercus-Andropogon)
Botanical Expert
Juanita A. R. Ladyman, Research Botanist
Museum of Southwestern Biology-Herbarium
Casteller Hall
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505) 292-5783
(505) 292-0304 (fax)
internet: Iadyman@unm.edu
Recommended Flora
Martin, W.W.; C.R. Hutchins. 1980. A Flora of New Mexico, Vols. 1 and 2. J. Cramer: Gantaer Verlag Kommandiutgesellschaft.
Native Plants for Landscape Use in New Mexico
Cacti
Echinocereus fendleri (strawberry cactus, Fendler hedgehog)
Echinocereus pecinatus (rainbow hedgehog)
Ferocactus wislizeni (fishhook barrel cactus, southwestern barrel cactus)
Opuntia chlorotica (pancake pear, silver-dollar cactus)
Opuntia imbricata (tree cholla, walkingstick cholla)
Opuntia macrorhiza (common prickly pear)
Opuntia phaeacantha (purple-fruited prickly pear)
Ferns
Adiantum capillus-veneris (southern maidenhair fern)
Asplenium platyneuron (ebony spleenwort)
Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern)
Cystopteris bulbifera (bladder fern)
Cystopteris fragilis (fragile fern)
Forbs (annuals/biennials)
Baileya multiradiata (desert marigold)
Centaurea americana (basket flower)
Cleome serrulata (Rocky Mountain beeplant)
Coreopsis tinctoria (tickseed, goldenwave, plains coreopsis, calliopsis)
Dimorphocarpa wislizeni (spectacle pod)
Dyssodia spp. (aurea, papposa, tenuiloba (dyssodia, dogweed, fetid marigold)
Erodium texanum (fillaree, stork's bill)
Erysimum capitatum (western wallflower, prairie rocket)
Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana (Mexican gold poppy)
Euphorbia marginata (snow-on-the-mountain)
Gaillardia pulchella (Indian blanket, firewheel)
Helianthus annuus (common sunflower)
Helianthus petiolaris (plains sunflower)
Ipomopsis aggregata (sky rocket, scarlet gilia)
Ipomopsis longiflora (white-flowered gilia)
Ipomopsis thurberi (Thurber's gilia)
Kallstroemia grandiflora (desert poppy, Mexican poppy)
Layia glandulosa (tidy tips)
Lepidium montanum (mountain peppergrass)
Lesquerella gordonii (Gordon's bladderpod)
Linum neomexicanum (flax)
Linum rigidum (yellow flax)
Lupinus concinnus (annual lupine, bajada lupine)
Machaeranthera bigelovii var. bigelovii (plains aster, tansy aster)
Machaeranthera tanacetifolia (tahoka daisy, tansy aster)
Mimulus guttatus (golden monkey flower)
Monarda citriodora (horsemint, lemon beebalm, lemon mint)
Oenothera albicaulis (pale evening primrose)
Oenothera elata ssp. hooked (giant evening primrose)
Oenothera primiveris (bottle evening primrose, yellow desert primrose)
Pectis angustifolia (limoncillo, fetid marigold)
Phacelia congesta (blue curls)
Teucrium laciniatum (dwarf germander, cutleaf germander)
Townsendia exscapa (Easter daisy)
Forbs (perennials)
Abronia fragrans (sweet sand verbena)
Aconitum columbianum (western monkshood)
Agave neomexicana (century plant, New Mexico agave)
Agave palmeri (Palmer agave, blue century plant)
Agave parryi (century plant, Parry agave)
Allium macropetalum (desert onion)
Anaphalis margaritacea (pearly everlasting)
Anemone canadensis (Canada anemone, windflower)
Anemone cylindrica (thimbleweed, candle anemone)
Antennaria spp. (pussytoes, everlasting)
Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane)
Aquilegia chrysantha (yellow columbine)
Aquilegia coerulea (Rocky Mountain or blue columbine)
Arnica cordifolia (heartleaf arnica)
Artemisia ludoviciana (white sage, prairie sage, artemisia)
Asclepias asperula (antelope horns)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Asclepias speciosa (showy milkweed)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed)
Aster ascendens (purple aster, Pacific aster)
Aster ericoides (heath aster, white wreath aster)
Aster laevis (smooth aster)
