Oaks in the New-Mexican Urban Landscape

After our oak hunting trip through southern New Mexico, Michael Melendrez took us (Ryan Russel and me) to see oaks he had planted over the years in the cities of Los Lunas where he lives and Albuquerque, the state's largest city.  We had already seen oaks that had been planted in Las Cruces.  Michael included many oak species in the landscaping projects he has done.  We have seen Quercus buckleyi (not native to New Mexico), Q. muehlenbergii, Q. oblongifolia, Q. rugosa, and Q. turbinella. The latter is not always treated with dignity by the city of Los Lunas as can be seen in the pictures here after.  

(Click on the pictures below to open high resolution photographs)

Quercus turbinella in Los Lunas, New Mexico

Quercus muehlenbergii in Los Lunas

Quercus oblongifolia in Albuquerque (above and below)