Native plants for Dona Ana County, New Mexico
806 native plants recorded in Dona Ana County, New Mexico
The USDA plant database has 1,221 plants recorded growing wild in Dona Ana County. 806 of them are native to the lower 48, and 117 are introduced species that this page leaves out.
By type: 304 wildflowers and herbs, 166 grasses and sedges, 119 shrubs, 135 low woody plants, 55 trees, 27 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 140 of them (17%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), Common pepperweed (Lepidium densiflorum) and 11 more are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Dona Ana County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 139 | 0 | 667 |
| Half shade | 125 | 14 | 667 |
| Under trees | 98 | 41 | 667 |
| Heavy clay | 69 | 71 | 666 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 115 | 25 | 666 |
| Never watered | 105 | 35 | 666 |
| Stays soggy | 34 | 106 | 666 |
Sun all day in Dona Ana County: 139 rated natives
54 grasses and sedges, 26 trees, 23 wildflowers and herbs, 23 shrubs, 11 low woody plants, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Colorado four o'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Downy paintedcup (Castilleja sessiliflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Mexican orange (Choisya dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Dona Ana County: 125 rated natives
45 grasses and sedges, 24 trees, 23 shrubs, 20 wildflowers and herbs, 11 low woody plants, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Colorado four o'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Downy paintedcup (Castilleja sessiliflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Mexican orange (Choisya dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Pale evening primrose (Oenothera pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Dona Ana County: 98 rated natives
37 grasses and sedges, 20 shrubs, 16 trees, 13 wildflowers and herbs, 10 low woody plants, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Colorado four o'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Downy paintedcup (Castilleja sessiliflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Mexican orange (Choisya dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pale evening primrose (Oenothera pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Heavy clay in Dona Ana County: 69 rated natives
29 grasses and sedges, 15 wildflowers and herbs, 12 trees, 9 shrubs, 3 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Roving sailor (Maurandella antirrhiniflora) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Spreading alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Desert ceanothus (Ceanothus greggii) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 7 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Dona Ana County: 115 rated natives
42 grasses and sedges, 24 trees, 23 shrubs, 14 wildflowers and herbs, 10 low woody plants, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Colorado four o'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Downy paintedcup (Castilleja sessiliflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Mexican orange (Choisya dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pale evening primrose (Oenothera pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Never watered in Dona Ana County: 105 rated natives
36 grasses and sedges, 21 shrubs, 21 trees, 15 wildflowers and herbs, 10 low woody plants, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Colorado four o'clock (Mirabilis multiflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Downy paintedcup (Castilleja sessiliflora) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Mexican orange (Choisya dumosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Pale evening primrose (Oenothera pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Rough menodora (Menodora scabra) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
Stays soggy in Dona Ana County: 34 rated natives
16 grasses and sedges, 8 wildflowers and herbs, 7 trees, 2 shrubs, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - American licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Spreading alkaliweed (Cressa truxillensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Broom sedge (Carex scoparia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Knotgrass (Paspalum distichum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Vine mesquite (Panicum obtusum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
Natives Dona Ana County has that most of New Mexico does not
85 natives here are on file in no more than 2 of New Mexico's 33 counties. A few of them:
- Big galleta (Pleuraphis rigida): only here
- St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum): only here
- Yellow trumpetbush (Tecoma stans): only here
- Woolly bluestar (Amsonia tomentosa): only here
- Wright's saltbush (Atriplex wrightii): only here
- Coulter's spiderling (Boerhavia coulteri): only here
- Organ Mountain Indian paintbrush (Castilleja organorum): only here
- Southern sandbur (Cenchrus echinatus): only here
- Silverpuff (Chaptalia texana): only here
- Mexican windmill grass (Chloris submutica): only here
Where to start in Dona Ana County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Dona Ana County gives you the most rated choice (139 plants), and American vetch (Vicia americana) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 34 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 666 unrated natives too.