During two consecutive years, the content of chlorophylls a and b and carotenoids(x + c) was determined, seasonally, in foliar tissue of native trees (T) and shrubs (S) from northeastern Mexico such as Acacia rigidula (S), Bumelia celastrina (T), Castela texana (S), Celtis pallida (S), Croton cortesianus (S), Forestiera angustifolia (S), Karwinskia humboldtiana (S), Lantana macropoda (S), Leucophyllum frutescens (S), Prosopis laevigata (T), Zanthoxylum fagara (T). Pigment determinations were carried out in a region of the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico at three county (Los Ramones, China, Linares) sites, which are grouped under a similar climatic pattern. Measurements were quantified spectrophotometrically. With exception of the interaction year*plant of carotenoids content at Los Ramones site, all pigments were significantly different between years, seasons and between plants within years and seasons. All plants had marginal higher chlorophyll a content at Linares (overall mean = 0.79 mg g -1 fw) than China (0.71) or Los Ramones (0.66) site. Chlorophyll b content followed a similar trend as chlorophyll a (0.29, 0.25 and 0.23, respectively). Marginal differences in carotenoids content, in all plants, were found among sites being the overall mean of 0.2 mg carotenoids g -1 fw. Yearly and seasonal variations in plant pigments might have been related to seasonal water deficits, excessive irradiance levels during summer and extreme low temperatures in winter that could have affected leaf development and senescence.