Native plants · Colorado

Native plants of Lincoln County

166 plant species are recorded as native to Colorado in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Lincoln County by USDA PLANTS. 84 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

Lincoln County, Colorado

Native species: 166 Typical Colorado county: 237 (median of 63 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 84 Typical Colorado county: 148
Share by type (all 166 native species): Percent of the 166 native species in each growth type

Tree 2% (3)
Shrub 7% (12)
Wildflower (forb) 62% (103)
Grass or grass-like 27% (44)
Vine 2% (3)
Fern <1% (1)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (62%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (27%).

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 5b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 84

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

Garden-ready native plants of Lincoln County, Colorado
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	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
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
broadbeard beardtongue Penstemon angustifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	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
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
golden crownbeard Verbesina encelioides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
green needlegrass Nassella viridula	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
green prairie coneflower Ratibida tagetes	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
James' galleta Pleuraphis jamesii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
lemonscent Pectis angustifolia	Wildflower (forb)	8 in	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Nebraska sedge Carex nebrascensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
needle and thread Hesperostipa comata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
poverty threeawn Aristida divaricata	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
prairie sandreed Calamovilfa longifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun	Medium	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
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tailcup lupine Lupinus caudatus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
tenpetal blazingstar Mentzelia decapetala	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
textile onion Allium textile	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
threetooth ragwort Packera tridenticulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
vine mesquite Panicum obtusum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
woolly locoweed Astragalus mollissimus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 82

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.

annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
Louisiana broomrape Orobanche ludoviciana
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
painted milkvetch Astragalus ceramicus
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
povertyweed Iva axillaris
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
sixweeks threeawn Aristida adscensionis
slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
smooth goosefoot Chenopodium subglabrum
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
spinystar Escobaria vivipara
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
Texas croton Croton texensis
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
trailing fleabane Erigeron flagellaris
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
twistspine pricklypear Opuntia macrorhiza
veiny dock Rumex venosus
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium

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, Lincoln County and Colorado
Measure	Lincoln County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	166	237	1,119
Garden-ready natives	84	148	585
Tree	3	—	66
Shrub	12	—	92
Wildflower (forb)	103	—	626
Grass or grass-like	44	—	278
Vine	3	—	20
Fern	1	—	37

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Lincoln County.

Crowley County, CO 28 garden-ready
El Paso County, CO 286 garden-ready
Elbert County, CO 36 garden-ready
Kiowa County, CO 54 garden-ready
Washington County, CO 51 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: Lincoln County (county FIPS 08073), Colorado. 166 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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