Native Plant List – Utah and Western Colorado
This is a "starter" list of native plants for Utah and Western Colorado. It is intended for residential or commercial landscapers who want to create attractive and varied native landscapes.
See Also:
Utah and Western Colorado - Trees
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Drought Tolerance | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Fir | Abies concolor | P | M | 70' | Beautiful in mass or alone |
| Subalpine Fir | Abies lasiocarpa | S | P | 80' | Cover for birds; food for squirrels; for small spaces |
| Catclaw Acacia | Acacia greggii | F | E | 20' | Nectar for bees, butterflies; forms thorny thicket |
| Big Tooth Maple | Acer grandidentatum | F | G | 30' | Food, cover for birds, mammals, deer; fall color |
| Thinleaf Alder | Ainus incana | P | P | 30' | Seed, cover for birds; spring "cones;" winter bark |
| Water Birch | Betula occidentalis | F | G | 5-20' | Seed, cover for birds; nice winter form, branch color |
| Desert Willow | Chilopsis linearis | F | G | 25' | Nectar for hummingbirds; profuse pink flowers |
| River Hawthorne | Crataegus douglasii | F | P | 5-25' | Nesting cover, fruit for birds; nice blossoms and fruit |
| Singleleaf Ash | Fraxinus anomalus | F | G | 20' | Seeds for birds, mammals; start from seed, cutting |
| Velvet Ash | Fraxinus velutina | F | G | 40' | Provides seed for birds; velvety leaves |
| Utah Juniper | Jun. osteosperma | F | E | 30' | Food, cover for birds, mammals; nice bark, form |
| Blue Spruce | Picea pungens | P | P | 70' | Cover for birds, mammals; blue-green foliage |
| Singleleaf Pinyon | Pinus edulis | F | E | 20' | Pine nuts for birds, mammals; slow-growth; graceful |
| Pinyon Pine | Pinus monophylla | F | E | 20' | Pine nuts for birds, mammals; pictureque evergreen |
| Narrowleaf Cottonwood | Populus angustifolia | F | M | 40' | Soft wood for nest cavities; medium-size shade tree |
| Fremont Cottonwood | Populus fremontii | F | G | 55' | Soft wood for nest cavities; fem. produces cotton |
| Fremont Popular | Populus frenentii | F | M | 60' | Soft wood for nest cavities; fem. produces cotton |
| Velvet Mesquite | Populus glandulosa | F | E | 30' | Bee nectar; bird food; green foliage; 3-6" seedpods |
| Douglas Fir | Pseudotsuga menziesii | P | M | 80' | Year-round bird cover, pretty screen, windbreak |
| Gambel Oak | Quercus gambelii | F | G | 30' | Acorns; winter cover; not hardy N of Ogden |
| New Mexico Locust | Robinia neomexicana | F | G | 25' | Bee nectar; seeds for quail, squirrels; lav. flowers |
| Dwarf Mountain Ash | Sorbus scopulina | P | P | 13' | Fruit for birds, white flowers in spring; berries in fall |
Utah and Western Colorado - Shrubs
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Drought Tolerance | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Serviceberry | Amelanchier utahensis | F | G | 6-15' | Spring flowers, purple berries, muted fall colors |
| Silver Sagebrush | Artemesia cana | F | E | 2-5' | Silvery, aromatic foliage; seeds,cover for animals |
| Fringed Sage | Artemesia frigida | F | E | 1-2' | Delicate silvery gray foliage; seeds for birds |
| Big Sagebrush | Artemesia tridentata | F | E | 2-5' | Silvery, aromatic foliage; seeds,cover for animals |
| Sand Sage | Artemisin filifolia | F | E | 4' | Lovely, feathery foliage; seeds for birds |
