Drought Tolerant Plants for Colorado are your best bet for a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that can handle the state’s dry summers and intense sun.
If you’re tired of watching your plants wilt or your water bill climb, you’re not alone.
The good news? With the right plant choices, you can grow a thriving, colorful landscape that practically takes care of itself.
Drought Tolerant Plants for Colorado: Key Takeaways
- Drought tolerant plants for Colorado include little bluestem, Russian sage, penstemon, and pinyon pine.
- These hardy selections thrive in dry, high-altitude climates with minimal water.
- Perfect for xeriscaping, they reduce maintenance and support native pollinators
- All while keeping your garden colorful and resilient year-round.
Drought Tolerant Plants for California: Essential Picks
Tired of high water bills and struggling plants in Colorado’s dry summers? You’re not alone.
With limited rainfall and intense sun, traditional landscaping can feel like an uphill battle.
But the good news? With the right drought-tolerant plants, you can create a thriving, low-maintenance garden that saves water and looks great all year.
🌞 Why Choose Drought-Tolerant Plants in Colorado?
Colorado’s beauty comes with a tradeoff—long dry spells, intense sun, and unpredictable rain.
If you’ve watched plants struggle through hot summers or wilt in alkaline soil, you know the challenge.
That’s why drought-tolerant plants are a smart, sustainable solution for Colorado gardeners.
☀️ Dry Summers and Unpredictable Precipitation
Rainfall in Colorado can be hit or miss—and that’s putting it mildly.
- Some regions go weeks or even months without steady rain
- Sudden downpours can’t replace consistent watering needs
- High elevation and intense sun speed up evaporation
Drought-tolerant plants thrive in these conditions, handling the highs and lows like pros.
💧 Water Conservation and Rising Utility Costs
Outdoor watering can take a serious toll on your wallet—and the environment.
- Many cities now enforce watering restrictions during summer
- Water prices continue to climb year after year
- Lawns and thirsty ornamentals can soak up gallons with little payoff
Swapping in drought-tolerant plants helps you save water, cut costs, and stay ahead of local guidelines.
🐝 Support for Native Pollinators and Wildlife
Drought-tolerant doesn’t mean lifeless—far from it.
- Native wildflowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
- Seed heads and shrubs offer food and shelter for birds
- These plants are part of Colorado’s natural ecosystem and help it thrive
Your yard can be a mini habitat—and still look fantastic.
🪴 Less Maintenance and More Reliable Growth
Water-wise gardening isn’t just good for the planet—it’s easier on you, too.
- Most drought-tolerant plants need little watering once established
- They’re often pest-resistant and adapt well to local soil
- You’ll spend less time mowing, trimming, and stressing
That means more time enjoying your garden, and less time working in it.
Ready to explore the best drought-tolerant plant options for Colorado? Let’s break it down by type. Native vs. Adapted and grasses, shrubs, perennials, and more.
🌿 Native vs. Adapted Plants for Xeriscaping
When it comes to xeriscaping in Colorado, you’ve got two powerful options: native plants and well-adapted non-natives.
Both can handle the region’s dry climate, but each brings something unique to your garden.
Knowing how to mix them helps you build a landscape that’s not only tough, but also colorful, functional, and full of life.
🏔️ Benefits of Native Colorado Plants
Native plants evolved in Colorado’s climate, so they know how to handle the heat, wind, and dry spells.
- Naturally drought-tolerant and suited to local soil
- Support pollinators and wildlife with familiar food and shelter
- Require minimal fertilizer or care once established
- Blend beautifully into natural landscapes and mountain settings
From rabbitbrush to blue grama grass, these plants are the backbone of any eco-friendly garden in the region.
🌎 Why Some Non-Natives Still Thrive in Dry Conditions
You don’t have to stick strictly to natives to have a successful xeriscape.
- Many Mediterranean or Southwest plants, like lavender and agave, are built for dry conditions
- They offer bright flowers, unique shapes, and bold texture
- Most are low-maintenance and perform well in poor, fast-draining soil
As long as they’re cold-hardy and don’t require rich soil, many non-native species can thrive right alongside local ones.
🔄 How to Mix Both for a Balanced Design
The best Colorado xeriscapes often feature a little of both—native heart, with a splash of global flair.
