Medium Irrigation

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

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

  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

  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

  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