Native Plants

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Tuesday - January 24, 2006

From: El Paso, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Seed and Plant Sources
Title: Resources for native plants and landscaping in El Paso, TX
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I live in El Paso, Texas, and want to know more about flowers and other native plants and landscaping in this specific geographical area. I would like information on particular plants that are suitable to El Paso as well as sources of information in order to learn more on the subject in our area....literature, organization, individuals.

ANSWER:

The Native Plant Society in your area is a very good resource. The chapter nearest to you for the Native Plant Society of Texas is the Big Bend Chapter. However, the Native Plant Society of New Mexico has an El Paso Chapter. Their Bookstore has a wide selection of books dealing with identification of and landscaping with native plants. I've provided a link to Amazon.com for some suggested titles so that you can get a little more information about them. For some of them, you will be able to see a portion of the contents of the book on Amazon.

1. WILDFLOWER IDENTIFICATION BOOKS:
a. Flowering Plants of New Mexico by Robert D. Ivey, 2003, R. D. & V. Ivey Publishers.
b. Wildflowers of the Desert Southwest by Meg Quinn, 2000, Rio Nuevo Publishers.
c. Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Plants by Theodore F. Niehaus, et al., 1998, Houghton Mifflin.
d. Common Southwestern Native Plants by Jack L. Carter et al., 2003, Mimbres Press.
e. Wildflowers of Texas by Geyata Ajilvsgi, 2002, Shearer Publishing. This book is also available from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Wild Ideas store.

NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPING BOOKS:
a. Central New Mexico Gardens: a Native Plants Selection Guide by Carolyn Dodson and Peggy Wells, 2005, Native Plant Society of New Mexico.
b. Best Plants for New Mexico by Baker H. Morrow, 1995, University of New Mexico Press.
c. Native Landscaping from El Paso to L. A. by Sally and Andy Wasowski, 2000, McGraw-Hill.
d. How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest by Jill Nokes, 2001, University of Texas Press. This book is also available from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Wild Ideas store.
e. Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest by George O. Miller, 1991, Voyageur Press. Again, this book is also available from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Wild Ideas store.

You can find names and contact information for nurseries and seed companies in your area that specialize in native plants by visiting National Suppliers Directory and searching by state or region.

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Tuesday - January 24, 2006

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