by J.E. Klett and C. Wilson1(2/10)
Quick Facts…
- Nurseries carry a greater selection of native and adapted water wise perennials and annuals than ever before.
- Wider plant availability supports new directions in western flower gardens.
- Use this list of perennial and annual plants as a tool for exploring expanded garden possibilities.
Wet climate landscapes have molded perceptions of flower gardens and ingrained the names of the flowers they contain through literature, painting, photography and more. Dry climate gardens by contrast often have evoked images of sparseness and scarcity. No more.
A new view of water wise gardens has evolved from the creativity and experimentation of gardeners. It is supported by the wider availability of native and adapted plants from high altitude dry climates around the world. Plant marketing efforts from nurseries and the Plant Select® program have fostered this plant revolution. Plant Select® seeks to identify and distribute plants best for intermountain and high plains gardens (www.plantselect.org)
Growing on less water does not mean water wise gardens are lacking. They can be colorful, include a wide variety of plants, and delight as much as the traditional English garden border. They can also be subtle and evocative of the wide open skies and intense light of the natural western landscape.
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| Figure 1: Perennials Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Goblin’ (lower right) and Sedum sp. (center left). | Figure 2: Perennials Berlandiera lyrata and Lavandula angustifolia. | Figure 3: Rudbeckia fulgida (top) and Erigeron sp. (below) |
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| Figure 4: Denver City County Building Perennial Gardens (Zauschneria garrettii) | Figure 5: Perennials Native blue Penstemon strictus (left) and P. grandiflorus Prairie Jewel® (center and right). |
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| Figure 6: Annuals Cleome ‘Senorita Rosalita’. | Figure 7:Perennials Delosperma Mesa Verde® (front) D. nubigenum (back). |
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| Figure 8: Annuals Rudbeckia ‘Autumn Colors’ |
Grasses, perennials and wildflowers native to the Rocky Mountain West are frequently found in the modern Colorado flower garden. Annuals easy on water use are seasonally mixed in. Introduced plants from the high and dry areas of the Andes, Himalayas, the Middle East and South Africa are often included. This list of perennials and annuals includes native and adapted plants for the water wise flower garden. Use it as a tool to explore the expanded garden possibilities in the West.
For additional plant suggestions, see other native plant and xeriscape fact sheets available from Colorado State University Extension.
| Perennials | |||||
| Botanical NameCommon Name | CulTivars | Flower Color | Bloom Period | Height | Comments/Cultural hints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achillea hybrids Yarrow |
‘Moonshine’ | Light Yellow | Jun-Sep | 18-36″ | Feathery foliage, vigorous, clump forming |
| Achillea filipendula Fernleaf yarrow |
‘Coronation Gold’‘Parker’s Variety’ | Bright yellowGolden yellow | Jun-SepJun-Sep | 36-42″36-48″ | Gray-green foliage, heat tolerant Weak stems – may require staking |
