12 Benefits of Planting Native El Paso Plants in Your Landscape

April 16, 2023
6 min read

El Paso is one of the most beautiful cities in Texas. Ask anyone who lives there and they’ll tell you that it’s full of charming people, the freshness of crisp desert air, and gorgeous native El Paso plants. It’s unsurprising to hear that one of the newest trends among landscapers in the area involves adding plants native to El Paso to backyard plants. 

This trend might not be so much of a trend. Rather, it could be a trend that’s here to stay. Part of the reason why so many people speculate that it’s going to be a regular part of landscaping from here on out deals with the benefits. 

Simply put, there are a lot of benefits to having native plants in your garden. These, in particular, are the ones people rave about. 

1. You’re actually doing the right thing by the environment.

The biggest issue that we all face today is climate change and climate destruction. Currently, one of the biggest threats to climate destruction is the introduction of foreign plants into gardens and new environments. This can lead to native plants being pushed out of their ecosystems and local fauna starving as a result. 

Planting native El Paso plants in your garden keeps this from happening. It’s literally where they are supposed to be! 

2. The selection will be unique to Texas.

Many peope don’t give enough credit to the sheer number of plants that Texas has within its borders. This is especially true about El Paso’s plant life. There are plants that are totally indigenous and unique to Texas, so why not make your garden stand out by choosing those? 

Every home can have a rose garden, but not every home can have a garden with an Anacacho Orchid Tree. Everyone can have tulips, but how many can have a powdery pink Desert Willow? That can and will make your home stand out. 

3. You will reduce the need for water and fertilizer. 

If nothing else, El Paso rightfully earned its reputation for being desert-like and hard to develop. It’s not fertile soil, and it’s fairly dry. Most plants in the contiguous United States can’t grow well in El Paso. 

El Paso native plants don’t need that much water or fertilizer. They’ve naturally adapted to the harsh landscape, which means that you won’t have to spend extra keeping them alive. They’ll do fine in a typical El Paso summer. 

4. It can help ramp up the desert ambiance of your backyard.

Contrary to popular belief, the look of a desert can be incredibly beautiful—even intoxicating. Deserts have their own unique sense of beauty that makes them appealing for people who love the idea of living like a cowboy. 

Barrel cacti and similarly native plants of El Paso offer up a genuine glance at desert beauty, What’s not to love?

5. They may be more resistant to pests and disease.

Because El Paso Texas native plants are evolved to grow in difficult regions, it should come as no surprise to you that they are often quite pest- and disease-resistant. Many of the pests that ravage gardens aren’t native to Texas and prefer non-native plants. 

By choosing native plants El Paso already has, you’re making sure that you reduce the number of pesticides you have to deal with. You also might be able to avoid certain fungi and blight-based diseases. It’s a major win, especially if you’re sensitive to poisons. 

6. You might also be able to grow edible food that you can’t get in stores. 

El Paso has several plants that are edible and native to it. You can grow your own Lechuguilla plants and use the fruit in a salad or sink your teeth into a grilled Century Plant root. There are tons of native El Paso plants that are absolutely delicious when prepared right. 

Unfortunately, most of the United States will never dine on such things because it’s hard to mass produce them. That doesn’t have to be you, though! You can taste the real flavors of Texas in a way that others can’t: by planting native species to El Paso!

Fans of herbal medicine may also find a new ally in native plants of El Paso. Several plants can be made into healthy teas that curb digestive issues and general malaise. 

7. Your overall workload might decline.

Think about it. Plants native to El Paso are drought-resistant, disease-resistant, and resistant to many of the pests in the area. That basically makes these native plants as durable as possible. With that durability comes less need for costly (and time-consuming) maintenance. 

Consider how much effort and work it takes to keep something along the lines of a rose garden or orchid garden going in Texas heat. It’s a lot and if you hire professionals, it’s also a costly addition to your monthly bills. 

Investing in native El Paso plants is a smart way to curb your workload. They don’t require as much effort and can handle themselves pretty well. Who knows? With some effort, you might be able to say goodbye to lawncare services. 

8. Finally, it’s actually a great educational experience for you and your kids. 

People often underestimate how much benefit planting native El Paso plants can be for you and your garden. Part of the perks of going for a more indigenous garden deal with learning about El Paso’s history and environment. 

Very few hobbies can get you into a sense of community pride and history like actually seeing a backyard that looks like it could have historically been part of your home. The more you learn about El Paso’s rich environment, the more you’ll want to go native.

It’s cool to go for native El Paso plants. 

Right now, society is working to get back to its roots. This can mean many different things to many different people, but the bottom line is that planting indigenous plants is best. Once you redo your garden in a more nature-friendly way, it’s going to be hard to ever want to go back. 

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