Plants

Diverse Communities

Despite its small footprint, El Morro is home to a variety of plant communities and over 390 different species. From pinyon-juniper woodlands to sprawling shortgrass prairies, the plants at El Morro help support a variety of life.

 
a trail leads through trees at the base of a cliff.
The Inscription Loop takes visitors through the juniper-pinyon woodlands.

NPS Photo

Pinyon-juniper woodlands

Around the base of the sandstone cuesta lies a pinyon-juniper woodland. This woodland is home to three different juniper species: the Rocky Mountain juniper, one-seed juniper, and alligator juniper. Scattered amongst the juniper are pinyon and ponderosa pines. Along the north side of the rock, pockets of Gambel and wavyleaf oak make their home where conditions are generally cooler and wetter.
 
Sunflowers bloom in front of a cliff in the distance
Sunflowers blanket the monument in late summer.

NPS Photo

Juniper-pinyon Savannah

Much of the monument is covered by grasslands interspersed with junipers and pinyons. Many species of grasses and sedges can be found at El Morro. These grasslands provide food to animals like birds, rabbits, and elk and provide cover for small animals like lizards and snakes.

Wildflowers

Summer monsoons provide moisture that allows for the growth of hundreds of wildflowers. Paintbrushes, globemallow, and spectacle pod dot the landscape for most of the summer. By August, the landscape is blanketed in yellow as the cowpen daisies and sunflowers bloom. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies all take advantages of the food the flowers provide.

 

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Last updated: October 24, 2022

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

HC 61 Box 43
Ramah, NM 87321

Phone:

505 783-4226 x801

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