Colorado Recommended

Commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in Colorado. Visit our Suppliers Directory to locate businesses that sell native plants or seeds or provide professional landscape or consulting services in this state. Visit the Organizations Directory to locate native plant societies, conservation groups, governmental agencies, botanical gardens, arboreta, and other plant-related organizations in this state.


Thumb Species Characteristics

Abies concolor
White Fir, Balsam Fir, Colorado Fir, Concolor Fir, Silver Fir, White Balsam, Oyamel De California

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water:

Abies lasiocarpa
Subalpine Fir

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Acer glabrum
Rocky Mountain Maple

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun
Water:

Acer grandidentatum
Bigtooth Maple, Big-toothed Maple, Uvalde Bigtooth Maple, Southwestern Bigtooth Maple, Canyon Maple, Sabinal Maple, Western Sugar Maple

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub, Tree
Light: Sun
Water: Moist

Acer negundo
Box Elder, Box Elder Maple, Ash-leaved Maple, Ashleaf Maple, Red River Maple, Fresno De Guajuco

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun
Water: Moist

Achillea millefolium
Common Yarrow, Western Yarrow, Yarrow, Milfoil

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Achnatherum hymenoides
Indian Ricegrass, Indian Millet, Sandgrass

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Actaea rubra
Red Baneberry

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia
Thinleaf Alder

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun
Water: Moist

Amelanchier alnifolia
Saskatoon Serviceberry, Western Serviceberry, Juneberry

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Amorpha fruticosa
Indigo Bush, False Indigo Bush, False Indigo, Desert False Indigo

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Amorpha nana
Dwarf False Indigo, Fragrant Indigo-bush, Fragrant False Indigo, Dwarf Wild Indigo

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Anaphalis margaritacea
Western Pearly Everlasting, Pearly-everlasting

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Andropogon gerardii
Big Bluestem, Tall Bluestem, Turkeyfoot

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Andropogon hallii
Sand Bluestem

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun
Water:

Aquilegia coerulea
Colorado Blue Columbine, Rocky Mountain Columbine

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Shade
Water: Moist

Aquilegia flavescens
Yellow Mountain Columbine, Yellow Columbine, Golden Columbine

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Part-shade
Water: Moist

Aquilegia jonesii
Jones' Columbine, Blue Limestone Columbine

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Part-shade
Water: Moist

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Kinnikinnick, Red Bearberry, Kinnikinnik

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Artemisia cana
Silver Sagebrush, Coaltown Sagebrush, Dwarf Sagebrush, Hoary Sagebrush, Silvery Sagebrush

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Artemisia filifolia
Sand Sagebrush, Silver Sagebrush, Silvery Wormwood, Sand Sage

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Artemisia frigida
Prairie Sagewort, Prairie Sagebrush, Fringed Sage, Pasture Sage

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Artemisia tridentata
Big Sagebrush, Great Basin Sagebrush

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Asclepias incarnata
Swamp Milkweed, Pink Milkweed

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Wet, Moist

Asclepias tuberosa
Butterflyweed, Butterfly Weed, Butterfly Milkweed, Orange Milkweed, Pleurisy Root, Chigger Flower, Chiggerweed

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Moist, Dry

Atriplex canescens
Chamiso, Four-wing Saltbush, Wing-scale

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Atriplex confertifolia
Shadscale, Spiny Saltbush, Shadscale Saltbush, Hop Sage

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Balsamorhiza sagittata
Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Arrow-leaf Balsamroot

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Moist

Betula occidentalis
Water Birch, Mountain Birch

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Betula papyrifera
Paper Birch, Canoe Birch, White Birch

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Bouteloua curtipendula
Sideoats Grama, Banderilla, Banderita, Navajita

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Bouteloua dactyloides
Buffalograss, Buffalo Grass

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Bouteloua gracilis
Blue Grama

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Caltha leptosepala
White Marsh-marigold, Elks-lip

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Part-shade
Water: Wet

Campanula uniflora
Arctic Bellflower

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light:
Water:

Ceanothus velutinus
Snowbrush, Snowbrush Ceanothus, Tobacco-brush, Mountain Balm, Buckbrush

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Celtis occidentalis
Common Hackberry, Northern Hackberry, American Hackberry, Nettle Tree, Beaverwood, False Elm

