Trees and Plants

There is an incredible diversity of plant life in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

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Trees and Plants Details

There is an incredible diversity of plant life in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. You can find dozens of species of cacti here, as well as other succulents like agave and yucca. From April through June, these plants blossom in an array of shapes and colors. Surprisingly, ferns are another common plant in the park. Though often found in wet areas, ferns are quite drought-resistant, because of their waxy leaves and their ability to curl up into tight balls to minimize surface area. The McKitttrick Canyon trail is particularly rife with ferns. Trees require a lot of water, and thus are not very common in the park. Along streams you will find oak and maple, while the mountainsides are dominated by Ponderosa Pine. Down low you'll find many species of shrubs or stunted trees like Honey Mesquite. Often times trees that grow at low elevations in the desert appear like shrubs, because they do not have enough nutrients to grow to their full potential. The desert also has some wildflowers, though not as many as some other deserts that receive more precipitation. The majority of the blooms that you will see after monsoon season are cactus, yucca and agave flowers.

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