| Achillea millefolium Common yarrow |
‘Paprika’‘Red Beauty’‘Summer Pastels’‘Terra Cotta’ | Red with yellow centersCrimson redPastel mix Peach pink |
Jun-Sep Jun-SepJun-SepJun-Sep |
18-24″’18-24″’18-24″’ 30-36″ |
Soft, feathery green foliage, vigorous spreading nature.Gray-green feathery foliage, aggressive spreading clump.Feathery foliage, forms clumps.Silvery feathery foliage, spreading nature |
| Achillea ptarmica The Pearl yarrow |
‘The Pearl’ | White | Jun-Sep | 12-18″ | Small sprays of double, buttonlike flowers, open habit, good cut flower |
| Agastacheaurantiaca Hyssop |
Coronado®Coronado® Red | OrangeRed | Jul-OctJul-Oct | 15-18″15-18″ | Silvery green leaves, minty fragrance, Plant Select® plants |
| Agastache cana Hummingbird’s mint |
Sonoran Sunset® | PinkLavender rose | Jul-OctJul-Oct | 24-36″12-18″ | Gray green aromatic foliage, upright clumpsMore compact than species, longer blooming, Plant Select® plant |
| Agastache rupestris Sunset hyssop |
Salmon pink | Jul-Oct | 24-36″ | Gray green aromatic foliage, Plant Select® plant | |
| Agastache hybrid Anise hyssop |
‘Blue Fortune’ | Blue violet | Jul-Oct | 24-48″ | Dark green leaves on stout stems |
| Alcea rosea Hollyhock |
Chater’s series‘Watchman’ | MixMaroon | Jul-SepJuly-Sep | 60-72″60-72″ | Cutting back stalks encourages continuing bloom |
| Antennaria parvifolia Pussytoes |
Pink | May-Jun | 2-6″ | Wooly silvery-gray leaves | |
| Aquilegia chrysantha Yellow columbine |
Denver Gold® | Yellow | May-Aug | 24-36″ | Recurrent bloom if cut back.Southwestern native.Plant Select® plant. |
| Aquilegia Remembrance® columbine |
‘Swan Violet & White’ | Violet-blue and white | May-Jun | 18-24″ | Hybrid developed from native A. caerulea to honor the memory of those shot at Columbine High School. Plant Select® plant |
| Aurinia saxitalis Basket-of-gold |
Yellow | Apr | 6-12″ | Narrow gray-green leaves contrast with bright flowers in bloom. | |
| Baptisia australis False indigo |
Blue | May-Jun | 36-48″ | Attractive brown seed pods. Blue green foliage. | |
| Berlandiera lyrata Chocolate flower |
Yellow | Jun-Sep | 12-24″ | Southeastern Colorado native. Chocolate fragrance from daisy-like flowers. Plant Select® plant | |
| Callirhoe involucrata Prairie winecups |
Magenta pink | Jun-Sep | 6-12″ | Trailing stems sprawl 2 to 3 feet. Plant Select® plant | |
| Calylophus serrulatus Sundrops |
‘Prairie Lode’ | Yellow | Jun-Sep | 6″ | Spreading ground cover.PlantSelect® |
| Centaurea montana Mountain bluet /Perennial bachelor button |
Violet-blue | Jun-Jul | 18-24″ | Spidery cornflowers. Vigorous grower that self-seeds. | |
| Centranthus ruber Red valerian or Jupiter’s Beard |
‘Albus’ | Reddish pinkWhite | Jun-Aug | 24″ | Sprawling plant with blue-green leaves. Reseeds. Deadhead to promote continual blooming. |
| Cerastium tomentosum Snow in summer |
White | May-Jun | 6-12″ | Silvery gray foliage. Needs well drained soil. | |
| Coreopsis auriculata Dwarf coreopsis |
‘Nana’ | Yellow-orange | May-Sep | 6-8″ | Low clump former with evergreen foliage. Dead head flowers. |
| Coreopsis grandiflora Dwarf double coreopsis |