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Cercocarpus ledifolius
Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany, Curl-leaf Mountain-mahogany

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Cercocarpus montanus
Alderleaf Mountain Mahogany, Silverleaf Mountain Mahogany, Mountain Mahogany

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Chamerion angustifolium ssp. angustifolium
Fireweed, Narrow-leaf Fireweed, Willow Herb

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Moist

Cornus sericea ssp. sericea
Redosier Dogwood, Red Osier Dogwood

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water:

Dalea purpurea
Purple Prairie Clover

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda
Shrubby Cinquefoil, Golden Hardhack, Potentilla

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Delphinium barbeyi
Subalpine Larkspur

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Shade
Water:

Delphinium nuttallianum
Twolobe Larkspur, Two-lobe Larkspur, Delphinium

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Ericameria nauseosa var. nauseosa
Rubber Rabbitbrush, Rabbitbrush

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub, Shrub
Light: Sun
Water:

Erigeron speciosus
Aspen Fleabane, Showy Fleabane

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water:

Fallugia paradoxa
Apache Plume, Ponil

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Fendlera rupicola
Cliff Fendlerbush, False Mock-orange

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Festuca rubra
Red Fescue

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun
Water: Wet

Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Green Ash, Red Ash, Swamp Ash, River Ash, Water Ash, Darlington Ash

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Wet, Moist, Dry

Gaillardia aristata
Common Gaillardia, Great Blanketflower, Blanketflower, Brown-eyed Susan

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Gaillardia pulchella
Indian Blanket, Firewheel, Girasol Rojo

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Gutierrezia sarothrae
Broom Snakeweed, Kindlingweed, Matchbrush, Texas Snakeweed, Broomweed, Turpentine Weed, Matchweed

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb, Subshrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Juniperus communis
Common Juniper

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Juniperus horizontalis
Creeping Juniper, Creeping Savin

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Juniperus monosperma
Oneseed Juniper, One-seed Juniper, Cherrystone Juniper, New Mexico Juniper, West Texas Juniper

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Part-shade
Water:

Juniperus scopulorum
Rocky Mountain Juniper, Rocky Mountain Red Cedar, Mountain Red Cedar, Colorado Red Cedar, Western Red Cedar, River Juniper, Western Juniper, Cedro Rojo

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Kalmia microphylla
Alpine Laurel

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light: Sun
Water: Wet

Krascheninnikovia lanata
Winterfat

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water:

Liatris punctata
Dotted Blazing Star, Dotted Gayfeather, Dotted Liatris, Purples

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Linum kingii
King's Flax

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light:
Water:

Linum lewisii var. lewisii
Prairie Flax, Blue Flax

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Lonicera involucrata
Twinberry Honeysuckle, Black Twinberry Honeysuckle, Black Twinberry, Bearberry Honeysuckle, Four-line Honeysuckle

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Machaeranthera tanacetifolia
Tahoka Daisy, Tansy-aster, Tansey-leaf Tansy-aster, Tansyleaf Tansyaster

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Mahonia repens
Creeping Barberry, Creeping Oregon-grape

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Melampodium leucanthum
Blackfoot Daisy, Rock Daisy, Plains Blackfoot, Arnica

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Mimosa borealis
Fragrant Mimosa, Pink Mimosa

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Monarda punctata
Spotted Beebalm, Spotted Horsemint, Horsemint

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Oenothera caespitosa
Tufted Evening Primrose, Gumbo Evening Primrose, Gumbo Lily, Fragrant Evening Primrose, Tufted Evening-primrose

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Oenothera nuttallii
Nuttall's Evening-primrose

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water:

Panicum virgatum
Switchgrass, Wand Panic Grass

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Pascopyrum smithii
Western Wheatgrass

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Penstemon angustifolius
Broadbeard Penstemon, Broadbeard Beardtongue, Whorled Penstemon, Whorled Beardtongue

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water:

Penstemon barbatus
Scarlet Bugler, Beard-lip Penstemon, Beard-lip Beardtongue, Red Penstemon, Red Beardtongue, Goldenbeard Penstemon, Goldenbeard Beardtongue, Saint Joseph's Staff, Varita De San Jose

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Penstemon jamesii
James's Penstemon, James's Beardtongue, James Penstemon, James Beardtongue

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water:

Penstemon strictus
Rocky Mountain Penstemon, Rocky Mountain Beardtongue

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Part-shade
Water:

