Forestiera neomexicana
Common Names: Stretchberry, Desert Olive, Tanglewood, Devil’s Elbow, Spring Goldenglow, Spring Herald, New Mexico Privet, or Texas Forsythia
Botanical & Ecological Characteristics:
Note: New Mexico Privet is not in the Privet family but in the Olive family. It is listed here on this sight under Privet as most people think it is.
Forestiera neomexicana by High Plains Gardening
Forestiera neomexicana – A.Gray. by Plants for a Future
FORESTERIA NEOMEXICANA “New Mexico Privet” (Desert Olive) by Colorado Hardy Plants
Forestiera neomexicana – New Mexican Privet; New Mexican Forestiera; Desert Olive by Denver Botanic Gardens
Forestiera pubescens. Synonym: Forestiera neomexicana by SW Colorado Flowers
Forestiera pubescens Nutt. var. pubescens stretchberry by United States Department of Agriculture
“Jemez” New Mexico forestiera by United States Department of Agriculture
New Mexico Forestiera, Desert Olive, New Mexico Privet, Palo Blanco by Texas A & M
New Mexican Privet by Wyoming Plant Company
New Mexico Privet (Forestiera) by Conservation 4 You
New Mexico Privet – Forestiera neomexicana by Eldorado Windy Farm
STRETCHBERRY FORESTIERA PUBESCENS by United States Department of Agriculture
STRETCHBERRY Forestiera pubescens Nutt. by United States Department of Agriculture
Bonsai Information:
New Mexico privet make really good Bonsai. The leaves are naturally small and the bark of the tree is very light colored almost like a Quaking Aspen. Cuts generally do not heal well and you will be lucky if they do heal over. I have shifted to making jin instead of trying to get the tree to heal a wound. They seem to take re-potting extremely well. The will take heavy root pruning with no problems. I think you can style a New Mexico privet in any style you want providing you find a tree that will fit the style you want. Shown below is a 21 year old informal tree, a weeping tree, wind blown and finally a very, very, very tall literati tree. I have another large trunked shohin tree under development. I have two more trees that have had nothing done to them. I winter trees still in their nursery pots in gravel bunkers. Trees planted in Bonsai pots spend the winter in my garage. The 21 year old tree below is routinely pruned back to a pair of leaves each season to keep it small. Leaf color is a light green color and fall color is yellow.
There is not much information out on New Mexico Privet for Bonsai. The Bonsai Nut Forum has several threads on them. Here is the best one:
Foresteria Neomexicana Forest Progression by Bonsai Nut Forum
New 05-02-2021:
I have two trees blooming right now for the first time. This makes for a total of three trees I have that have now started blooming. Last years tree shown in the photo below did not bloom this year or at least not yet. The Literati tree has bloomed two years in a row. It must like where it grows on the growing bench.
New 10-17-2020: Out of my three New Mexico Privet Bonsai trees this one below still has most of its leaves and has turned a soft yellow for fall. It still has it blue berries on it as well. I hope you enjoy it.
Forestiera neomexicana – New Mexico Privet Bonsai – Fall Colors
New 07-07-2020: One of my New Mexico Privet Bonsai trees has developed fruit on the tree for the first time. Several of my trees have flowered from time to time but they have never produced any fruit. As of this posting the fruit are tiny little green clusters of any where from 3 to 7 balls. A search of the internet shows they will eventually turn a blue color similar to a Blueberry. This is really exciting to see the tree finally produce some fruit. This was my second New Mexico privet from Arborland Nursery in Milikin, Colorado. Here is a gallery of my tree and some photos from the internet.
Finished Trees:
New Mexico Privet Bonsai Tree II New 08-18-2020
New Mexico Privet Bonsai Weeping Tree Updated 10-24-2021
Progression Trees:
This tree was potted into a Chuck Iker pot this spring. The tree was covered in moss in order to help keep it from drying out sooner because of the shallow pot. The tree was placed on a growing bench under 30% shade cloth the tree did receive direct eastern sun. The tree did extremely well all year long and is wintering in the garage until spring.
