Trees That Please Nursery

Jonathan Apple ( Malus pumila ) produces an apple with a colorful bright red skin. Jonathan Apple is a heavy bearing tree with fruit ripening in late August through early September in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Flesh is crisp, white, sweet and juicy, with a pleasant tartness. Jonathan Apples are good for fresh eating and cooking and will keep in cool storage for several months. Jonathan Apples are self-fruitful and hardy to USDA zone 4. Apple trees need regular water for good fruit production and growth. Trees That Please Nursery has Jonathan Apples available on M111 rootstock. M111 rootstock is a very vigorous semi-dwarf rootstock but trees can be kept to any desired height with summer pruning. Apple trees grown on M111 rootstock grow well on either clay or sandy soils. Contact Trees That Please Nursery for more information, availability, and pricing. Photos & Narrative By: Stephen Sain Staff Plant Physiologist

Bartlett ( Pyrus communis ) is the common grocery store pear and the most commonly planted pear tree in North America. Bartlett produces a medium to large, green-golden yellow, typically tear-drop shaped fruit. Pears, including Bartlett, are normally picked while still green and just beginning to turn yellow. They are then ripened indoors off the tree until their skin is a golden yellow with perhaps the slightest hint of brown. Bartlett has smooth, juicy, white, sweet flesh with just a little tartness. Bartlett Pear ripens from middle August to middle September and will keep three months in cool storage. Bartlett Pear is self-fruitful and hardy to USDA Zone 5. Possibly the only short-coming of Bartlett Pear is that it is Fire-blight susceptible, a bacterial disease found in some areas of New Mexico. Contact Trees That Please Nursery for more information, availability, and pricing. Photos & Narrative By: Stephen Sain Staff Plant Physiologist

Black-Spined Prickly Pear ( Opuntia macrocentra ) is also commonly called Purple Prickly Pear or Nopal Violaceo. Black-Spined Prickly Pear typically has long black spines only on the upper surfaces of each pad. It is one of the more beautiful New Mexico native prickly pear species. It does very well in the Central Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico growing to about 3 feet high with a wider spread but can be kept smaller by pruning. Use Barbeque tongs and pruning shears to prune.   This prickly pear produces yellow flowers with reddish centers in late spring / early summer. After flowering it produces a fruit or tuna which turns red at maturity. The fruits of this prickly pear are not usually eaten as they quickly dry , shrivel, and are filled with seeds. During winter, the cooler temperatures cause the pads to turn beautiful shades of pink, purple, and blue-green. Pads re-green in spring with the warmer temperatures. We have observed that during winter, pad droo...

Fig ( Ficus carica ) is grown for its edible fruit. Figs grow quickly to about 8’ – 10’ tall and wide in our climate. Usually grows as a multi-trunked small tree or large shrub due to winter freeze injury. Fig trees have thick, smooth, gray trunks which provide additional interest especially in winter. Shade is dense and dark under a fig tree as leaves are large, usually 4” – 8” long and wide. A Fig tree will grow in most soils and needs regular water for best growth and fruit production. Hardiness differs amongst varieties so choose one suited to your climatic zone.   In our climate ensure fig trees are planted in full sun. They can benefit from planting near a south facing wall. Due to our cold temperatures fig trees are best protected during winter. Place a chicken wire circle around your tree and fill it with straw to insulate over winter. This will sometimes be sufficient insulation to reduce winter freeze damage of stems during its first couple years. Fig trees t...

Shinko Asian Pear ( Pyrus pyrifolia ) produces a medium sized, round, brownish-green to brownish-gold fruit with numerous white lenticels on the skin. The leaves of Shinko resemble those of both apples and pears. Shinko Asian Pears are rounded and the flesh is firm and crisp like an apple. The taste, distinctly its own, is more pear-like, being sweet and juicy with a hint of grit cells, similar to the European pears. Shinko Asian Pears will keep until spring in cool storage. Shinko Asian Pears ripen in October depending upon location. Shinko Asian Pear has some Fire blight resistance which is an important factor in choosing pear trees in New Mexico. Fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora , a destructive disease of pear trees is found in Valencia County, New Mexico. Shinko Asian Pear is not self-fertile and requires pollination by another Asian or European Pear variety. Shinko Asian Pears are hardy to USDA Zone 5 and require regular water fo...

