While the majority of these plants can survive on limited water, weekly irrigations (0.75 gallons of water per square foot of canopy area) appear to be required to prevent wilting and to increase flowering. <br/)
Taxonomic Section
Agavaceae
Century-Plant Family
Name: Utah agave, Agave utahensis
Type: Perennial succulent
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom
Bloom period: Mid-spring
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 2ft
Zones: 6-8
Feature: Plant frost freeze days, 120 minimum
Light: Full sun
Aizoaceae
Carpetweed Family
Name: Purple iceplant, Delosperma cooperi
Type: Perennial ground cover
Seasonal color: Pinkish-purple
Bloom period: First frost to winter
Mature height x spread: 6in x 24in
Zones: 5-8
Feature: Rarely bothered by deer
Light: Full sun
Asclepiadaceae
Milkweed Family
Name: Butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Orange bloom
Bloom period: Spring and summer
Mature height x spread: 3ft x 1ft
Zones: 6-9
Feature: Attracts butterflies
Light: Full sun
Asteraceae
Aster Family
Name: Blackfoot daisy, Melampodium leucanthym
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: White
Bloom period: Spring and summer
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 2 ft
Zones: 5-9
Feature: Grown as annual or short lived perennial
Light: Full sun
Name: Blanket flower, Gaillardia aristata
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: Bi-colored red and yellow bloom
Bloom period: Late spring until frost
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 1.5ft
Zones: 3-8
Feature: Fertilization is not required
Light: Full sun
Name: Common white yarrow, Achillea millefolium
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: White bloom
Bloom period: Spring to autumn
Mature height x spread: 1-3ft x spreading
Zones: 3 to 10
Feature: Umbels make long-lasting cut flowers
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Name: Prairie coneflower, Ratibida columnifera
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 2.5ft x 1ft
Zones: 4-8
Feature: Attracts butterflies and honeybees
Light: Full sun
Name: Prairie sagewort, Artemisia ludoviciana
Type: Groundcover
Seasonal color: Inconspicuous bloom
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 6-30"in x 24in
Zones: 4-8
Feature: Aggressively spreading rhizomes
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Buddlejaceae
Butterfly Bush Family
Name: Blackfoot daisy, Melampodium leucanthym
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: White
Bloom period: Spring and summer
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 2 ft
Zones: 5-9
Feature: Grown as annual or short lived perennial
Light: Full sun
Name: Blanket flower, Gaillardia aristata
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: Bi-colored red and yellow bloom
Bloom period: Late spring until frost
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 1.5ft
Zones: 3-8
Feature: Fertilization is not required
Light: Full sun
Name: Common white yarrow, Achillea millefolium
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: White bloom
Bloom period: Spring to autumn
Mature height x spread: 1-3ft x spreading
Zones: 3 to 10
Feature: Umbels make long-lasting cut flowers
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Name: Prairie coneflower, Ratibida columnifera
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 2.5ft x 1ft
Zones: 4-8
Feature: Attracts butterflies and honeybees
Light: Full sun
Name: Prairie sagewort, Artemisia ludoviciana
Type: Groundcover
Seasonal color: Inconspicuous bloom
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 6-30"in x 24in
Zones: 4-8
Feature: Aggressively spreading rhizomes
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Caryophyllaceae
Pink Family
Name: Snow-in-summer, Cerastium tomentosum
Type: Perennial groundcover
Seasonal color: White bloom
Bloom period: Late spring to early summer
Mature height x spread: 8-12in x 12-18in
Zones: 5-9
Feature: Gray foliage
Light: Full sun or partial shade
Cistaceae
Rock-Rose Family
Name: Sunrose, Helianthemum nummularium
Type: Evergreen shrub
Seasonal color: Pale yellow bloom
Bloom period: Mid-spring to early summer
Mature height x spread: 6-8in x 36in
Zones: 4-7
Feature: Each bloom will last one day
Light: Full sun
Crassulaceae
Stone Crop Family
Name: Dragon's blood sedum, Sedum spurium
Type: Succulent perennial
Seasonal color: Pink bloom
Bloom period: Spring
Mature height x spread: 6in x 12-24in
Zones: 5-8
Feature: Native of Caucasus
Light: Full sun or half-day shade
Euphorbiaceae
Spurge Family
Click on image to enlarge
Name: Yellow euphorbia, Euphorbia myrsinites
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom
Bloom period: Early spring
Mature height x spread: 6-8in x spreading
Zones: 5-8
Feature: Colorado list a noxious weed species
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Fabaceae
Pea Family
Name: Bird-of-paradise bush, Caesalpinia gilliesii
Type: Irregular deciduous shrub
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom with long red stamens
Bloom period: Spring to early summer
Mature height x spread: 5-10ft x 4-6ft
Zones: 6-10
Feature: Argentina origin now naturalized in SW United States
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Name: Spanish broom, Spartium junceum
Type: Evergreen shrub
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom
Bloom period: Spring
Mature height x spread: 6-10ft x 6-10ft
Zones: 6-8
Feature: Blooms have sweet honey fragrance
Light: Full sun
Grossulariaceae
