When to Plant Arborvitae in New Mexico

Plant Nursery Stock

Monday, March 8, 2027

Based on Algodones · Zone 7b

Last frost: Monday, April 5, 2027

State

New Mexico

USDA Zones

5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

Avg Last Frost

Monday, April 5, 2027

Cities Covered

346

New Mexico Planting Schedule by Zone

New Mexico spans 8 zones — find yours below for the most accurate dates.

Zone	Last Frost	Plant	Example Cities
5a	Monday, May 10, 2027	Monday, April 12, 2027	Costilla
5b	Sunday, April 25, 2027	Sunday, March 28, 2027	La Jara, Lindrith, Regina
6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027	Bluewater, Cuba, Estancia
6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027	Casa Blanca, Cedarvale, Coyote
7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027	Cedar Crest, Cerrillos, Claunch
7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027	Algodones, Belen, Bernalillo
8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027	Albuquerque, Truth Or Consequences, Arrey
8b	Monday, March 15, 2027	Monday, February 15, 2027	Las Cruces, White Sands Missile Range, Berino

Dates based on average last frost. Check your local forecast before planting.

About Arborvitae

Scientific Name Thuja occidentalis

Plant Type Evergreen Tree (nursery stock)

Sun Full Sun to Light Shade

Water Moderate; water well first year

Spacing 4 ft apart

Growing Arborvitae in New Mexico: Complete Guide

Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is planted as nursery stock — a container-grown or bare-root plant from a garden center, not seed. Depending on your zone, the ideal spring window in New Mexico falls between February 15, 2027 (Zone 8b) and April 12, 2027 (Zone 5a); early fall works too, once summer heat breaks.

Because New Mexico stretches across 8 USDA hardiness zones (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b), planting windows can shift by as much as six to eight weeks from one end of the state to the other. Gardeners in the warmer southern zones can start earlier, while those in cooler northern zones should wait until the zone table above shows their last frost has passed.

Arborvitae requires full sun to light shade and moderate; water well first year moisture. In the arid Southwest, intense sun and low humidity mean irrigation is essential; mulch to prevent rapid soil moisture loss.

For the most precise planting dates tailored to your exact location, enter your ZIP code on our planting calendar or use the zone table above to find the schedule for your area of New Mexico.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant Arborvitae in New Mexico?

In New Mexico, plant container-grown or bare-root Arborvitae around Monday, March 8, 2027 — early spring and fall are the gentlest windows. New Mexico spans zones 5a–8b, so gardeners in warmer zones can plant earlier.

What is the last frost date in New Mexico?

New Mexico spans 8 USDA zones (5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b), so last frost dates vary by region. Costilla (5a) sees frost until around Monday, May 10, 2027, while Las Cruces, White Sands Missile Range, Berino (8b) is frost-free much earlier.

What USDA zones does New Mexico cover for Arborvitae?

New Mexico includes zones 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. Arborvitae grows well across all of these zones with adjusted timing — use the zone table above to find the right dates for your part of the state.

When to Plant Arborvitae by City in New Mexico

Dates are based on each city's USDA zone and average last frost.

City	Zone	Last Frost	Plant
Abiquiu	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Alamogordo	8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Albuquerque	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Alcalde	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Algodones	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Alto	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Amalia	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Amistad	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Angel Fire	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Animas	8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Anthony	8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Anton Chico	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Aragon	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Arenas Valley	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Arrey	8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Arroyo Hondo	5b	Sunday, April 25, 2027	Sunday, March 28, 2027
Arroyo Seco	5b	Sunday, April 25, 2027	Sunday, March 28, 2027
Artesia	8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Aztec	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Bard	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Bayard	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Belen	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Bent	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Berino	8b	Monday, March 15, 2027	Monday, February 15, 2027
Bernalillo	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Blanco	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Bloomfield	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Bluewater	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Bosque	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Bosque Farms	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Brimhall	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Broadview	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Buckhorn	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Buena Vista	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Caballo	8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Canjilon	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Cannon Afb	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Canones	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Capitan	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Caprock	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Capulin	5b	Sunday, April 25, 2027	Sunday, March 28, 2027
Carlsbad	8a	Saturday, March 20, 2027	Saturday, February 20, 2027
Carrizozo	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Carson	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Casa Blanca	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Causey	7b	Monday, April 5, 2027	Monday, March 8, 2027
Cebolla	5b	Sunday, April 25, 2027	Sunday, March 28, 2027
Cedar Crest	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Cedarvale	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Cerrillos	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027
Cerro	5b	Sunday, April 25, 2027	Sunday, March 28, 2027
Chacon	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Chama	5b	Sunday, April 25, 2027	Sunday, March 28, 2027
Chamberino	8b	Monday, March 15, 2027	Monday, February 15, 2027
Chamisal	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Chaparral	8b	Monday, March 15, 2027	Monday, February 15, 2027
Chimayo	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Church Rock	6b	Thursday, April 15, 2027	Thursday, March 18, 2027
Cimarron	6a	Tuesday, April 20, 2027	Tuesday, March 23, 2027
Claunch	7a	Saturday, April 10, 2027	Saturday, March 13, 2027

Showing 60 of 346 cities. Enter your ZIP on the planting calendar for your exact dates.

Other Plants for New Mexico

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