Albuquerque's Big-I landscaping project

17 years ago

I read in the paper recently that albuquerque is planning a 10 million landscaping project along the 'Big I'. The newspaper noted that the plants were mostly natives. Then they mention a few that makes me wonder. They have eastern redbud and palm yucca (yucca faxonia). Now I'm wondering why they couldn't find a 'native' small tree that was native to nm (or at least near nm). I can think of a few . As for tree yuccas, why not soaptree yucca(yucca elata)? That would've made the most sense. Yucca faxonia, although very popular in abq, is native to a small area in west texas last time I checked. Maybe because they can't find suitable size specimens for yucca elata because of it's taproot... not sure. The mayor said when you see it you'll know your in new mexico. Eastern redbud?

Comments?

Comments (3)

cactus_dude
17 years ago
Hi adb_abq

I don't know much about Eastern Redbud, but it doesn't sound very xeric. I'm glad that they're finally doing something to make the Big-I look better. I agree with you on Yucca elata. A few other plants they should use (IMO):

Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)
Screwbean Mesquite (Prosopis pubescens)
Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)
Desert Olive (Forestiera neomexicana)
Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca)
Banana Yucca (Yucca baccata)
Palmer Agave (Agave Palmeri)
Purple Prickly Pear (Opuntia santa-rita)
Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata)
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
adp_abq
Original Author
17 years ago
Excellent list. Want to consult them?

I think the project in general is great though...
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Crumpet
17 years ago
If you look to see who the designer is, I'm frankly surprised there are no palms in the plan! Perhaps because of the Yucca weevil in the area, they are trying a different species than what has been used for decades here. As for the Eastern Redbud, Baker himself mentions in his book " Water-loving, tender when young....wounds slow to heal." I realize they are looking for a dynamite spring flowering plant, but I've seen very few redbuds of great age in a highway setting that are acceptable.

Who designed the Coors/I40 interchange??