| Four-wing Saltbush | Atriplex canescens | F | E | 4-6' | Rose-hued fruits on female plants; great bird seed |
| Snowbrush Ceanothus | Ceanothus velutinus | F | M | 1-3' | Glossy leaves and spring flowers; nectar plant |
| Winterfat | Ceratoides lanata | F | E | 1-3' | Profuse fruits in fall; winter food for birds |
| Curl-leaf Mtn Mohogany | Cercocarpus ledifolius | F | E | 8-12' | Ornamental spiralled seeds; winter deer food |
| Birchleaf Mtn Mohogany | Cercocarpus montanus | F | E | 4-9' | Ornamental seed heads and fall color |
| Fernbrush | Chamaebatiaria millefol. | F | E | 6-8' | Long-lasting mid-summer flowers; fernlike leaves |
| Rubber Rabbitbrush | Chrysothamnus nauseo. | F | E | 2-6' | Yellow fall cover; seeds and cover for birds |
| Red-osier Dogwood | Cornus sericea | P | P | 10-15' | Spring flowers; fall white berries; winter red twigs |
| Indigo Bush | Dalea fremontii | F | E | 3' | Profuse fragrant purple flowers; nectar plant |
| Mormon Tea | Ephedra nevadensis | F | E | 2-4' | Interesting shrub accent; seeds attract quail |
| Apache Plume | Fallugia paradoxa | F | G | 3-6' | White flowers in spring; seed heads fall and winter |
| Creosotebush | Larrea tridentata | F | E | 4-10' | Screen or wind break; nectar plant; cover for birds |
| Utah Honeysuckle | Lonicera utahensis | S | G | 2-5' | Yellow flowers late spring; fruit for birds |
| Purple Sage | Poliomintha incana | S | E | 3' | Blue/purple flowers all summer; nectar plant |
| Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | P | G | 15-20' | Spring flowers; dark purple fruit; red-orange color |
| Cliffrose | Purshia mexiciana | F | E | 6' | Fragrant yellow summer flowers; fall seed plumes |
| Bitterbrush | Purshia tridentata | F | E | 2-6' | Spring yellow flowers; winter browse for deer |
| Shrub Live Oak | Quercus turbinella | F | E | 4-8 | Attractive evergreen shrub; food and cover for birds |
| Wavyleaf Oak | Quercus undulata | F | G | 4-8' | Attractive evergreen shrub; quail, chipmunk food |
| Squawbush Sumac | Rhus trilobata | F | E | 2-6' | Red fall color; red fall fruit; food and cover for birds |
| Golden Currant | Ribes aureum | P | M | 4-6' | Yellow spring berries; red fall color; fruit for birds |
| Woods Rose | Rosa woodsii | F | G | 2-6' | Spring pink flowers; fall red hips; winter animal food |
| Sandbar Willow | Salix exigua | F | P | 5-15' | Great branch color in fall; dense cover for wildlife |
| Blue Elderberry | Sambucus caerulea | F | P | 6-12' | White spring flowers; showy dark blue fruit |
| Greaswood | Sarcobatus vermiculatus | F | E | 2-6' | Light green foliage; year-round cover small animals |
| Roundleaf Buffaloberry | Shepherdia rotundifolia | F | E | 3-4' | Reflective, silvery leaves; quail, chipmunk food. |
| Snowberry | Symphoricarpas species | P | G | 3 | White berries in fall and winter; fruit for birds |
| Canyon Wild Grape | Vitis arizonica | F | G | vine | Colorful fruit for birds; bark for nests |
| Soap Tree Yucca | Yucca elata | F | E | 6' | Creamy white blossoms; nectar for moths |
| Yucca | Yucca harrimaniae | F | E | 2-3' | Creamy flowers on tall stalks; nectar for moths |
Utah and Western Colorado - Flowering Perennials
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Color | Bloom | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | Orange | Su | 36" | Attracts butterflies |
| Desert Marigold | Baileya multiradiata | Yellow | All Su | 18-24" | Very drought tolerant and showy |