Gooseberry Family
Name: Golden currant, Ribes aureum
Type: Deciduous shrub
Seasonal color: Gold tubular bloom
Bloom period: Spring
Mature height x spread: 4-6ft x 4-6ft
Zones: 2-7
Feature: Tolerates alkaline soil without chlorosis
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Lamiaceae
Mint Family
Name: Blue Giant Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Blue bloom
Bloom period: Late summer to early autumn
Mature height x spread: 3ft x 2ft
Zones: 5-8
Feature: Fragrant tubular flowers
Light: Full sun
Name: Lamb's ear, Stachys byzantina
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Pinkish-purple tubular bloom
Bloom period: Mid-summer to frost
Mature height x spread: 1.5ft x 1-3ft
Zones: 4-8
Feature: Woolly white leaves
Light: Full sun to light shade
Name: Licorice mint hyssop, Agastache rupestris
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: Orange bloom
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 1.5-2ft x 1.5ft
Zones: 5-9
Feature: Attracts hummingbirds
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Name: Upright rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis
Type: Evergreen shrub
Seasonal color: Blue bloom
Bloom period: Early spring and autumn
Mature height x spread: 1-4ft x 1-4ft
Zones: 6-8
Feature: Culinary herb
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Liliaceae
Lily Family
Name: Red-hot poker, Kniphofia uvaria
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Red buds to orange or yellow bloom
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 2ft x 2ft with 3-3.5ft flower stalks
Zones: 5-8
Feature: Grass-like leaves
Light: Full sun or partial shade
Malvaceae
Mallow Family
Click on image to enlarge
Name: Wine cup, Callihoe involucrata
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: Purplish-red bloom
Bloom period: Mid-spring
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 2-3ft (moderate spread)
Zones: 3-9
Feature: Thick fleshy spreading roots
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Onagraceae
Primrose Family
Name: Berlandier's sundrops, Calylophus berlandieri
Type: Perennial subshrub
Seasonal color: Bright yellow bloom
Bloom period: Spring and autumn
Mature height x spread: 2ft x 3ft
Zones: 6-8a
Feature: Prefers sand and rock soils
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Click on image to enlarge
Name: Lindheimeri's beeblossom, Gaura lindheimeri
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: White
Bloom period: Late spring and autumn
Mature height x spread: 2.5-4ft x 2-3ft
Zones: 6-9
Feature: Deep taproot for drought tolerance
Light: Full sun
Name: Mexican evening-primrose, Oenothera speciosa
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: White to pink
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 3ft
Zones: 4-8
Feature: Bloom opens during daytime
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Name: Organ Mountain evening-primrose, Oenthera organensis
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 1ft x 3-8ft
Zones: 6-8
Feature: Blooms open in the evening
Light: Full sun
Poaceae
Grass Family
Name: Threadgrass, Nassella tenuissima
Type: Grass
Seasonal color: Green/gold
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 1-2ft x 1ft
Zones: 5-8
Feature: Seed head tangles via wind, forms dense golden balls
Light: Full to partial shade
Name: Western wheatgrass , Agropyron smithii
Type: Grass
Seasonal color: Blue leaves
Bloom period: Summer
Mature height x spread: 1.5ft with 3ft seed heads
Zones: 5-8
Feature: Spreads by rhizomes, nutritious grazing forage
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Rosaceae
Rose Family
Name: Native potentilla, Potentilla fructicosa
Type: Evergreen shrub
Seasonal color: Yellow bloom
Bloom period: Mid-summer to autumn
Mature height x spread: 1-3ft x 1-3ft
Zones: 3-7
Feature: Native to northern latitudes
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Name: Scarlet cinquefoil, Potentilla thurberi
Type: Perennial forb/herb
Seasonal color: Deep red
Bloom period: Mid-summer to early autumn
Mature height x spread: 2.5ft x 2ft
Zones: 4-8
Feature: Attracts bees
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Scrophulariaceae
Figwort Family
Name: Rocky Mountain penstemon, Penstemon strictus
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: Violet-blue bloom
Bloom period: Early summer
Mature height x spread: 2-3ft x 2ft
Zones: 3-8
Feature: A pinon juniper woodland native
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Name: Scarlet bugler penstemon, Penstemon barbatus
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Seasonal color: Scarlet red bloom
Bloom period: Late spring to mid-summer
Mature height x spread: 3ft x 1.5ft
Zones: 2-7
Feature: Tubular bloom with bright green foliage
Light: Full sun
Solanaceae
Potato Family
Name: Pale Desert-thorn, Lycium pallidum
Type: Shrub
Seasonal color: Purple bloom
Bloom period: Early spring
Mature height x spread: 4-6ft x Thicket forming
Zones: 4b-8a
Feature: Invasive sprouting roots
Light: Full sun
Name: Sacred datura, Datura meteloides
Type: Annual/perennial
Seasonal color: White bloom
Bloom period: Spring to autumn
Mature height x spread: 3ft x 5ft
Zones: 3-9ft
Feature: All part poisonous
Light: Full sun
Valerianaceae
Valerian Family
Name: Jupiter's beard, Centranthus ruber
Type: Perennial
Seasonal color: Crimson bloom
Bloom period: Late spring to early summer
Mature height x spread: 3ft x 3ft
Zones: 4-9
Feature: Prolific self-seeder
Light: Full sun to partial shade