Peritoma lutea
Yellow Bee-plant, Yellow Spiderflower

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Peritoma multicaulis
Slender Bee-plant, Slender Spiderflower

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Wet, Moist, Dry

Peritoma serrulata
Rocky Mountain Bee-plant, Stinking-clover, Bee Spiderflower, Navajo Spinach, Pink Cleome, Toothed Spiderflower, Skunkweed

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Physocarpus opulifolius
Common Ninebark, Atlantic Ninebark

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Wet, Moist, Dry

Picea engelmannii
Engelmann's Spruce, Engelmann Spruce

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Picea pungens
Blue Spruce, Colorado Spruce

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Part-shade
Water: Moist

Pinus contorta
Lodgepole Pine, Beach Pine, Pino De San Pedro Martir

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Pinus edulis
Colorado Pinyon Pine, Colorado Pinyon, Pinyon Pine, Pinyon, Two-needle Pine, Two-needle Pinyon, Two-leaf Pinyon, Nut Pine, Pino Dulce

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Pinus flexilis
Limber Pine, Pino Enano

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Pinus ponderosa
Ponderosa Pine, Western Yellow Pine, Pino Blanco

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Populus angustifolia
Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Narrow-leaf Cottonwood

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun
Water: Wet

Populus deltoides
Eastern Cottonwood, Carolina Poplar, Necklace Poplar, Alamo

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Wet, Moist, Dry

Populus tremuloides
Quaking Aspen, Golden Aspen, Trembling Aspen, Mountain Aspen, Aspen, Trembling Poplar, Alamo Blanco

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Wet, Moist, Dry

Prunus americana
American Plum, Wild Plum

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Prunus virginiana
Chokecherry, Common Chokecherry, Choke Cherry

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Pulsatilla patens ssp. multifida
Cutleaf Anemone, Pasqueflower, Wild Crocus

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Purshia tridentata
Antelope Bitterbrush, Bitterbrush, Antelope Brush

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Quercus gambelii
Gambel Oak, Rocky Mountain White Oak, Utah White Oak

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry

Ranunculus cardiophyllus
Heartleaf Buttercup, Heart-leaf Buttercup

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water:

Ratibida columnifera
Mexican Hat, Red-spike Mexican Hat, Upright Prairie Coneflower, Prairie Coneflower, Long-headed Coneflower, Thimbleflower

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Moist, Dry

Rhus glabra
Smooth Sumac

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Rhus trilobata
Skunkbush, Skunkbush Sumac, Fragrant Sumac, Aromatic Sumac, Scented Sumac, Ill-scented Sumac, Basketbush, Squawbush

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Rubus parviflorus
Western Thimbleberry, Thimbleberry

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Subshrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Rudbeckia hirta
Black-eyed Susan, Common Black-eyed Susan, Brown-eyed Susan, Blackeyed Susan

Duration: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun
Water: Moist, Dry

Rudbeckia laciniata
Green-headed Coneflower, Greenhead Coneflower, Cutleaf Coneflower, Wild Goldenglow, Sochan

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis
Common Elderberry, Black Elder, Mexican Elderberry, Common Elder, Elderberry, Tapiro, Sauco

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Wet

Sambucus racemosa
Red Elderberry

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Wet, Moist

Schizachyrium scoparium
Little Bluestem, Popotillo Azul

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun, Part-shade
Water: Dry

Shepherdia argentea
Silver Buffaloberry, Buffaloberry

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Moist, Dry

Sorbus scopulina
Greene's Mountain Ash, Cascade Mountain-ash, Western Mountain-ash

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Sorghastrum nutans
Indiangrass, Yellow Indiangrass, Indian Grass

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist, Dry

Viburnum opulus
European Cranberrybush

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Light: Sun, Shade, Part-shade
Water: Moist

Yucca baccata
Banana Yucca, Blue Yucca, Fleshy-fruited Yucca, Datil

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Yucca glauca
Soapweed Yucca, Narrowleaf Yucca, Plains Yucca, Beargrass, Great Plains Yucca

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb, Subshrub, Shrub
Light: Sun
Water: Dry

Zinnia grandiflora
Plains Zinnia, Rocky Mountain Zinnia, Prairie Zinnia, Little Golden Zinnia, Yellow Zinnia

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Light: Part-shade
Water: Dry