‘Sunray’ | Golden yellow | Jun-Aug | 24″ | Double flowers. Spoon-like vibrant green leaves. Compact plant. |
| Coreopsis lanceolata Lanceleaf coreopsis |
Yellow | Jun-Jul | 18-24″ | Long-lived, fine textured plant with shiny green leaves. | |
| Coreopsis verticillata Fernleaf coreopsis |
‘Moonbeam’‘Zagreb’ | Pale yellowGolden yellow | Jun-Sep | 18-24″12-18″ | Finely dissected, bright green foliage.Deep green thread-like leaves. |
| Delosperma cooperi Purple iceplant |
Violet purple | May-Jun | 2-4′ | Succulent gray-green leaves turn red-purple in winter. | |
| Delosperma nubigenum Yellow iceplant |
Yellow | May-Jul | 1-2″ | Mound of succulent leaves turn purplish in winter. | |
| Delosperma hybrids |
Lavender Ice™MesaVerde®Table Mountain® | LavenderSalmon pinkFuchsia | May-Aug | 2-4″ | Succulent gray-green leaves. Plant Select® plants |
| Echinacea purpurea Purple coneflower |
‘White Swan’‘Magnus’ | WhiteDark pink | Jul-Sep | 24-36″ | Erect prairie wildflower, daisy-like flowers, deep green leaves. |
| Echium amoenum Red Feathers |
Russet red | May-Jul | 12-16″ | Base rosette of foliage with spikes of feathery flowers. Plant Select® plant | |
| Erigeron hybrids Fleabane daisy |
‘Azure Fairy’ | Pink-purpleBlue with yellow eye | Jun-Jul | 18-24″ | Grow in well-drained soil, deadhead for rebloom |
| Eriogonum umbellatum Sulfur flower |
Kannah Creek® | Yellow | May-Jul | 6-12″ | Dark green mat of foliage with umbrella-like flowersKannah Creek® foliage turns a rich red in winter – Plant Select® |
| Eryngium planum Sea holly |
Blue | Jun-Aug | 12-24″ | Silver-blue flower heads dry well. | |
| Eschscholzia californica California poppy |
Yellow-orange | Jun-Sep | 12-24″ | Fine blue green leaves. Short-lived perennial at low elevations, annual at high elevations. Reseeds easily. | |
| Gaillardia aristata Native blanket flower |
Yellow | Jun-Aug | 18-24″ | Fuzzy, green clump of foliage, flowers have reddish brown to orange centers | |
| Gaillardia x grandiflora Blanket flower |
‘Burgundy’‘Goblin’ | RedRed with yellow | Jun-Aug | 18-24″18-24″ | Wine red flowersCompact growth |
| Gaura lindheimeri Whirling butterflies |
‘Crimson Butterflies’‘Siskiyou Pink’ | PinkPink | Jul-Sep | 15-18″ | Dark crimson leavesDeep pink flowers with white stamens |
| Gazania linearis Colorado Gold® Hardy gazania |
Yellow orange | May-Oct | 4-6″ | Deep green linear leaves, blooms open in sunny weather. Plant Select® plant | |
| Gypsophila paniculata Baby’s breath |
‘Bristol Fairy’‘Pink Fairy’ | WhiteLight pink | Jun-Aug | 36-48”18-24″ | Double white airy flowersLight pink double flowersBoth useful as cut flowers |
| Helianthemum nummularium Sunrose |
Many | White, pink, yellow, red, orange | May-Jul | 8-12″ | Numerous cultivars with various flower colors and silvery to deep green foliage |
| Hemerocallis spp. Daylily |
Many | Red, orange, yellow, purple, white | Jun-Jul | 12-48″ | Clumps of long, medium green, grass-like leaves, leafless flower stalks bear bell-shaped flowers |
| Iberis sempervirens Candytuft |
White | Apr-Jun | 12-18″ | Glossy green foliage, shear after bloom, may repeat bloom in fall | |
| Iris hybrids |
Many | Blue, white, red, purple, yellow, orange, bi-colors | May-Jun | 8-30″ | Sword like leaves add vertical accent to the garden, makes good cut flower |