- Use natives for your foundation: trees, shrubs, and groundcovers
- Add non-natives for pops of color, architectural shapes, or seasonal interest
- Keep water needs grouped together so your irrigation stays simple and efficient
- Choose non-invasive varieties to protect native plant communities
By blending native and adapted plants, you get the best of both worlds—a beautiful, water-wise garden that supports nature and stands out.
Next up: Let’s look at the top drought-tolerant grasses that are perfect for Colorado landscapes.
🌾 Best Drought-Tolerant Grasses for Colorado
Ornamental grasses are a secret weapon in xeriscaping. They bring texture, color, and motion to your garden—all while thriving on very little water.
Whether you’re creating a natural meadow look or just want to soften hard edges, these grasses are low-maintenance, cold-hardy, and built for Colorado’s climate.
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🌾Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Native to Colorado’s prairies
- Beautiful blue-green blades that turn copper-orange in fall
- Grows upright, about 2–4 feet tall
- Great for wildlife and erosion control
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🌾Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
- Colorado’s state grass
- Low-growing, soft texture with quirky eyelash-shaped seed heads
- Ideal for natural lawns or mixed beds
- Handles foot traffic and poor soils
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🌾Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
- Fine-textured and clump-forming
- Graceful arching shape with fragrant flower plumes
- Turns golden-bronze in fall
- Deer-resistant and excellent for borders
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🌾Avalanche Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora)
- Variegated leaves with a striking vertical habit
- Tall, feathery seed heads sway in the breeze
- Adds height and structure to dry garden beds
- Grows well even in clay-heavy soils
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🌾Festuca ‘Boulder Blue’
- Compact, clumping grass with intense blue foliage
- Holds its color through summer heat
- Great for edging pathways and filling small spaces
- Thrives in rocky, well-drained soil
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🌾Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
- Evergreen with icy blue blades
- Stiff, tidy mounds reach about 2–3 feet
- Pairs well with lavender, sedum, or coneflowers
- Drought-tolerant once established
These grasses don’t just survive—they make your xeriscape come alive with texture and seasonal color. Next, let’s explore which trees offer both shade and structure while sipping minimal water.
🌳 Drought-Tolerant Trees for Structure and Shade
Trees are the backbone of any landscape, offering structure, beauty, and much-needed shade.
In Colorado’s dry climate, choosing trees that can handle low water and intense sun is key. These drought-tolerant options thrive with minimal irrigation while adding year-round interest to your yard.
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🌲 Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis)
- 🌲 Native evergreen with dense, rounded form
- 🌰 Produces edible pine nuts (if you’re lucky!)
- 🐢 Grows slowly but lives long
- 💨 Excellent for windbreaks and poor, rocky soil
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🌸 Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
- Spring bursts with white or pink blossoms
- 🍁 Beautiful red-orange fall foliage
- 🍒 Small red berries attract birds
- 🛡️ Thorny branches make a great privacy screen
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🌿 Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
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🌲 Evergreen with needle-like or scale-like foliage
- 🔵 Produces blue berry-like cones
- ☀️ Handles drought, heat, and wind with ease
- 🏡 Great for screening, slopes, or foundation planting
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These hardy trees bring shade, structure, and year-round interest to your xeriscape—without draining your water budget.
Next, let’s check out the best shrubs that offer beauty, blooms, and wildlife support with very little maintenance.
🌺 Tough and Beautiful Shrubs for Dry Gardens
Shrubs are the unsung heroes of a water-wise garden. They add color, shape, and texture, plus they provide shelter for wildlife and curb appeal for your yard.
These drought-tolerant shrubs are perfect for Colorado’s dry conditions, offering year-round beauty with minimal effort.
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💜 Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
- Tall, wispy stems with silvery foliage
- Spikes of purple flowers bloom all summer
- 🐝 Loved by bees and butterflies
- Tough as nails and thrives in poor soil
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🟡 Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa)
- Native shrub with golden-yellow fall blooms
- Soft, gray-green foliage
- Great for dry slopes, pollinators, and erosion control
- Deer-resistant and low-maintenance
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🌼 Potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa)
- Compact, mounded shape
- Long-lasting yellow, white, or pink flowers
- Handles wind, heat, and poor soil with ease
- Perfect for borders or low hedges
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❤️ Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.)