The Green Gage ( Prunus domestica ) is an European plum variety. European plums bloom later than Japanese or American - Hybrid types, and more often produce fruit in late frost prone areas. Green Gage plums are considered the ideal desert fruit in Europe. Green Gage has been grown in France and England since the 1700’s and is described as the best flavored of all plum varieties. Green Gage plums produce smaller trees with low branches and rounded form, but branches can be pruned as desired. Leaves are an attractive dark green with an almost glossy appearance. Green Gage Plums are green to yellow-green when fully ripe. Fruit ripens from mid-July through early August in the Los Lunas, New Mexico area. Fruit fully ripens on the tree and can be picked directly from the tree for a delicious snack. Green Gage plums are small typically 1.5” to 2” in diameter and the fruit is freestone. Green Gage plums make the ideal snack for lunches, after school, or anytime. The fr...

Fall is an ideal time for planting fruit trees. As the weather cools, it is easier for a newly planted fruit tree to get established. It’s also easier to keep watered, generally 2-3 times per week for well-drained soils. Roots of fruit trees planted in the fall continue to grow through winter even though above ground portions of the tree are dormant. Generally, fall planted fruit trees display more vigorous growth the following spring compared to containerized trees. This may be due in part to the roots penetration of the surrounding soil making a greater reservoir of water and nutrients available. Trees That Please Nursery propagates a wide variety of fruit trees selected for productivity in our climate and soils. We have Apricots including Pioneer and Harcot, two late blooming varieties. We offer Cherries, and several varieties of Nectarines and Peaches. We really love our Pears at the nursery, including Bartlett, Seckel, Warren, and Luscious, a fireblight...

Trees That Please Nursery has changed store hours to better serve the community. We now have extended hours into the evening so that folks can stop in on their way home from work or after work during the week. Trees That Please Nursery   grows   plants that thrive in the Desert   South West:   Shade Trees, Oak Trees, Fruit Trees, Evergreens, Ornamentals, Perennials, Cacti, Grass Seed and seasonal herbs and veggies. We are a full service nursery offering, consultations, delivery, and plantings. We also carry the full line of Soil Secrets Products, the best way to make your soils healthy. We are located in Los Lunas on Highway 47, 4 miles south of the Albertsons – Big 5 shopping center. We are open:       Tuesday – Friday            10 am to 7 pm                      ...

Unless you have a lot of space, stay away from trees like Cottonwoods, Mulberry, Ash, or Willows. These need a minimum of 25’ – 30’ distance from your home, sidewalks, or block walls. Why? These trees have vigorous surface roots that can crack foundations, heave sidewalks, and knock over walls. Plus if their large branches overhang your home or office, they can cause considerable damage if they break and fall. Trees That Please Nursery propagates many shade trees ideally suited for home or business owners with limited space. These trees include those with deep root systems (tap roots) and / or those with smaller canopies. Some of the shade trees for small spaces that we propagate include: Texas and Chisos Red Oaks Fast growth (1’-4’ per year) Canopy 35’ – 40’ tall, 20’ – 25’ wide, makes acorns, Chisos Red Oak slightly smaller Tap root Fall Color- Gorgeous Red- Maroon Shantung Maple Fast growth (1’-3’ per year) Canopy 25’ tall and wide Deep roots Fall Color- Yell...

In addition to Landscaping Trees and Shrubs, Trees That Please Nursery propagates a variety of House Plants ideal for decorating the home or office. We have plants that stay small and those that can grow to your ceiling. We have plants that require almost no care or water and those that are more demanding. House Plants are a great inexpensive gift that can last a lifetime. We have Coleus, grown for its colorful foliage, Mother-in-Law Tongue and Hanging plants like Tradescantia (Wandering Jew), Ficus and Jades, Succulents (low maintenance and low water) and Synadenium, a colorful house plant that can get quite large. We also have assorted Bonsai starters for the hobbyist. Come by the nursery and pick out that special house plant gift for yourself or someone special today.   Contact Trees That Please Nursery for more information and pricing. Photos & Narrative By: Stephen Sain Staff Plant Physiologist