Plant Conservation
The ABQ 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). Located at Poppy Hill at the Botanic Garden’s 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). Located at Poppy Hill at the Botanic Garden’s Heritage Farm. The New Mexico beardtongue is a locally common plant. It serves as 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). Located at the Botanic Garden’s Butterfly Pavilion.
- Fugate’s amsonia (Amsonia fugatei) Located across the Botanic Garden in the Railroad Garden, Poppy Hill at the Heritage Farm and Curandera Garden.
- Holy Ghost ipomopsis (Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus) Located at the Botanic Garden’s Butterfly Pavilion.
- Lesser yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum).
- Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis). Located in the Botanic Garden’s Curandera Garden.
- Osha (Ligusticum porter). Located in the Botanic Garden’s Curandera Garden.
- Elkweed (Frasera speciose). Located in the Botanic Garden’s Curandera Garden.
- Santa Fe cholla (Cylindropuntia viridiflora). Located at the Zoo and Botanic Garden.
- El Paso pricklypear (Opuntia arenaria). Located at the Botanic Garden. Salvaged from southern New Mexico, these endangered prickly pears are in the garden’s collection as cultivated seed and propagule source.