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Tours

1. UNM Arborist Rockstar Tree Tour

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      UNM Arborists’ Rockstar Trees

      The University of New Mexico is a nationally accredited
      arboretum with over 5,000 trees from 235 different
      species. In 20 26, UNM is launching Arboretum Tours.
      The trees identified in the "Rockstar Trees" route were
      chosen by UNM's lead arborist to emphasize unique and
      noteworthy trees on campus. Many of the trees
      highlighted in the tour are rare and difficult to grow in
      New Mexico; most should not be grown at home.

   2. Paper Mulberry

      Common Name: Paper Mullberry
      Botanic Name: Broussonetia papyrifera
      The paper mulberry grows extremely fast and is very tough and sometimes considered invasive outside its native habitat in East and Southeast Asia. Historically, it has been used for paper and cloth.
      Native range: Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma)
      Sustainability focus: Renewable natural materials

   3. Chinese Table Pine

      Common Name: Chinese Table Pine
      Botanic Name: Pinus tabuliformis
      The Chinese table pine is traditionally planted near temples and homes in China for good fortune. It is a resilient evergreen known for its flat-topped, table-like crown ("tabuliformis" means "table-shaped"). It can grow 40–70 feet tall and has a distinctive peeling bark.
      Native range: Northern and central China and Korea
      Sustainability focus: Erosion control, cultural sustainability

   4. California Buckeye

      Common Name: California Buckeye
      Botanic Name: Aesculus californica
      The California buckeye drops its leaves in mid-to-late summer to eliminate water loss through transpiration, a drought survival strategy. Despite appearing dead in summer, the tree is usually alive, requiring no supplemental water.
      Native range: Northwestern and central western California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada foothills, Tehachapi Mountains, Great Central Valley, southwestern Mohave Desert, and southwestern Oregon
      Sustainability focus: Drought resistance

   5. Osage Orange

      Common Name: Osage Orange
      Botanic Name: Maclura pomifera 'White Shield'
      The Osage orange has extremely durable wood that has historically been used for tools and fencing.
      Native range: Red River drainage, spanning parts of Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas
      Sustainability focus: Natural materials

   6. Dawn Redwood

      Common Name: Dawn Redwood
      Botanic Name: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
      The dawn redwood is one of three extant redwood species in the world. It is a deciduous conifer, rather than an evergreen. This means that it sheds its leaves in the fall, is bare in winter, and grows new leaves in the spring.
      Native range: South-central China
      Sustainability focus: Biodiversity conservation and climate resilience

   7. Incense Cedar

      Common Name: Incense Cedar
      Botanic Name: Calocedrus decurrens
      The incense cedar has aromatic wood that naturally resists insects and decay. Wood from this tree is used for most U.S. pencils.
      Native range: Western North America: the mountains of Oregon, most of California, northern Baja California, Mexico, and western Nevada
      Sustainability focus: Natural materials

   8. Cork Oak

      Common Name: Cork Oak
      Botanic Name: Quercus suber
      The cork oak is an evergreen oak best known for its thick, spongy bark—harvested to make natural cork without harming the tree. This remarkable adaptation protects the tree from fire, drought, and pests, allowing it to live for centuries and be harvested repeatedly over its lifetime. Cork oaks also support rich biodiversity.
      Native range: Western Mediterranean region, especially Portugal, Spain, southern France, Italy, and parts of North Africa
      Sustainability focus: Renewable resources

   9. Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine

      Common Name: Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine
      Botanic Name: Pinus aristata
      The Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine is a long-lived, hardy conifer native to high-elevation. These ancient trees thrive in harsh, subalpine environments (7,500–12,000+ feet), living for over 2,500 years by growing extremely slowly and creating dense, resinous wood.
      Native range: Colorado, New Mexico, and a small area of Arizona
      Sustainability focus: Climate resilience: thriving in poor soils, cold temperatures, intense sun, and low water availability

   10. Tulip Tree

       Common Name: Tulip Tree
       Botanic Name: Liriodendron tulipifera
       The tulip tree is a tall hardwood offering major shade and pollinator-friendly flowers. It is one of the tallest hardwoods in North America.
       Native range: Eastern North America
       Sustainability focus: Carbon sequestration, urban canopy, heat reduction, and pollinator support

   11. White Alder

       Common Name: White Alder
       Botanic Name: Alnus rhombifolia
       The white alder is a deciduous tree native to riparian areas, streamsides, and canyons in Western North America. It thrives in moist soil, often serving as a key species for erosion control and habitat restoration. The white alder fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving soil health naturally.

   12. Eastern Wahoo

       Common Name: Eastern Wahoo
       Botanic Name: Euonymus atropurpureus
       The bright fall fruits of the eastern wahoo tree provide late-season food for birds. It prefers moist soils.
       Native range: Central and eastern United States, ranging from Southern Canada (Ontario) to Florida and eastern Texas
       Sustainability focus: Urban wildlife habitat

   13. Chinese Windmill Palm

       Common Name: Chinese Windmill Palm
       Botanic Name: Trachycarpus fortunei
       The Chinese windmill palm is a cold-hardy palm, and is one of the few palms that can survive outdoors year-round with minimal protection in New Mexico. Once established, it is a low water use tree and its flowers support pollinators. It is native to mountainous regions of central and eastern China, with related populations in parts of the Himalayas.
       Native range: Mountainous regions of central and eastern China, parts of the Himalayas
       Sustainability focus: Climate-adaptive landscaping, natural materials

   14. Hardy Rubber Tree

       Common Name: Hardy Rubber-tree
       Botanic Name: Eucommia ulmoides
       The hardy rubber-tree produces natural rubber and is fine in cold but not very heat tolerant. It is a good urban tree that tolerates air-pollution, poor drainage, compacted soil, and drought.
       Native range: Central and western China
       Sustainability focus: Plant-based, natural materials, and environmental resilience

   15. Black Gum

       Common Name: Black Gum
       Botanic Name: Nyssa sylvatica
       The black gum is one of the first trees to turn red in fall and is known for its blocky bark. It thrives in varied habitats from swamps to dry uplands. It is a critical pollinator plant, a long-lived species, and a preferred home for wildlife due to its tendency to hollow out and provide fruit.
       Native range: Eastern United States, Mexico, and Ontario.
       Sustainability focus: Habitat support

   16. American Sweet Gum

       Common Name: America Sweet Gum
       Botanic Name: Liquidambar styraciflua
       The American sweet gum is known for its star-shaped leaves and brilliant fall colors. During the summer, this tree provides shade and cooling. This tree is not tolerant of alkaline soils and is usually chlorotic in Albuquerque.
       Native range: Southeastern US, Mexico, and Central America
       Sustainability focus: Heat reduction

        

   17. Fontanesia

       Common Name: Fontanesia
       Botanic Name: Fontanesia philliraeoides subsp. Fortunesia
       Fontanesia is an early bloomer that supports pollinators emerging in spring.
       Native range: China
       Sustainability focus: Pollinator support