Native plants · Colorado

Native plants of Denver County

162 plant species are recorded as native to Colorado in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Denver County by USDA PLANTS. 83 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Denver County, Colorado

Native species: 162 Typical Colorado county: 237 (median of 63 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 83 Typical Colorado county: 148
Share by type (all 162 native species): Percent of the 162 native species in each growth type

Tree 3% (5)
Shrub 6% (10)
Wildflower (forb) 66% (107)
Grass or grass-like 21% (34)
Vine 4% (6)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (66%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (21%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 6a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 83

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Denver County, Colorado
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American plum Prunus americana	Tree	24 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
American speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
dewystem willow Salix irrorata	Shrub	6 ft	—	—	Zone 2a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Douglas' sedge Carex douglasii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
golden crownbeard Verbesina encelioides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
green prairie coneflower Ratibida tagetes	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
groundnut Apios americana	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
longstyle rush Juncus longistylis	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4b
needle and thread Hesperostipa comata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
Nuttall's alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Nuttall's sunflower Helianthus nuttallii	Wildflower (forb)	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie sandreed Calamovilfa longifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper	Wildflower (forb)	2.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand bluestem Andropogon hallii	Grass or grass-like	6.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
sawsepal penstemon Penstemon glaber	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
scarlet gilia Ipomopsis aggregata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
sea milkwort Glaux maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
textile onion Allium textile	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
threetooth ragwort Packera tridenticulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
winterfat Krascheninnikovia lanata	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a

Other native species recorded here 79

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

American bugseed Corispermum americanum
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
blue mudplantain Heteranthera limosa
bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
Emory's sedge Carex emoryi
false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foxtail prairie clover Dalea leporina
great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
painted milkvetch Astragalus ceramicus
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
povertyweed Iva axillaris
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
sanddune cryptantha Cryptantha fendleri
sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
skeletonleaf bur ragweed Ambrosia tomentosa
slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
Texas croton Croton texensis
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
twinflower Linnaea borealis
velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
water mudwort Limosella aquatica
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
witchgrass Panicum capillare

Also listed as native and introduced here 1

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia

Compared with Colorado

The typical county is the median of the 63 Colorado counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Denver County and Colorado
Measure	Denver County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	162	237	1,119
Garden-ready natives	83	148	585
Tree	5	—	66
Shrub	10	—	92
Wildflower (forb)	107	—	626
Grass or grass-like	34	—	278
Vine	6	—	20
Fern	0	—	37

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Denver County.

Adams County, CO 55 garden-ready
Arapahoe County, CO 58 garden-ready
Jefferson County, CO 219 garden-ready

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: Denver County (county FIPS 08031), Colorado. 162 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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