- Smooth red bark and evergreen leaves
- Small bell-shaped flowers in early spring
- Attracts hummingbirds and bees
- Works great on slopes or as a structural accent
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🤍 Yucca (Yucca spp.)
- Bold, spiky leaves and tall flower spikes
- Thrives in hot, dry spots with full sun
- Evergreen and deer-resistant
- Pairs beautifully with rocks or succulents
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🤍 Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)
- Airy shrub with white flowers and feathery pink seed heads
- Tolerates extreme heat and drought
- Native to the Southwest and great for xeriscapes
- Brings texture and movement to dry gardens
These shrubs give your garden structure, color, and year-round personality, without needing much water or attention.
Ready to add even more color and pollinator power? Let’s move on to drought-tolerant perennials!
🌸 Long-Blooming Drought-Tolerant Perennials
If you’re looking for lasting color without the constant watering, these drought-tolerant perennials are just the thing.
From spring through fall, they fill your Colorado garden with vibrant blooms, attract pollinators, and handle heat like champs.
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🌼 Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Flat clusters of flowers in white, yellow, or pink
- Feathery, fern-like foliage
- Blooms through summer with little care
- Attracts butterflies and beneficial insects
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🌻 Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera)
- Tall stems with drooping yellow or red petals
- Long bloom period in full sun
- Native prairie plant that thrives in dry soil
- Loved by pollinators
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🎨 Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
- Tubular flowers in shades of purple, pink, and red
- Excellent for bees and hummingbirds
- Grows well in poor, rocky soil
- Low maintenance and striking in bloom
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🌵 Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus)
- Rounded cactus with bright red-orange flowers
- Native to the Southwest
- Excellent for rock gardens and dry slopes
- Minimal watering once established
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💗 Prairie Winecups (Callirhoe involucrata)
- Deep magenta blooms on low, spreading stems
- Blooms all summer long
- Thrives in full sun with little water
- Works beautifully as a groundcover
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🌸 Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
- Dense mat of tiny, star-shaped flowers
- Early spring bloomer
- Great for edging, rock walls, or slopes
- Drought-tolerant and easy to grow
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🌞 Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata)
- Bright yellow daisy-like blooms
- Silvery foliage adds contrast
- Blooms repeatedly through summer
- Handles heat and drought like a pro
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🧡 Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Orange blooms that attract monarch butterflies
- Native to the U.S. and thrives in tough soil
- Drought-hardy and great for pollinator gardens
- Supports butterfly life cycle
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🟪 Giant Hyssop (Agastache spp.)
- Tall spikes of purple or blue flowers
- Long-lasting blooms from summer to fall
- Fragrant foliage
- Pollinator magnet
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🍃 Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
- Licorice-scented leaves
- Purple flower spikes attract bees and butterflies
- Heat-tolerant and aromatic
- Lovely in herb or wildflower gardens
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💕 Agastache cana ‘Rosita’
- Compact with bright pink blooms
- Blooms well into fall
- Fragrant and resilient
- Great for containers or sunny borders
These perennials give you wave after wave of color, year after year, without draining your water supply.
Next, we’ll cover some easy-care groundcovers that help fill space, fight weeds, and conserve moisture.
🌱 Low-Growing Groundcovers & Fillers
Sometimes it’s the plants close to the ground that do the most work.
These tough, low-profile groundcovers and fillers are perfect for covering bare spots, edging walkways, and squeezing between stepping stones.
They help block weeds, hold moisture, and add color and texture—all with very little water.
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🪴 Sedum (Stonecrop spp.)
- Fleshy, succulent leaves in a range of colors
- Starry blooms in late summer
- Thrives in rocky, poor soil
- Ideal for rock gardens, slopes, or container edges
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🌿 Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
- Fragrant mat-forming herb with purple blooms
- Handles foot traffic and fills gaps in paths
- Attracts bees and smells amazing in the sun
- Requires very little water once established
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🍃 Hyssop (general)
- Aromatic leaves with small flower spikes
- Grows in clumps or low mounds
- Drought-tolerant and pollinator-friendly
- Great in borders, herb gardens, or naturalized areas
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🤍 Antennaria (Pussytoes)
- Soft, silvery foliage with fuzzy white flowers
- Spreads slowly and hugs the ground
- Excellent for dry slopes or between stones
- Colorado native and extremely hardy
These little plants punch above their weight—saving water, softening hardscape edges, and filling gaps with charm.
