Thursday, February 27, 2014

Alamogordo, New Mexico: Tree Life


"Yucca palm" [sic], Alamogordo, New Mexico



Although I left New Mexico in September 2013, there's more to say about it. Here's one of those things.


There are a number of plants in New Mexico that I admire for their hardiness in an adverse climate and their hospitality to other living things.

The soaptree yucca is one of them. I love those guys. They are stand-up soldiers, waving to passers-by alongside the roads, never whining, always at the ready to provide some sustenance to their fellow biota.


The "yucca palm" seems similar. It's a thick-bodied tree with a crown of dense foliage. It can support a village of small birds within. Unfortunately, I can't confirm exactly what this tree really is, though I've tried several times. "Yucca palm" appears to be the lazy-ass name, but it may be neither a palm nor a yucca.  


"Yucca palm" [sic], Alamogordo, New Mexico


There were a lot of "yucca palms" in my Alamogordo neighborhood. They teemed with small birds year-round.



 

No comments: