Planting trials in southern New Mexico with fourwing saltbush seeds on mesquite dunes and on shaded and nonshaded interdune areas during 3 successive years revealed that seedling emergence was always greater on shaded areas. Planting depth (2 and 5 cm) did not appear to be a critical factor in seedling emergence. The shade provided by mesquite canopy explains, in part, why fourwing saltbush occurs with much higher frequency on dunes than on interdune areas.