The Red Oaks of North America are in a group called "Black Oaks”.

The so called Red Oaks of North America are in a group called "Black Oaks", which can result in cross pollination and hybridization between the many members in this group. A Black Oak cannot hybridize with a White Oak! In the Chihuahuan Desert Region of the Southwest there are Black Oaks, White Oaks and Golden Oaks. New Mexico is in the middle of the region resulting in some overlap of Midwestern and Eastern species found native in New Mexico like the two White Oak species, the Bur Oak - Quercus macrocarpa and the Chinquapin Oak - Quercus muehlenbergii.

In the tribe of Black Oaks, the so called Red Oaks, New Mexico has three species, the Emory oak - Quercus emoryi, the Silverleaf Oak - Quercus hypoleucoides and the Chisos Red Oak - Quercus gravesii. The Chisos Red Oak is very similar to the Texas Red Oak which is found growing not too far away in West Texas near Sweetwater, Texas.

Trees That Please Nursery grows from seed the Chinquapin, Bur, Texas Red, and Chisos Red oaks, to mention but a few, and is the only retail nursery in Northern New Mexico (Albuquerque metro market) that grows this amazing selection of hardy arid zone trees. If you want the most drought tolerant tree that will someday add shade and value to your home, then Trees That Please is your best nursery for finding the tree that is truly worthy of cultivation in our arid desert climate.

Photos & Narrative By:

Michael Martin Melendrez

Owner / Manager

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Weed Identification: Goatheads or Stickers

Goatheads ( Tribulus terrestris ) are native to Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Goatheads are also called stickers, sticker weed, bullhead, devil’s weed, and puncturevine. Goatheads are easily recognized by their prostrate growth form, leaves with leaflets, yellow flowers, and stickers (Goatheads). If you miss’em visually then they will stab you painfully in the fingers as you work your garden, or stick to your clothing and shoes. Goatheads are the primary reason local bicyclists must get “thorn proof” tires for riding on area trails and streets. Goatheads have prostrate stems that radiate outward from one central point. Leaves are compound with smaller leaflets. Lemon yellow flowers form along the stems and fertilized flowers form fruits. Fruits consist of several attached structures called nutlets (Goatheads). Each nutlet is a single seed that becomes hard or woody when mature. Each seed has two sharp spines that easily penetrat

Weed Identification: Sand Bur

Sand Bur ( Cenchrus longispinus ) is native to North America. It has other names like sand spur, long-spined sand bur, hedgehog grass, and bur grass . Sand Bur is an annual grass usually growing with a prostrate growth form. It is similar in appearance to other grasses prior to seed formation. Individual plants may be 3’ in diameter, sometimes larger. Sand Bur is a common weed of sandy soils but also grows well elsewhere. Sand Bur will often root at stem nodes that are touching the ground. The root system of Sand Bur is shallow and fibrous making them easily pulled (when immature). Sand Bur produces a flowering spike. As seeds begin to form Sand Bur is easily recognized by its numerous sharp or burred seeds or long spines. As the burred seeds mature they are easily separated from the mother plant and their sharp spines stick to virtually anything. Sand Bur can disseminate its seeds long distances because its sharp spines will hitch a ride on skin, animal hides,

Western Soapberry Tree

The Western Soapberry tree ( Sapindus saponaria var. drummondii ) is native to New Mexico. It grows wild from Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana westward through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, and Mexico. The fruit of the Western Soapberry tree is a drupe. Mature fruits are translucent, amber colored, and contain a black seed. The mature fruit without the seed will produce a good lather with water and has been used as a soap substitute. Fruits persist on the trees through winter. T he Western Soapberry tree can grow 1′-2′ annually reaching 25′-30′ tall and wide making it a good sized shade tree. Fall leaf color is an attractive golden yellow. Currently, there are no improved varieties of the Western Soapberry Tree. It grows well on the alkaline soils of New Mexico and is very tolerant of heat and drought once established. This tree is rarely affected by disease or insect pests making it an ideal specimen tree for your yard or landscape. S

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