| Knautia macedonica Knautia |
Burgundy | Jun-Aug | 18-36″ | Foliage clumps give rise to many openly branched flower stems, reseeds | |
| Kniphofia uvaria Torch lily |
Red, orange, yellow, bi-colors | Jul-Sep | 24-48″ | Vertical flower spikes arise from clumps of grasslike foliage, blooms from bottom of spike upward | |
| Kniphofia caulescens Regal Torch Lily |
Golden, crimson and ivory tri-color | 40″ | PlantSelect® Plant | ||
| Lavandula angustifolia English lavender |
‘Hidcote’‘Munstead’ | Lavender blueLavender blue | May-Sep | 12-18″12-18″ | Aromatic blooms and foliage, semievergreen, woody stems |
| Liatrus spicata Gayfeather |
‘Kobold’‘Floristan Violet’‘Floristan White’ | RoseViolet purpleWhite | Jul-Sep | 18-36″ | Clumps of grassy foliage, bottle brush blooms, good cut flower |
| Limonium latifolium Sea lavender |
Lavender purple | Jul-Sep | 18-24″ | Spoon-shaped, leathery clump of leaves, Cloud of airy flowers | |
| Linum perenne Blue flax |
Blue | May-Jun | 12-24″ | Sky blue flowers on airy stems, self-seeds | |
| Lychnis coronaria Rose campion |
Purple-red | May-Jul | 18-36″ | Silvery gray rosette of foliage, reseeds | |
| Mirabilis multiflora Desert four o’clock |
Purplish red | Jun-Sep | 12-30″ | Blue green leaves, trumpet shaped flowers, southern Colorado native | |
| Nepeta spp. Catmint |
‘Six Hills Giant’‘Walkers Low’ Little Trudy® |
Lavender | May-Oct | 24-36″ 18-24″ 8-12″ |
Fragrant gray-green leaves on square stems, spreading habit, trim back after bloom.Plant Select® plant |
| Oenothera macrocarpa subsp. Incana Evening primrose |
Silver Blade® | Yellow | May-Sep | 4″ | Silver leaves compliment clear yellow flowers. Grow in well-drained soils. Plant Select® plant |
| Papaver orientale Oriental poppy |
Orange, salmon, red | May-Jun | 24-30″ | Very drought hardy, foliage dies in summer. | |
| Penstemon grandiflorus | Prairie Jewel® penstemon | White, lavender, rose-pink, purple-violet | May | 18-36″ | Strain of Great Plains penstemons with giant flowers. Attractive silvery leaf rosettes. Plant Select® plant |
| Penstemon linarioides var. coloradoensis | Silverton® bluemat penstemon | Lavender-blue | May-Jun | 8-12″ | Spreading silvery mounds of evergreen leaves. Plant Select® plant |
| Penstemon rostriflorus Bridges’ penstemon |
Scarlet red | Jul-Sep | 12-36″ | Southwestern native penstemon notable for late summer bloom period. Plant Select® plant | |
| Phlox subulata Creeping phlox |
White, red, blue, pink | Mar-Apr | 4-6″ | Plants form blankets of green leaves covered with small, star-shaped flowers | |
| Pulsatilla vulgaris Pasque flower |
Purple | Mar-Apr | 6-12″ | Silvery buds open to cup-shaped blooms, fuzzy seedheads persist into summer | |
| Rudbeckia fulgida Black-eyed Susan |
‘Goldsturm’ | Golden yellow | Jul-Aug | 18-24″ | Golden yellow flowers with dark brown to black centers |
| Salvia argentea Silver sage |
White | Jun-Jul | 24-36″ | Silky hairs on large leaves makes this a superior foliage plant. Plant Select® plant | |
| Salvia nemerosa Sage |
‘May Night’‘Rose Queen’ | Violet blueRose pink | Jun-Aug | 18-24″ | Erect flower stalks with gray-green foliage, repeat bloom if cut back after first bloom finishes |
