Native plants · Colorado

Native plants of Saguache County

295 plant species are recorded as native to Colorado in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Saguache County by USDA PLANTS. 179 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Saguache County, Colorado

Native species: 295 Typical Colorado county: 237 (median of 63 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 179 Typical Colorado county: 148
Share by type (all 295 native species): Percent of the 295 native species in each growth type

Tree 7% (20)
Shrub 10% (30)
Wildflower (forb) 54% (160)
Grass or grass-like 26% (78)
Vine 1% (3)
Fern 1% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (54%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (26%).

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 5a to 5b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 179

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

Garden-ready native plants of Saguache 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
alkali cordgrass Spartina gracilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
alpine bistort Polygonum viviparum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	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 red raspberry Rubus idaeus	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
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
analogue sedge Carex simulata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
arctic bluegrass Poa arctica	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Arizona fescue Festuca arizonica	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
basin wildrye Leymus cinereus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
beardless wildrye Leymus triticoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	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
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
bluntseed sweetroot Osmorhiza depauperata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bristlecone pine Pinus aristata	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
California oatgrass Danthonia californica	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
chestnut rush Juncus castaneus	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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 spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
creeping barberry Mahonia repens	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
diamondleaf willow Salix planifolia	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Douglas' sedge Carex douglasii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii	Wildflower (forb)	2 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
elephanthead lousewort Pedicularis groenlandica	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
fiddleleaf hawksbeard Crepis runcinata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
fivepetal cliffbush Jamesia americana	Shrub	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
Gambel oak Quercus gambelii	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
Geyer's sedge Carex geyeri	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
glaucous bluegrass Poa glauca	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3a
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
gooseberry currant Ribes montigenum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
granite prickly phlox Linanthus pungens	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
grouse whortleberry Vaccinium scoparium	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
heartleaf arnica Arnica 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 fescue Festuca idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
largeflower hawksbeard Crepis occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Lewis flax Linum lewisii	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
limber pine Pinus flexilis	Tree	66 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
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
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
mountain muhly Muhlenbergia montana	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	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
narrowleaf cottonwood Populus angustifolia	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
needle and thread Hesperostipa comata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Nuttall's alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
Nuttall's sunflower Helianthus nuttallii	Wildflower (forb)	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
old man's whiskers Geum triflorum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
pine dropseed Blepharoneuron tricholepis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
Platte River cinquefoil Potentilla plattensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
prickly rose Rosa acicularis	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
purple milkvetch Astragalus agrestis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
red goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 12b
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 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 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
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
Rydberg's penstemon Penstemon rydbergii	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
salt spring checkerbloom Sidalcea neomexicana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
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
showy locoweed Oxytropis splendens	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
silver sagebrush Artemisia cana	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	Low	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
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
slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
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 horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
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
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
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
thickspike wheatgrass Elymus lanceolatus	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
threetooth ragwort Packera tridenticulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
Thurber's fescue Festuca thurberi	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
water birch Betula occidentalis	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
wax currant Ribes cereum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
western polemonium Polemonium occidentale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
wheat sedge Carex atherodes	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Whipple's penstemon Penstemon whippleanus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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
woolly groundsel Packera cana	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
yellow owl's-clover Orthocarpus luteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 12b
yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 116

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 milkvetch Astragalus alpinus
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
annual muhly Muhlenbergia minutissima
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
beautiful cinquefoil Potentilla pulcherrima
beautiful sandwort Minuartia rubella
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
blowout grass Redfieldia flexuosa
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntleaved orchid Platanthera obtusata
Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
Drummond's campion Silene drummondii
dryspike sedge Carex siccata
elkweed Frasera speciosa
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
fleshy starwort Stellaria crassifolia
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
Macoun's barley ×Elyhordeum macounii
manybranched pepperweed Lepidium ramosissimum
manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
marsh arrowgrass Triglochin palustris
Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
moss campion Silene acaulis
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
mountain ricegrass Piptatheropsis pungens
mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf goosefoot Chenopodium leptophyllum
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
nodding buckwheat Eriogonum cernuum
nodding onion Allium cernuum
northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
Norway sedge Carex norvegica
Oregon cliff fern Woodsia oregana
painted milkvetch Astragalus ceramicus
Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
pinyon goosefoot Chenopodium atrovirens
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
red baneberry Actaea rubra
redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roughleaf ricegrass Oryzopsis asperifolia
rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
sanddune cryptantha Cryptantha fendleri
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
single delight Moneses uniflora
small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
snowline wintergreen Pyrola minor
spiny milkvetch Astragalus kentrophyta
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
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 four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
trailing fleabane Erigeron flagellaris
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
verrucose seapurslane Sesuvium verrucosum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water minerslettuce Montia chamissoi
water mudwort Limosella aquatica
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
wood bluegrass Poa nemoralis
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida

Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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.

claspleaf twistedstalkStreptopus amplexifolius
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
white sagebrushArtemisia ludoviciana

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, Saguache County and Colorado
Measure	Saguache County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	295	237	1,119
Garden-ready natives	179	148	585
Tree	20	—	66
Shrub	30	—	92
Wildflower (forb)	160	—	626
Grass or grass-like	78	—	278
Vine	3	—	20
Fern	4	—	37

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Saguache County.

Alamosa County, CO 156 garden-ready
Gunnison County, CO 271 garden-ready
Rio Grande County, CO 121 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: Saguache County (county FIPS 08109), Colorado. 295 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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