Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
A Colorado native at 3–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Colorado · Zones 3–6
Native Plants for Colorado
Colorado gardens sit in the Mountain West — a landscape of Rocky Mountain foothills, sagebrush steppe, and montane meadow. The plants below evolved with that climate (semi-arid, cold winters, high sun) and are hardy through zones 3–6, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Mountain Westthe Great Plainsthe Great Basin
Ecoregion: Southern Rockies & High Plains
Collections for Colorado
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Colorado. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
48 native species
For bees
48 native species
Butterflies
44 native species
Hummingbirds
13 native species
For birds
26 native species
Deer-resistant
41 native species
Full sun
54 native species
Drought-tolerant
38 native species
Clay soil
39 native species
Rain garden
18 native species
Groundcovers
7 native species
Flowering shrubs
9 native species
Grasses
7 native species
Low-maintenance
27 native species
Fall color
10 native species
Fragrant
9 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Colorado.
A cross-section of the 56 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A Colorado native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms May through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Colorado, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Native to Colorado and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Jun and reaches 1–2.5 ft.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun — an easy fit for Colorado, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
A Colorado native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jun through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
A Colorado native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms Apr through Jul, comfortable in zones 4–8.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Native to Colorado and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in Apr and May and reaches 15–25 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
6–16 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Colorado, hardy in zones 3–7 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Native to Colorado and hardy in zones 4–9; it blooms Jun through Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
3–6 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Sep — an easy fit for Colorado, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
2–4 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug — an easy fit for Colorado, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
A Colorado native at 1–2 ft tall that blooms May through Sep, comfortable in zones 4–10.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Native to Colorado and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms May through Jul and reaches 1.5–2 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Native to Colorado and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jun through Sep and reaches 1.5–3 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Native to Colorado and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Sep through Nov and reaches 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Sourcing
Where to buy Colorado natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.