| Satureja montana var. illyricaPurple winter savory | Purple-blue | Aug-Sep | 4-6″ | Evergreen mounds with late-season showy flowers. Plant Select® plant | |
| Sedum acre Goldmoss stonecrop |
Yellow | May-Jun | 2-4″ | Star-like flowers on short stems with bright green leaves | |
| Sedum Autumn Joy stonecrop |
‘Autumn Joy’ | Salmon pink | Aug-Sep | 18-24″ | Upright clump bears thick, rounded, blue-green leaves with flat flower clusters |
| Sedum spurium Dragon’s Blood stonecrop |
‘Dragon’s Blood’ | Rose red | Jun-Jul | 2-4″ | Mats of red-rimmed foliage turn blood-red in fall and winter |
| Veronica liwanensis Turkish veronica |
Cobalt-blue | Apr-Jun | 1-2″ | Flat, evergreen mats of glossy leaves. Plant Select® plant | |
| Veronica ‘Reavis’ | Crystal River® veronica | Blue | Apr-Jun | 2-3″ | Fast-growing vigorous masses of foliage. Plant Select® plant |
| Viola corsica Corsican violet |
Purple | Apr-Sep | 6-8″ | A drought tolerant violet. Plant Select® plant | |
| Zauschneriagarrettii (Epilobium garettii synonymous) | Orange carpet® hummingbird trumpet | Orange-scarlet | Jul-Aug | 4-6″ | Spreading perennial from Idaho with masses of bloom. Plant Select® plant |
| Zinnia grandiflora Paper flower |
Yellow | Jun-Sep | 6″ | Long lasting bloom, drought enduring. | |
| Annuals that require one quarter to one half inch of additional water per week | |||||
| BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME |
Exposure | Flower Color | Bloom Time | Height | Hardiness |
| Centaurea cyanus Cornflower, Bachelor Button |
Sun – Part shade | White, Pink, Blue, Purple | Jun-Sep | 15-20″ | Hardy, reseeds |
| Cosmos bipinnatis Cosmos |
Sun | Pink, White, Purple | Jul-Sep | 36-48″ | Tender, reseeds |
| Gazania rigens Gazania |
Sun | White, Yellow, Orange | Jun-Oct | 8-10″ | Half-hardy |
| Gomphrena globosa Globe Amaranth |
Sun | White, Pink,Lavender | Jun-Oct | 12-24″ | Tender |
| Lantana camara Lantana |
Sun – Part shade | Yellow, White,Orange, Numerous | Jun-Sep | 12-24″ | Tender |
| Lobularia maritima Sweet Alyssum |
Sun – Part shade | White, Violet,Maroon | May-Sep | 4-8″ | Hardy |
| Mirabilis jalapa Four O’Clocks |
Sun – Part shade | Yellow, Pink, Red, White | Jul-Sep | 18-30″ | Tender, reseeds |
| Petunia x hybrida Petunia |
Sun – Part shade | Pink, White, Yellow, Violet, Red, Blue, Various | Jun-Oct | 8-15″ | Half hardy |
| Portulaca grandifloria Rose Moss |
Sun | Pink, Red, White, Yellow, Orange, Numerous | Jul-Oct | 6-8″ | Tender |
| Sanvitalia procumbens Creeping Zinnia, Trailing Sanvitalia |
Sun | Yellow, Orange | Jun-Sep | 6-8″ | Tender |
| Senecio cineraria Dusty Miller |
Sun | White-Silver foliage | N/A | 8-12″ | Hardy |
| Tithonia rotundifolia Mexican Sunflower |
Sun | Orange, Red | Aug-Oct | 12-40″ | Tender |
| Scaevola aemula Fan Flower |
Sun | White, Blue, Violet | Jul-Oct | 6-12″ | Tender |
| Annuals that require one half to one inch of additional water per week | |||||
| BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME |
Exposure | Flower Color | Bloom Time | Height | Hardiness |
| Catharanthus roseus Periwinkle, vinca |
Sun | White, Violet, Rose, Purple | Jun-Oct | 8-14″ | Tender |
| Cleome hassleriana Cleome, Spider Flower |
Sun | Pink, White, Purple | Jul-Sep | 36-48″ | Tender |
| Dianthus chinensis China Pinks |