Up next, we’ll cover how to keep your xeriscape healthy with simple care tips tailored to Colorado’s climate.
🛠️ Tips for Planting and Caring for Drought-Tolerant Gardens
Once you’ve chosen the right drought-tolerant plants, how you plant and care for them makes all the difference.
These simple tips help your garden thrive in Colorado’s dry climate while keeping maintenance to a minimum.
💧 Group Plants by Water Needs
Keep things simple and efficient.
- Place plants with similar moisture needs together
- Helps avoid overwatering some while underwatering others
- Makes irrigation easier and more effective
This also gives your plants a better chance to thrive without waste.
🌾 Use Mulch to Retain Moisture
Mulch is your best friend in a drought-tolerant garden.
- Reduces evaporation from the soil
- Suppresses weeds that steal water and nutrients
- Regulates soil temperature year-round
Use organic mulch like bark or shredded leaves, or go with gravel for a cleaner, modern look.
🌱 Water Deeply During Establishment Only
Even drought-tolerant plants need help getting started.
- Water deeply once or twice a week for the first season
- Encourage roots to grow deeper and stronger
- After that, they’ll need little to no supplemental watering
The goal is to wean them off the hose and let nature do the rest.
🚫 Avoid Over-Fertilizing
Less is more when it comes to feeding your xeriscape.
- Too much fertilizer encourages fast, weak growth
- Drought-tolerant plants usually thrive in lean soil
- Compost or slow-release organics work best
A little boost goes a long way—no need to overdo it.
🌿 Watch for Weeds That Compete for Moisture
Weeds love bare, sunny spots—and they’re thirsty.
- Keep your garden well-mulched and spaced to block weed growth
- Hand-pull or spot treat weeds early before they spread
- Focus on weed control during the first year while your plants establish
A weed-free start gives your drought-tolerant plants the space and resources to shine.
Follow these tips, and your Colorado xeriscape will not only survive—it’ll thrive with beauty, color, and purpose.
Want to see how all these ideas come together? Up next: A recap and real-world inspiration.
Drought Tolerant Plants for Colorado: Conclusion
Drought Tolerant Plants for Colorado are the key to building a garden that actually fits the place you live.
If you’ve been fighting dry soil, intense sun, or a sky-high water bill, it’s time to switch things up.
With the right plants and a little planning, you can grow a yard that’s colorful, low-maintenance, and built to thrive—right here in Colorado.
🌄 Final Thoughts: Build a Garden That Thrives in Colorado
You don’t need a daily sprinkler routine—or a high water bill—to have a gorgeous landscape in Colorado.
With the right drought-tolerant plants and a few smart strategies, you can create a yard that’s beautiful, resilient, and good for the planet.
✅ Recap: Why Go Drought-Tolerant?
- 🌿 Saves water during dry summers and drought conditions
- 💸 Lowers maintenance and utility costs
- 🐝 Supports pollinators and local wildlife
- 🎨 Offers year-round color, texture, and structure
- 💪 Thrives in tough soil and high-altitude sun
Whether you’re starting small or overhauling your whole yard, these plants give you a foundation that lasts.
🌱 Eco-Friendly and Effortless
Xeriscaping isn’t just about saving water—it’s about creating a more natural, sustainable garden that works with your climate, not against it.
By choosing native and adapted plants, you’ll reduce your impact and still enjoy a vibrant, thriving outdoor space.
💚 You Don’t Have to Sacrifice Beauty
A low-water garden doesn’t mean dull or lifeless. With the right mix of shrubs, grasses, perennials, and groundcovers, you’ll have blooms, movement, and color every season—with far less work.
So go ahead—ditch the thirsty lawn and plant something that actually wants to grow here. Your yard (and your water bill) will thank you.
Best Plants for Xeriscaping: Easy-to-Grow Water-Wise Plants
Helpful References – Read More
The Beginners Guide to Xeriscape in Denver – 5280.com
What is xeriscaping? A beginner’s guide to drought-tolerant landscaping – Colorado State University
What is xeriscaping? A beginner’s guide to drought-tolerant landscaping – Colorado State University
UCCE Master Gardeners of San Joaquin County Low Water Use Landscapes