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Plant Collection

A sample listing of the plant collection at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden

Camino de Colores, Botanic Garden

Mediterranean Conservatory

  • Mediterranean holiday

    Pride of Madeira (Echium fastuosum)
  • Island snapdragon (Galvezia speciosa)
  • Spanish Shawl (Heterocentron elegans)
  • Jasmine (Jasminum odoratissimum)
  • Lions-tail (Leonotis leonurus)
  • Granite honey-myrtle (Melaleuca elliptica)
  • Oleander (Nerium oleander ‘Sister Agnus’)
  • Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa)
  • Cape plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)
  • Trumpet flower (Tecomeria ‘Orange Jubilee’)
  • Sweet garlic (Tulbaghia fragrans)
  • Bears breach (Acanthus mollis)
  • Kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos flavidas)
  • Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
  • Natal plum (Carissa grandiflora)
  • Sage-leaf rockrose (Cistus salviifolius)
  • Fortnight lily (Dietes grandiflora)

Desert Conservatory

  • desertDesert butterflybush (Buddleya marrubifolia)
  • Baja fairyduster (Calliandra california)
  • Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)
  • Wild cotton (Gossypium harknessii)
  • Tree morning glory (Ipomea fistulosa)
  • Chuparosa (Justicia californica)
  • Texas ranger (Leucophyllum candidum ‘Thunder cloud’)
  • Texas ranger (Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Rio Bravo’)
  • Morkelia (Morkelia acuminata)
  • Plumbago (Plumbago scandens)
  • Trumpet flower (Tecomeria ‘Orange Jubilee’)
  • Yucca (Yucca linearifolia)

Outside Conservatory

  • outsideGlossey abelia (Abelia grandiflora)
  • Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina)
  • Hollyhock (Althaea rosea)
  • Mat daisy (Anacyclus depressus)
  • Yellow columbine (Aqulegia chrysantha)
  • Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
  • Chocolate flower (Berlanderia lyrata)
  • Butterfly bush (Buddleya davidii)
  • Butterfly bush (Buddleya marrubifolia)
  • Wine cups (Callirhoe involucrate)
  • Sun cups (Calylophus hartwegii)
  • Sun cups (Calylophus serrulatus)
  • Blue mist spirea (Caryopteris clandonensis)
  • Red valerian (Centranthus ruber)
  • Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)
  • Bush anemone (Carpenteria californica)
  • Red valerian (Centranthus ruber)
  • Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
  • Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis)
  • Chiltalpa (Chiltalpa tashkentensis)
  • Oxeye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum)
  • Crimson-spot rockrose (Cistus ladanifer)
  • Purple rockrose (Cistus x purpureus)
  • Sage-leaf rockrose (Cistus salviifolius)
  • Clematis (Clematis sp., white and purple)
  • Rocky Mountain bee plant (Cleome serrulata)
  • Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora)
  • Shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora floribunda)
  • Jimson weed (Datura wrightii)
  • Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
  • Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
  • Blanket flower (Gallardia grandiflora)
  • Whirling butterflies (Gaura lindheimeri)
  • Geranium (Geranium sp.)
  • Verbena (Glandularia gooddingii)
  • Daylily, assorted (Hemeroacallis sp.)
  • Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
  • Angelina daisy (Hymenoxys acalus)
  • Aaron’s beard (Hypericum calycinum)
  • Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
  • Munstead lavender (Lavandula ‘Munstead’)
  • Lobelia (Lobelia laxiflora)
  • Hall’s Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’)
  • Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
  • Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)
  • Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)
  • Oleander (Nerium oleander)
  • Yellow evening primrose (Oenothera missouriensis)
  • Mexican primrose (Oenothera speciosa)
  • Penstemon (Penstemon barbatus)
  • Pine-leaf penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius)
  • Desert penstemon (Penstemon pseudospectabilus)
  • Mock orange (Philidelphis sp.)
  • Phlomis (Phlomis cashmeriana)
  • Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa)
  • Phlomis (Phlomis russeliana)
  • Cape fuchsia (Phygelius capensis)
  • Paper flower (Psilostrophe tagentea)
  • Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
  • Mexican hat (Ratibida columnifera)
  • Roses, assorted (Rosa sp.)
  • Cherry sage (Salvia greggii)
  • Creeping sage (Salvia repens)
  • Mexican elder (Sambucus mexicana)
  • Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii)
  • Spiraea (Spiraea bumalda ‘Anthony Waterer’ & ‘Goldflame’)
  • Lamb’s ears (Stachys lanata)

Endangered, Threatened and Rare Plants

The BioPark is working with many partners to establish ex situ, or “off-site,” populations of threatened, rare or endangered native plants at the Botanic Garden.

Our Partners

  • State of New Mexico Forestry Division
  • New Mexico Heritage Program
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • New Mexico Rare Plant Technical Council
  • University of New Mexico

How the BioPark Helps

  • Seeds provided by our partners are germinated at the BioPark greenhouses by horticulture staff.
  • Plants are tended by horticulture staff.
  • Horticulture staff work with conservation partners on research projects and seed collection.
  • Plant identification labels and interpretive signs educate visitors about the plants.
  • Conservation events highlight the species in the collection.

Ex Situ Plant Collection

  • Sacramento prickly poppy - Argemone pleiacanthassp. pinnatisecta – Poppy Hill at Heritage Farm
    The Botanic Garden has become a state-wide seed source for the poppies.  Seeds given to U.S. Forest Service are being grown for reintroduction into the wild. 
  • New Mexico beardtongue - Penstemon neomexicanus – Poppy Hill at the Heritage Farm.The New Mexico beardtongue is a locally common plant.  It is food for the caterpillars of the rare Sacramento Mountain checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas anicia cloudcrofti). Seeds and seedlings are used in habitat restoration for the butterfly.
  • Wright’s marsh thistle - Cirsium wrightii - PNM Butterfly Pavilion
  • Fugate’s amsonia - Amsonia fugatei - Railroad Garden, Poppy Hill at the Heritage Farm and Curandera Garden
  • Holy Ghost ipomopsis - Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus - Butterfly Pavilion
  • Lesser yellow lady’s slipper - Cypripedium parviflorum - seed had been successfully germinated and we are waiting for the plants to grow large enough to plant in the garden.
  • Goldenseal - Hydrastis canadensis – Curandera Garden
  • Osha - Ligusticum porteri – Curandera Garden
  • Elkweed - Frasera speciosa – Curandera Garden
  • Santa Fe cholla - Cylindropuntia viridiflora – Zoo and Botanic Garden
  • El Paso pricklypear - Opuntia arenaria – Botanic Garden
    Salvaged from southern New Mexico, these endangered prickly pears are in the garden’s collection as cultivated seed and propagule source.