Aster novae-angliae (New England aster)
Bahia absinthifolia (bahia, yerba raton)
Balsamorrhiza sagittata (balsamroot)
Berlandiera lyrata (green eyes, chocolate flower)
Callirhoe involucrata (purple poppy mallow, winecup)
Calochortus nuttallii (sego lily, mariposa lily)
Caltha leptosepala (white marsh marigold, elkslip)
Calylophus berlandieri (square-bud primrose, sundrops)
Campanula rotundifolia (harebell)
Castilleja angustifolia var. dubia (desert paintbrush)
Castilleja integra (Indian paintbrush)
Castilleja linariifolia (Indian paintbrush)
Castilleja miniata var. miniata (Indian paintbrush)
Castilleja sessiliflora (downy painted cup)
Claytonia lanceolata (spring beauty)
Commelina dianthifolia (dayflower)
Cooperia drummondii (rain lily, prairie lily)
Coreopsis lanceolata (lance-leaved coreopsis)
Coreopsis tripteris (tall coreopsis)
Dasylirion leiophyllum
Dasylirion wheeleri (Sotol, desert pampas grass, desert spoon)
Delphinium barbeyi (subalpine larkspur)
Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens (prairie larkspur)
Delphinium scaposum (barestem larkspur)
Dugaldia hoopesii (orange sneezeweed, owlsclaws)
Echinacea angustifolia (narrow-leaved purple coneflower)
Engelmannia pinnatifida (Engelmann daisy)
Epilobium angustifolium (fireweed, willow herb)
Epilobium canum var. latifolia (hummingbird trumpet)
Erigeron modestus (prairie fleabane)
Erigeron speciosus (showy fleabane)
Eriogonum racemosum (red root buckwheat)
Eriogonum wrightii (Wright buckwheat)
Eupatorium greggii (palmleaf thoroughwort)
Eupatorium maculatum (spotted Joe-pye weed)
Gaillardia pinnatifida (yellow gaillardia, blanket flower)
Galium triflorum (sweet-scented bedstraw)
Gentiana parryi (Parry gentian)
Geum rivale (purple avens, water avens)
Geum triflorum (prairie smoke, purple avens)
Glandularia bipinnatifida var. bipinnatifida (prairie verbena, Dakota vervain)
Hedyotis nigricans (bluets)
Hedysarum boreale (sweet vetch, sweet broom)
Heliomeris multiflora (showy goldeneye)
Heliopsis helianthoides (ox-eye sunflower, false sunflower)
Heuchera rubescens var. versicolor (coral bells, alumroot)
Heuchera parvifolia (saxifrage, alum root)
Heuchera sanguinea (New Mexican coral bells)
Ipomoea leptophylla (bush morning glory)
Iris missouriensis (Rocky Mountain iris, western blue flag)
Lesquerella fendleri (bladderpod)
Lewisia rediviva (bitter root)
Lilium philadelphicum (wood lily)
Linnaea borealis (twinflower)
Linum lewisii (wild blue flax)
Lithospermum incisum (fringed puccoon, narrow-leaved puccoon)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)
Lupinus argenteus (silvery lupine)
Lupinus palmeri (Palmer's lupine)
Maianthemum stellatum (starry Solomon's seal)
Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot daisy, rock daisy)
Minuartia obtusiloba (cushion sandwort)
Mirabilis multiflora (wild four o'clock)
Monardella odoratissima (coyote mint, mountain pennyroyal)
Nolina microcarpa (sacahuista, bear grass)
Nolina texana (sacahuista, basket grass, Texas beargrass)
Oenothera brachycarpa (evening primrose)
Oenothera cespitosa (gumbo evening primrose, gumbo lily)
Oenothera flava (Shortfin evening primrose)
Pedicularis groenlandica (elephant heads)
Penstemon albidus (white beardtongue)
Penstemon ambiguus (sand penstemon)
Penstemon angustifolius (whorled penstemon)
Penstemon barbatus (red penstemon, scarlet bugler)
Penstemon fendleri (fendler penstemon, purple foxglove)
Penstemon glaber var. alpinus (blue penstemon, alpine penstemon)
Penstemon jamesii games' penstemon)
Penstemon pseudospectabilis (desert beardtongue)
Penstemon rostriflorus (Bridge's penstemon, Mountain scarlet penstemon)
Penstemon strictus (Rocky Mountain penstemon)
Penstemon thurberi (sand penstemon)