Sun – Part shade | White, Pink, Rose, Red | May-Sep | 8-12″ | Hardy |
| Helichrysum bracteatum Strawflower |
Sun | White, Rose, Yellow, Orange, Crimson | Aug-Oct | 10-30″ | Hardy |
| Ipomea batatus Sweet Potato Vine |
Sun-Part shade | Not important | N/A | 12-24″Vining | Tender |
| Limonium sinuatum Notchleaf Statice |
Sun | White, Yellow, Blue, Lavender | Aug-Oct | 12-24″ | Hardy |
| Nierembergia hippomanicaviolaceae Cup Flower |
Sun | Violet, Lavender, White | Jun-Sep | 8-12″ | Half hardy |
| Osteospermum species African Daisy, Cape Daisy |
Sun | White, Yellow, Lavender, Pink, Orange | Jun-Sep | 10-18″ | Half hardy |
| Pennisetum setaceum Fountain Grass |
Sun | Grown for foliage & plume | Jul-Oct | 24-40″ | Half hardy |
| Pentas lanceolata Egyptian Star Flower |
Sun | Red, White, Pink | Jun-Sep | 12-20″ | Tender |
| Rudbeckia hirta pulcherimma Gloriosa Daisy |
Sun | Yellow, Orange | Jul-Oct | 12-30″ | Hardy |
| Salvia farinacea Mealycup Sage |
Sun – Part shade | Blue, Lavender, White, Rose | Jul-Oct | 12-30″ | Half hardy |
| Tagetes species Marigold |
Sun | Yellow, Orange, White, Mahogany | Jun-Oct | 6-30″ | Half hardy |
| Tropaeolum majus Nasturtium |
Sun | Red, Orange, Yellow | Jun-Sep | 12″ | Tender |
| Verbena x hybrida Garden Verbena |
Sun | White, Pink, Rose, Lavender, Red, Violet | Jun-Oct | 12-18″ | Tender |
| Zinnia hybrids Zinnia |
Sun | White, Yellow, Red, Orange, Pink, Rose | Jun-Oct | 8-36″ | Tender |
| Annuals that require one to one and a half inches of additional water per week | |||||
| Botanical Name Common Name |
Exposure | Flower Color | Bloom Time | Height | Hardiness |
| Ageratum houstonianum Mexican Floss Flower |
Sun – Part shade | Lavender, Pink, Blue, White | Jun-Oct | 8-12″ | Tender |
| Antirrhinum majus Snapdragon |
Sun | White, yellow, pink, bronze, various | May-Oct | 6-30″ | Hardy |
| Argyranthemum species Marguerite Daisy |
Sun | White, Yellow, Pink, Various | Jun-Oct | 6-36″ | Half hardy |
| Bacopa species Bacopa, WaterHyssop |
Sun – Part shade | Pink, White, Lavender, Various | May-Sep | 3-6″ | Tender |
| Celosia plumosa Feather Cockscomb |
Sun | Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink | Jul-Sep | 15-24″ | Tender |
| Heliotropium arborescens Heliotrope |
Sun | Blue, purple | Jun-Sep | 10-20″ | Tender |
| Impatiens walleriana Impatiens |
Sun – Shade | White, Pink, Rose, Red, Blue, Copper | Jun-Sep | 6-12″ | Tender |
| Lobelia erinus Lobelia |
Sun-Part shade | Blue, purple, white | May-Sep | 4-12″ | Tender |
| Nicotiana alata Nicotiana |
Sun | Red, white, pink, lime-green | Jun-Sep | 10-60″ | Tender |
| Pelargonium x hortorum Zonal Geranium |
Sun | White, Pink, Rose, Red, Orange | May-Oct | 12-20″ | Half hardy |
| Viola x wittrockiana Pansy – LadiesDelight |
Sun – Part shade | White, Blue, Violet, Yellow, Orange, Maroon | All year | 4-8″ | Very hardy |
1 J. E. Klett, Colorado State University Extension landscape horticulturist and professor, department of horticulture and landscape architecture; C. R. Wilson, Extension horticulture agent, Denver County. Revised from original “Xeriscaping: Garden flowers” fact sheet authored by J.R. Feucht and J.E. Klett. 6/00. Reviewed 2/10.
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