Native plants for Lea County, New Mexico
154 native plants recorded in Lea County, New Mexico
The USDA plant database has 231 plants recorded growing wild in Lea County. 154 of them are native to the lower 48, and 19 are introduced species that this page leaves out.
By type: 52 wildflowers and herbs, 39 grasses and sedges, 16 shrubs, 37 low woody plants, 8 trees, 2 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 24 of them (16%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Annual ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and 2 more are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Lea County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 24 | 0 | 130 |
| Half shade | 23 | 1 | 130 |
| Under trees | 20 | 4 | 130 |
| Heavy clay | 13 | 11 | 130 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 18 | 6 | 130 |
| Never watered | 21 | 3 | 130 |
| Stays soggy | 3 | 21 | 130 |
Sun all day in Lea County: 24 rated natives
11 grasses and sedges, 6 wildflowers and herbs, 3 shrubs, 2 low woody plants, 2 trees. 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 - Green prairie coneflower (Ratibida tagetes) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Golden crownbeard (Verbesina encelioides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth
Half shade in Lea County: 23 rated natives
11 grasses and sedges, 6 wildflowers and herbs, 3 shrubs, 2 low woody plants, 1 trees. 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 · 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 - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Green prairie coneflower (Ratibida tagetes) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance - Golden crownbeard (Verbesina encelioides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Lea County: 20 rated natives
9 grasses and sedges, 5 wildflowers and herbs, 3 shrubs, 2 low woody plants, 1 trees. 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 - Green prairie coneflower (Ratibida tagetes) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Golden crownbeard (Verbesina encelioides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth
Heavy clay in Lea County: 13 rated natives
5 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 2 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 1 trees. 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 - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Golden crownbeard (Verbesina encelioides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth - Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Bush muhly (Muhlenbergia porteri) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Lea County: 18 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 2 low woody plants, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees. 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 - Green prairie coneflower (Ratibida tagetes) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial - Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Never watered in Lea County: 21 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 5 wildflowers and herbs, 3 shrubs, 2 low woody plants, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Green prairie coneflower (Ratibida tagetes) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance · toxicity: slight - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Featherplume (Dalea formosa) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance - Lyreleaf greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
Stays soggy in Lea County: 3 rated natives
2 grasses and sedges, 1 trees. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Vine mesquite (Panicum obtusum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · moderate growth · perennial
Natives Lea County has that most of New Mexico does not
2 natives here are on file in no more than 2 of New Mexico's 33 counties. A few of them:
- Southwestern mock vervain (Glandularia gooddingii): 2 counties
- Buckley's beardtongue (Penstemon buckleyi): 2 counties
Where to start in Lea County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Lea County gives you the most rated choice (24 plants), and Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 3 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 130 unrated natives too.