Pentaphylloides floribunda (potentilla, shrubby cinquefoil)
Petrophyton caespitosum (dwarf spiraea, petrophytum, tufted rockmat)
Phacelia sericea (silky phacelia)
Phlox nana (Santa Fe phlox, white-eyed phlox, canyon phlox)
Polemonium foliosissimum (Jacob's ladder)
Pelargonium viscosum (sky pilot)
Potentilla arguta (white cinquefoil, prairie cinquefoil, tall cinquefoil)
Potentilla thurberi (red cinquefoil)
Psilostrophe tagetina (woolly paper-flower)
Pulsatilla patens ssp. multifida (pasque flower, wild crocus)
Pyrola elliptica (shinleaf)
Ranunculus cardiophyllus (buttercup)
Ranunculus macranthus (large buttercup)
Ratibida columnifera (prairie coneflower, long-headed coneflower, Mexican hat)
Ruellia nudiflora (wild petunia, violet ruellia)
Salvia arizonica (Arizona sage)
Salvia farinacea (mealy sage)
Saxifraga bronchialis (spotted saxifrage, matted saxifrage)
Saxifraga cespitosa (tufted saxifrage)
Senna lindheimeriana (Lindheimer senna, velvetleaf senna)
Senna roemeriana (two-leaved senna)
Sidalcea neomexicana (checker mallow, prairie mallow)
Silene laciniata (southern Indian pink, catchfly, Mexican campion)
Solidago canadensis (meadow goldenrod)
Solidago missouriensis (Missouri goldenrod, prairie goldenrod)
Solidago multiradiata (northern goldenrod, mountain goldenrod)
Solidago rigida (stiff goldenrod)
Sphaeralcea coccinea (scarlet globe mallow)
Sphaeralcea parvifolia (globe mallow)
Stachys coccinea (Texas betony)
Talinum aurantiacum (flame flower)
Tetraneuris acaulis var. acaulis (stemless goldflower, stemless rubber weed, butte marigold)
Tetraneuris scaposa var. scaposa (four-nerve daisy, yellow daisy, bitterweed)
Thalictrum dasycarpum (tall or purple meadow rue)
Thlaspi montanum var. fendleri (wild candytuft, penny cress)
Verbena hastata (blue verbena, blue vervain)
Verbena stricta (hoary vervain)
Viguiera dentata (goldeneye)
Viola canadensis (Canada violet)
Viola missouriensis (Missouri violet)
Viola pedatifida (prairie violet)
Yucca baccata (blue yucca, banana yucca, fleshy-fruited yucca)
Yucca elata (soaptree yucca, palmella)
Yucca glauca (yucca, soapweed)
Yucca schottii (hoary yucca, mountain yucca)
Zinnia grandiflora (Rocky Mountain zinnia, yellow zinnia, plains zinnia)
Grasses/Grass-like plants
Agrostis exarata (spikebent, spike red top)
Agrostis scabra (ticklegrass, fly-away grass)
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)
Andropogon hallii (sand bluestem)
Aristida purpurea (purple three awn)
Aristida purpurea var. longiseta (red three awn)
Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama)
Bouteloua eriopoda (black grama)
Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama)
Bouteloua hirsuta (hairy grama)
Bromus carinatus (California brome)
Buchloe dactyloides (buffalograss)
Calamagrostis canadensis (bluejoint grass)
Carex aquatilis (water sedge)
Carex nebrascensis (Nebraska sedge)
Carex utriculata (beaked sedge)
Chloris crinita (two-flowered trichloris)
Danthonia californica (California oatgrass)
Danthonia intermedia (timber oatgrass)
Deschampsia cespitosa (tufted hairgrass)
Digitaria californica (cottontop)
Distichlis spicata (seashore saltgrass)
Eleocharis palustris (creeping spikesedge, spike rush)
Elymus canadensis (Canada wild rye)
Elymus cinereus (Great Basin wild rye)
Elymus glaucus (blue wild rye)
Eragrostis intermedia (plains lovegrass)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass, tumblegrass)
Festuca ovina (sheep fescue)
Glyceria grandis (American mannagrass, tall mannagrass, reed meadowgrass)
Hierochloe odorata (sweet grass)
Hilaria belangeri (curly mesquite)
Hilaria mutica (tobosa grass)
Koeleria macrantha (June grass)
Leersia oryzoides (rice cut grass)
Leptochloa dubia (green sprangletop)
Muhlenbergia montana (mountain muhly)
