Native Plant Master
Discover Colorado’s
Native Plants
Exploring Colorado through native plant education
The Native Plant Master program helps Coloradans build plant identification skills, understand ecological relationships, and promote stewardship of native landscapes. Through CSU Extension, experts and volunteers provide hands-on learning that connects people to Colorado’s unique flora and fosters sustainable practices.
Grow your plant knowledge
Learn to identify Colorado’s native plants using botanical keys, understand plant families, and explore human uses including sustainable landscaping.
Support healthy ecosystems
Apply your skills to protect native habitats, reduce invasive species, and encourage biodiversity across Colorado’s life zones.
Connect and keep learning
Join a statewide network of plant enthusiasts and educators who share resources, ideas, and a commitment to preserving Colorado’s natural heritage.
How does Native Plant Master work?
The Native Plant Master program is delivered through field courses. Each course includes three sessions, with a practical exam on the final day. Most learners start with a single course, then continue to additional courses to qualify for NPM certification.
Each Field Course session will focus on an educational native plant and ecological topic. The three sessions consist of:
- Session One: Botanical characteristics of plant families and species, identification using a botanical key, scientific names, and stewardship of native plants.
- Session Two: Ecological relationships including non-native species, noxious weeds, and relationships with wildlife, pollinators, other plants, etc.
- Session Three: Written field exam on material from first and second sessions. Human uses, including the use of natives for sustainable landscaping, ethnobotanical and other human uses. Course survey.
How do I become certified?
To become certified, an NPM participant must take three different courses held in three different life zones (i.e., foothills, plains, or montane) or held at different times of the year (preferably at different locations) to maximize the diversity of the plants covered. The three courses do not need to be completed in one year.
To become a trainer, a Certified Native Plant Master may apply to become an instructor mentee who will work with an existing instructor to observe and co-teach a small portion of a NPM course. Mentees may become instructors once they have successfully taught one or more NPM courses with a current instructor. Contact your local Extension office to inquire about a trainer application.
Online Native Plants course bundle
Looking for an online alternative to Native Plant Master? Sign up for Native Plants Training
through CSU Online.