Page 4 - New Mexico

Yucca faxoniana is a striking plant.  I did not appreciate it that much until I saw it all over Albuquerque.

This is probably Albuquerque's longest established Washingtonia filifera.  It still looks great after a hard freeze.

This mystery Agave in Albuquerque has been the subject of much speculation - what is it?  It's too cold-hardy to be A. vilmoriana, and too large for A. ocahui. . .and it has teeth.  It did not form any suckers, and the inflorescense was so tall (probably 35') that my pole pruner, fully extended, could reach only the lowest branches for seed collecting, even when I was standing on that rock.

I stopped at White Sands National Monument one day, which was pretty cool.  Yucca elata is shown here with Sierra Blanca in the background.

Ski Apache near Ruidoso is an amazing island of snow in the midst of the desert.  With a base area at 9,600', it is the most southerly ski area in North America that receives enough snow to operate on a consistent basis.  I was fortunate that they opened up the top of the mountain to snowboarders the day I was there.

Two flawless Washingtonia filifera in Truth or Consequesces loaded with seed.  This (Along with Alamogordo) is the coldest place where Washingtonia filifera has been known to reach maturity and set seed - though it certainly may have a chance in Albuquerque.

Las Cruces has a few huge trees, most of which are in this neighborhood.  This is a gigantic Taxodium mucronatum (Montezuma cypress).

Nice Phoenix canariensis in Las Cruces.  If Las Cruces is zone 8a, it should grow in Seattle, riiiiiight? Hahaha.

Some nice landscaping in Las Cruces.

The Organ Mountain Range east of Las Cruces is a beautiful natural area with some interesting plants.

This evergreen oak grows in the Organs.

On the east side of the Organs there are some pine forests.

Steve and I botanizing A Mtn. (not just a mountain, A Mountain) near Las Cruces. . .a wonderland of Opuntia hybrids, as well as quite a variety of other cacti.

A beautiful red-spined Opuntia on A Mtn.