Muhlenbergia porteri (bush muhly)
Muhlenbergia rigida (purple muhly)
Muhlenbergia wrightii (spike muhly)
Oryzopsis hymenoides (Indian ricegrass)
Panicum obtusum (vine mesquite)
Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)
Pascopyrum smithii (western wheatgrass)
Phleum alpinum (alpine timothy)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)
Scirpus acutus (hardstem bulrush)
Scirpus maritimus (alkali bulrush, prairie bulrush, bayonet grass)
Scirpus tabernaemontani (great bulrush)
Sorghastrum nutans (Indian grass)
Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass, freshwater cordgrass)
Sporobolus airoides (alkali sacaton)
Sporobolus compositus var. compositus (tall dropseed)
Sporobolus cryptandrus (sand dropseed)
Sporobolus flexuosus (mesa dropseed)
Stipa comata (needle-and-thread grass)
Stipa nelsonii (Columbia needlegrass)
Stipa spartea (porcupine grass)
Trisetum spicatum (spike trisetum)
Typha latifolia (cattail)
Shrubs (deciduous)
Anus incana (speckled alder, mountain alder)
Amorpha fruticosa (false indigo, Indigo bush)
Atriplex canescens (four-wing saltbush, wingscale)
Atriplex confertifolia (spiny saltbush, shadscale saltbush, hop sage)
Choisya dumosa (Mexican orange, zorrillo)
Dalea scoparia (broom dalea, broom pea)
Forestiera pubescens (desert olive, elbow-bush, forestiera)
Krascheninnikovia lanata (winterfat)
Lonicera involucrata (black twinberry, bear berry honeysuckle)
Rosa woodsii var. ultramontana (Arizona wild rose)
Rubus parviflorus (western thimbleberry)
Salix scouleriana (western pussy willow, Scouler's willow)
Sambucus cerulea (blue elderberry)
Sambucus mexicana (Mexican elderberry)
Shepherdia argentea (silver buffaloberry)
Sideroxylon lanuginosum ssp. lanuginosum (chittamwood, gum elastic tree)
Sorbus dumosa (mountain ash)
Sorbus scopulina (western mountain ash)
Symphoricarpos oreophilus (mountain snowberry)
Tecoma stans (yellow bells, trumpet flower)
Shrubs (evergreen)
Artemisia nova (black sagebrush)
Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush, Great Basin sagebrush)
Ceanothus fendleri (Fendler ceanothus, buckbrush)
Cercocarpus montanus (mountain mahogany, silverleaf mountain mahogany)
Chrysactinia mexicana (damianita)
Ericameria laricifolia (larchleaf goldenweed, turpentine bush)
Garrya wrightii (Wright's catclaw, Wright's silk tassel)
Juniperus monosperma (one-seed juniper)
Larrea tridentata (creosote bush)
Mahonia fremontii (Fremont barberry, holly grape)
Mahonia haematocarpa (red barberry)
Mahonia trifoliolata (agarito, trifoliate barberry)
Paxistima myrsinites (Oregon box, myrtle boxwood, mountain lover)
Purshia stansburiana (cliff rose)
Quercus turbinella (shrub live oak)
Rhus choriophylla (evergreen sumac)
Viguiera stenoloba (resin bush)
Trees (deciduous)
Acacia farnesiana (huisache, sweet acacia)
Acer glabrum (Rocky Mountain maple)
Acer grandidentatum (bigtooth maple)
Acer negundo (box elder)
Betula occidentalis (mountain birch, water birch)
Celtis laevigata var. reticulata (netleaf hackberry)
Chilopsis linearis (desert willow, trumpet flower)
Fraxinus berlandieriana (Mexican ash)
Fraxinus cuspidata (flowering ash)
Fraxinus velutina (Arizona ash, velvet ash, desert ash)
Juglans major (Arizona walnut)
Juglans microcarpa (Texas walnut, river walnut, little walnut)
Platanus wrightii (Arizona sycamore, Alamo)
Populus fremontii (western cottonwood)
Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)
Prosopsis pubescens (tornillo, screwbean mesquite)
Prunus americana (wild plum)
Quercus gambelii (Gambel's oak, Rocky Mountain white oak)
Quercus grisea (gray oak, Mexican blue oak)
Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii (soapberry)
Trees (evergreen)
Abies concolor (western white fir)
