Native plants · Colorado

Native plants of La Plata County

285 plant species are recorded as native to Colorado in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in La Plata County by USDA PLANTS. 174 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

La Plata County, Colorado

Native species: 285 Typical Colorado county: 237 (median of 63 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 174 Typical Colorado county: 148
Share by type (all 285 native species): Percent of the 285 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (27)
Shrub 8% (24)
Wildflower (forb) 56% (160)
Grass or grass-like 21% (61)
Vine 1% (4)
Fern 3% (9)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (56%), 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 zones 6a to 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 174

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

Garden-ready native plants of La Plata County, Colorado
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alderleaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus montanus	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alpine bistort Polygonum viviparum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
alpine leafybract aster Symphyotrichum foliaceum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
alpine timothy Phleum alpinum	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
arctic bluegrass Poa arctica	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
banana yucca Yucca baccata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 7a
beaked spikerush Eleocharis rostellata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Bigelow's tansyaster Machaeranthera bigelovii	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 10b
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
blue spruce Picea pungens	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
cerro hawthorn Crataegus erythropoda	Tree	16 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
chamisso sedge Carex pachystachya	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cliff fendlerbush Fendlera rupicola	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Colorado barberry Berberis fendleri	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
Colorado blue columbine Aquilegia coerulea	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Columbia needlegrass Achnatherum nelsonii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Columbian monkshood Aconitum columbianum	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
creeping barberry Mahonia repens	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
diamondleaf willow Salix planifolia	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Drummond's rush Juncus drummondii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Drummond's willow Salix drummondiana	Shrub	12 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
elephanthead lousewort Pedicularis groenlandica	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Eschscholtz's buttercup Ranunculus eschscholtzii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
fineleaf pondweed Stuckenia filiformis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fringed grass of Parnassus Parnassia fimbriata	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Gambel oak Quercus gambelii	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
glaucous bluegrass Poa glauca	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3a
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
golden sedge Carex aurea	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gooseberry currant Ribes montigenum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gray aster Eurybia glauca	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Greene's mountain ash Sorbus scopulina	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
hair-like sedge Carex capillaris	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
hairy arnica Arnica mollis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
heartleaf bittercress Cardamine cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Hooker's evening primrose Oenothera elata	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
Idaho bentgrass Agrostis idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
inland sedge Carex interior	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
James' galleta Pleuraphis jamesii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
lemonscent Pectis angustifolia	Wildflower (forb)	8 in	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Lewis flax Linum lewisii	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
limber pine Pinus flexilis	Tree	66 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
little green sedge Carex viridula	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
littleleaf pussytoes Antennaria microphylla	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
littleseed ricegrass Piptatheropsis micrantha	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
longstyle rush Juncus longistylis	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
low pussytoes Antennaria dimorpha	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
marsh bluegrass Poa leptocoma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
marsh grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Mertens' rush Juncus mertensianus	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
mountain sedge Carex scopulorum	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
muttongrass Poa fendleriana	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern singlespike sedge Carex scirpoidea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Pacific anemone Anemone multifida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
pale evening primrose Oenothera pallida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Parry's rush Juncus parryi	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
plantainleaf buttercup Ranunculus alismifolius	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Richardson's geranium Geranium richardsonii	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
Rocky Mountain iris Iris missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Rocky Mountain penstemon Penstemon strictus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Ross' avens Geum rossii	Wildflower (forb)	5 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 10a
Ross' sedge Carex rossii	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
salt spring checkerbloom Sidalcea neomexicana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
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
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
shortfruit willow Salix brachycarpa	Shrub	3.6 ft	—	—	Zone 5a
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
slender cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smallwing sedge Carex microptera	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
southwestern showy sedge Carex bella	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
spiked woodrush Luzula spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
sulphur-flower buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8a
tailcup lupine Lupinus caudatus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
tall fringed bluebells Mertensia ciliata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
tapertip onion Allium acuminatum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Thurber's fescue Festuca thurberi	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
twoneedle pinyon Pinus edulis	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
umbrella starwort Stellaria umbellata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Utah juniper Juniperus osteosperma	Tree	26 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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
Whipple's penstemon Penstemon whippleanus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white fir Abies concolor	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
Wright's deervetch Lotus wrightii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 7a
yellow evening primrose Oenothera flava	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 111

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.

alpine bluegrass Poa alpina
alpine fescue Festuca brachyphylla
alpine lewisia Lewisia pygmaea
alpine milkvetch Astragalus alpinus
American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
annual muhly Muhlenbergia minutissima
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
autumn willow Salix serissima
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
beautiful cinquefoil Potentilla pulcherrima
beautiful sandwort Minuartia rubella
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
English sundew Drosera anglica
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
lesser rattlesnake plantain Goodyera repens
lesser spikemoss Selaginella densa
lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
Macoun's cudweed Pseudognaphalium macounii
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
male fern Dryopteris filix-mas
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marsh arrowgrass Triglochin palustris
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
milkflower willowherb Epilobium lactiflorum
moss campion Silene acaulis
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nodding onion Allium cernuum
northern hollyfern Polystichum lonchitis
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
single delight Moneses uniflora
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
spearleaf stonecrop Sedum lanceolatum
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
spinystar Escobaria vivipara
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
spreading fleabane Erigeron divergens
spreading sandwort Arenaria lanuginosa
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
strapleaf willow Salix ligulifolia
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
threenerve goldenrod Solidago velutina
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
trailing fleabane Erigeron flagellaris
twinflower Linnaea borealis
upland brittle bladderfern Cystopteris tenuis
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
wood bluegrass Poa nemoralis
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana

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.

Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

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, La Plata County and Colorado
Measure	La Plata County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	285	237	1,119
Garden-ready natives	174	148	585
Tree	27	—	66
Shrub	24	—	92
Wildflower (forb)	160	—	626
Grass or grass-like	61	—	278
Vine	4	—	20
Fern	9	—	37

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with La Plata County.

Archuleta County, CO 160 garden-ready
Montezuma County, CO 249 garden-ready
San Juan County, CO 135 garden-ready
San Juan County, NM 272 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: La Plata County (county FIPS 08067), Colorado. 285 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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