| Arrowleaf Balsamroot | Balsamorhiza sagittate | Yellow | Sp | 16-30" | Early season color; large plant |
| Indian Paintbrush | Castilleja linariaefolia | Red | Su | 12-40" | Difficult to establish; attracts hummingbirds |
| Skyrocket Gilia | Cilia aggregate | Orange | Su | 12-18" | Attracts hummingbirds |
| Rock Mountain Beeplant | Cleome serrulata | Pink/Purple | Sp-Su | 36" | Attracts bees |
| Aspen Daisy | Erigeron speciosus | Purple | Su | 12-24" | Showy, aster-like flowers |
| Sulpher Buckwheat | Eriogonum umbellatum | Wht/Yellow | Su | 6-12" | Attracts bees, seeds in F/W, matted ground cover |
| Wild Geranium | Geranium viscosissimum | Pink | Su-F | 12-36" | Long blooming season |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | Yellow | LSu | 72" | Provides bird seed for fall and winter |
| Western Sunflower | Helianthus anomalus | Yellow | LSu | 72" | Provides bird seed in fall |
| Blue Flax | Linum lewisii | Blue | Su | 24" | Prolific bloomer; spreads rapidly-use in large area |
| Silvery Lupine | Lupinus argenteus | Blue | Su | 12-24" | Attracts butterflies |
| Prairie Aster | Machaeranth tanacetifo. | Purple | Su-F | 12-18" | Blooms late into season |
| Four O'Clock | Mirabilis multipflora | Purple | All Su | 24" | Stunning ornamental; attracts hummingbirds |
| Bee Balm | Monarda species | Purple | All Su | 24" | Attracts bees and butterflies |
| Evening Primrose | Oenothera caespitose | Wht/Pink | ESu | 8" | Very drought-tolerant/tough/fragrant/attracts moths |
| Wasatch Penstemon | Penstemon cyananthus | Blue | Su | 18-36" | Showy ornamental |
| Firecracker Penstemon | Penstemon eatoni | Red | Sp-ESu | 24" | Attracts hummingbirds |
| Palmer Penstemon | Penstemon palmeri | Cream/Pink | ESu | 36-48" | Very fragrant, tubular summer flowers |
| Rocky Mt. Penstemon | Penstemon strictus | Blue/Purple | ESu | 24" | Hardy; easy to grow |
| Scarlet Globemallow | Sphaeralcea coccinea | Orange | Sp-F | 6-12" | Flowers resemble small hollyhocks |
| Globemallow | Sphaeralcea grossulariaefolia | Red/Orange | Sp-F | 24-36" | Very hardy; blooms all summer |
Utah and Western Colorado - Grasses
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Cool/Warm Season | Drought Tolerance | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side-oats Grama | Bouteloua curtipendula | W | E | 12-24" |
| Blue Grama | Bouteloua gracilis | W | E | 12-18" |
| Saltgrass | Distichlis spicata | W | E | 6-20" |
| Great Basin Wildrye | Elymus cinereus | C | E | 24-36" |
| Western Wheatgrass | Elymus smithii | C | E | 12-24" |
| Bluebunch Wheatgrass | Elymus spicatus | C | G | 12-24" |
| Slender Wheatgrass | Elymus trachycaulus | C | M | 12-24" |
| Sheep Fescue | Festuca ovina | C | M | 12-24" |
| Galleta | Hilaria jamesii | W | E | 6-12" |
| Prairie Junegrass | Koeleria macrantha | C | G | 12-24" |
| Sandberg Bluegrass | Poa secunda | C | E | 12-24" |
| Alakali Sacaton | Sporobolus airoides | W | E | 12-24" |
| Sand Dropseed | Sporobolus cryptandrus | W | E | 12-24" |
| Needle and Thread | Stipa comate | C | E | 24-36" |
| Indian Ricegrass | Stipa hymenoides | C | E | 12-24" |
| Desert Needlegrass | Stipa speciosa | C | G | 12-24" |
| Sun Exposure | Soil Moisture | Drought Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| F = Full Sun | W = Wet | E = Excellent |
| P = Part Sun | A = Average | G = Good |
| S = Shade | D = Dry | M = Moderate |
| P = Poor |