Abies lasiocarpa (subalpine fir)
Acacia constricta (whitethorn, mescat acacia)
Arbutus arizonica (Arizona madrone)
Arbutus xalapensis (Texas madrone)
Juniperus ashei (rock or post cedar, Ashe or Mexican juniper)
Juniperus deppeana (alligator or western juniper)
Juniperus osteosperma (Utah juniper)
Juniperus pinchotii (red-berry juniper)
Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain juniper)
Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce)
Picea pungens (blue spruce, Colorado spruce)
Pinus aristata (bristlecone pine)
Pinus cembroides (Mexican pinyon)
Pinus edulis (pinyon pine, Colorado pinyon)
Pinus flexilis (limber pine)
Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine)
Pinus strobiformis (southwestern white pine)
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir)
Quercus arizonica (Arizona white oak)
Quercus emoryi
Vines (deciduous)
Clematis ligusticifolia (clematis)
Maurandella antirrhiniflora (snapdragon vine)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia var. quinquefolia (woodbine)
Vitis arizonica (Arizona grape, canyon grape)
Vitis riparia (riverbank grape)
Federally Listed Endangered Species
Gypsum wild-buckwheat (eriogonum gypsophilum)
Holy Ghost ipomopsis (Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus)
Knowlton cactus (Pediocactus knowltonii)
Kuenzler hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus fendleri var. kuenzleri)
Lee pincushion cactus (Coryphantha sneedii var. leei)
Lloyd's Mariposa cactus (Echinomastus)
Lloyd's hedgehog cactus (E. Lloydii)
Mancos milk-vetch (Astragalus humillimus)
Mesa Verde cactus (Sclerocactus mesae-verdae)
Sacramento Mountains thistle (Cirsium vinaceum)
Sacramento prickly-poppy (Argemone pleiacantha ssp. pinnatisecta)
Sneed pincushion cactus (Coryphantha sneedii var. Sneedii)
Todsen's pennyroyal (Hedeoma todsenii)
Zuni (rhizome) fleabane (Erigeron rhizomatus)
New Mexico Noxious Species
Because the noxious weed lists have continually changed since we gathered them in 1994, we are not including them at this time. Not all States have noxious weed lists. Those that do, do not use the same standards of importance and are not comparable. States typically have included plants that interfere with agriculture (Canada thistle), or cause human health problems (poison ivy). Some States are now including a category of plants that invade and degrade the environment (purple loosestrife). Check with your State's Agriculture Department or Weed Scientist listed below. The noxious weed list can be used two ways on roadsides: 1) check to not inadvertently plant these invasive plants, and 2) note the plants you are legally responsible to control. Many States now check adjacent State lists to avoid planting their neighbors' problem plants. Because weeds do not respect political boundaries, and because by their very nature weeds continue to adapt and expand, monitoring and controlling invasives at State borders is a wise part of vegetation management.
(Seed Law)
Department of Agriculture
Ag./Environmental Services
Box 300005, Dept. 3BA
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Richard Lee
University of New Mexico
Plant Sciences Department
PO Box 30003, Dept. 3AE
Las Cruces, NM 88003
(505) 646-2888
New Mexico Resources
New Mexico Natural Heritage Program
University of New Mexico
2500 Yale Boulevard, SE, Ste. 100
Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505) 277-1991)
The Nature Conservancy Field Office
212 East Marcy, Ste. 200
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 988-3867
Native Plant Society of New Mexico
PO Box 5917
Santa Fe, NM 87502
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
PO Box 100
Carlsbad, NM 88221
