With clay-heavy soils, intense sunshine, and persistent drought conditions, Colorado gardeners know that our state presents unique challenges for even the greenest of thumbs. As water becomes an increasingly precious resource, setting your yard up for success starts with choosing plants that are built to handle these conditions.
Native, drought-tolerant plants are well adapted to Colorado’s climate and soil and can thrive in your landscape without special care. Once established, they require very little supplemental water, making them resilient, sustainable alternatives to thirsty grass lawns.
We’re highlighting just a few of the low-water All-Stars that call our state home (in no particular order). You can find these All-Stars and other waterwise favorites in our pre-planned Garden In A Box kits. Order your kit now and see these All-Stars come to life in your yard!
1. Anise Hyssop – Agastache foeniculum
Native to much of northern North America, this showy perennial is a crowd pleaser in more ways than one! Its tall flower spikes rise above other plants in your landscape, boasting many delicate blooms that range from light lavender to a darker violet. These beautiful blooms will attract a wealth of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden. When disturbed, this hyssop’s foliage smells of anise, delighting human visitors and deterring deer.
➡️ Find Anise Hyssop and other low-water All-Stars in the Mountain Blooms Garden In A Box kit.
2. Chocolate Flower – Berlandiera lyrata
The Chocolate Flower makes life just a little bit sweeter by giving off an enticing milk chocolate aroma during warm summer mornings. Native to the harsh environments of the Desert Southwest, this hardy plant thrives in even the sunniest and driest landscapes. Chocolate Flower has a remarkably long bloom season, brightening yards from late spring through fall, making it a favorite among landscapers and gardeners alike. This long bloom season allows Chocolate Flower to support pollinators of all sorts throughout the growing season.
➡️ Find Chocolate Flower and other low-water All-Stars in the Rainbow Lane Garden In A Box kit.
3. Little Bluestem Grass – Schizachyrium scoparium
Little Bluestem is a hardy, eye-catching native grass that brings four-season interest to any landscape. Distinguished by its stunning foliage, this iconic prairie species boasts a blue-green color in the spring and summer before adopting a coppery hue for the colder months. This year-round rockstar supports nine different species of skipper caterpillars in the spring, and serves as important overwinter habitat for countless native insects. No matter the intention behind your landscape transformation, Little Bluestem is a must-have for any Colorado garden.
➡️ Find Little Bluestem Grass and other low-water All-Stars in the Pollinator Peak or Nine Pack: Grasses Garden In A Box kits.
4. Pearly Everlasting – Anaphalis margaritacea
Found across much of North America and parts of Asia, this hardy perennial thrives in even the trickiest conditions. Its silvery-green foliage and unique bloom shape make Pearly Everlasting an eye-catching addition to your low-water landscape. But this plant is more than just a pretty face! Pearly Everlasting is an essential food source for American Lady and Painted Lady caterpillars in the spring. At the end of the growing season, spent Pearly Everlasting blooms make the perfect addition to dried flower arrangements!
➡️ Find Pearly Everlasting and other low-water All-Stars in the Butterfly Haven or Mountain Blooms Garden In A Box kits.
5. Prairie Sage – Artemisia ludoviciana
Aptly named for Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon, Artemisia plants are known for their stunning silvery foliage that sets them apart from other plants in the garden. Native to much of North America, this sage plant is a stalwart in a wide variety of landscapes. Like Pearly Everlasting, Prairie Sage supports the iconic American Lady and Painted Lady butterflies, while providing habitat for native bee species. Famed for its medicinal uses, Prairie Sage has a myriad of benefits for both pollinators and gardeners.
➡️ Find Prairie Sage and other low-water All-Stars in the Biodiversity Nursery Garden In A Box kit.
6. Purple Coneflower – Echinacea purpurea
Found from Colorado all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, Purple Coneflower is a quintessential American native. This iconic plant is easy to grow, making it a favorite of gardeners and landscapers alike. Purple Coneflower is a prolific bloomer and often treats gardeners to a second round of flowers at the end of the growing season. This plant is especially important for the native bees and butterflies that have come to depend on this reliable source of late-season nectar.
➡️ Find Purple Coneflower and other low-water All-Stars in the Painted Prairie Garden In A Box kit.
7. Rigid Goldenrod – Solidago rigida
Rigid Goldenrod is the perfect plant to bring a pop of late-season life and color to your yard. This plant delights visitors of all kinds with bright, showy blooms in the summer. Not to be outdone, Rigid Goldenrod’s foliage adopts various shades of red in the fall. As a keystone species, Goldenrod is a must-have for any conservation-minded gardener. In the spring, Goldenrod is an important larval host plant for several caterpillars. Later in the year, its summer blooms provide nectar for Monarchs and other butterflies. And once these blooms fade, the seeds produced are an important late-season food source for birds and other granivores.
➡️ Find Rigid Goldenrod and other low-water All-Stars in in the Biodiversity Nursery and Butterfly Haven Garden In A Box kits.
8. Rocky Mountain Penstemon – Penstemon strictus
Native to the southwestern United States, Rocky Mountain Penstemon is the epitome of elegance in any low-water landscape. Its flower stalks reach toward the sky, crowning its vibrant green foliage with an array of royal purple blooms. Happy in sun or shade, Rocky Mountain Penstemon thrives in a variety of landscapes with ease. It’s also a favorite among hummingbirds and bees, and is sure to make your garden buzz with life!
➡️ Find Rocky Mountain Penstemon and other low-water All-Stars in in the Butterfly Haven, Pollinator Peak, and Sunset & Sage Garden In A Box kits.
