Range Plants as Ornamentals

Abstract

Range plants are being widely used by homeowners to make attractive settings around their homes. These plants often have desirable characteristics such as large flower, thorns, or unusual shapes. These plants are usually easy to maintain and require little irrigating, an important consideration in the Southwest. Ranchers are starting to capitalize on the demand for these range plants by selling them to either homeowners or nursuries. A few species of plants being sought for landscapes are rare and have either poor or at least slow reproduction. Already some of these rare plants have been completely removed by homeowners from the rangelands surrounding cities. Public education is needed if these plants are to remain as part of the aesthetic beauty of our ranges.