Native plants · Colorado

Native plants of San Miguel County

237 plant species are recorded as native to Colorado in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in San Miguel County by USDA PLANTS. 148 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

San Miguel County, Colorado

Native species
237 Typical Colorado county: 237 (median of 63 counties)
Garden-ready natives
148 Typical Colorado county: 148
Share by type (all 237 native species)
Percent of the 237 native species in each growth type
Tree 7% (16)
Shrub 14% (32)
Wildflower (forb) 55% (131)
Grass or grass-like 21% (49)
Vine <1% (2)
Fern 3% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (55%), 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 5b to 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 148

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

Garden-ready native plants of San Miguel County, Colorado
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alderleaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus montanus Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
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
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
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
arctic pearlwort Sagina saginoides Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
banana yucca Yucca baccata Shrub 4 ft Sun Low Zone 7a
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
blue wildrye Elymus glaucus Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
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
broadleaf arnica Arnica latifolia Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
cliff fendlerbush Fendlera rupicola Shrub 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
common juniper Juniperus communis Tree 10 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris Grass or grass-like 1.3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
creeping barberry Mahonia repens Shrub 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
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
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 5.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
foothill deathcamas Zigadenus paniculatus Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata Grass or grass-like 5.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
freckled milkvetch Astragalus lentiginosus Shrub 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
hair-like sedge Carex capillaris Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
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
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High 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
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Shrub 6 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus Wildflower (forb) 1.1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
Letterman's needlegrass Achnatherum lettermanii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
Lewis flax Linum lewisii Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 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
longstalk clover Trifolium longipes Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8a
longstalk starwort Stellaria longipes Wildflower (forb) 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
Mertens' rush Juncus mertensianus Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
mormon tea Ephedra viridis Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
mountain brome Bromus marginatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
muttongrass Poa fendleriana Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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
northern bedstraw Galium boreale Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun High Zone 3a
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
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca Shrub 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
pale evening primrose Oenothera pallida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
park willow Salix monticola Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4a
pine dropseed Blepharoneuron tricholepis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5a
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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 milkvetch Astragalus agrestis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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 goldenrod Solidago multiradiata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun — Zone 1a
Rocky Mountain iris Iris missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
saltgrass Distichlis spicata Grass or grass-like 1.1 ft Sun Medium 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
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
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
shadscale saltbush Atriplex confertifolia Shrub 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
shortfruit willow Salix brachycarpa Shrub 3.6 ft — — Zone 5a
shortspine horsebrush Tetradymia spinosa Shrub 3.2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa Shrub 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea Tree 18 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
silver sagebrush Artemisia cana Shrub 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
singleleaf ash Fraxinus anomala Tree 20 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata Shrub 4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 2a
slender cottongrass Eriophorum gracile Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Sun High 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
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
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
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
thrift mock goldenweed Stenotus armerioides Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Thurber's fescue Festuca thurberi Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
Torrey's jointfir Ephedra torreyana Shrub 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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 serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
western polemonium Polemonium occidentale Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
western sweetroot Osmorhiza occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
Whipple's penstemon Penstemon whippleanus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme Shrub 8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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
yellow spiderflower Cleome lutea Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Low Zone 12a

Other native species recorded here 89

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
  • American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
  • American rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
  • autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
  • ballhead ipomopsis Ipomopsis congesta
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • beautiful cinquefoil Potentilla pulcherrima
  • bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
  • bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
  • bluntleaved orchid Platanthera obtusata
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • brittle pricklypear Opuntia fragilis
  • Carolina draba Draba reptans
  • desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
  • Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
  • Drummond's campion Silene drummondii
  • Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
  • dryspike sedge Carex siccata
  • entireleaved thelypody Thelypodium integrifolium
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
  • flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
  • flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
  • fragile rockbrake Cryptogramma stelleri
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
  • giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
  • Gmelin's buttercup Ranunculus gmelinii
  • greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
  • hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
  • hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
  • hookedspur violet Viola adunca
  • lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
  • lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
  • Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
  • liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
  • meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
  • Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
  • milkflower willowherb Epilobium lactiflorum
  • moss campion Silene acaulis
  • mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
  • pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
  • pinyon goosefoot Chenopodium atrovirens
  • plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
  • pleated gentian Gentiana affinis
  • purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
  • pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
  • red baneberry Actaea rubra
  • Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
  • Rocky Mountain rush Juncus saximontanus
  • rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
  • roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
  • sanddune cryptantha Cryptantha fendleri
  • scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
  • shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
  • shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
  • sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
  • single delight Moneses uniflora
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender lipfern Cheilanthes feei
  • small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
  • spearleaf stonecrop Sedum lanceolatum
  • spinystar Escobaria vivipara
  • spreading sandwort Arenaria lanuginosa
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
  • strapleaf willow Salix ligulifolia
  • stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
  • tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
  • tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
  • threenerve goldenrod Solidago velutina
  • tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
  • tobacco root Valeriana edulis
  • trailing fleabane Erigeron flagellaris
  • twinflower Linnaea borealis
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
  • wedgeleaf draba Draba cuneifolia
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
  • whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
  • whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
  • woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
  • woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida
Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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.

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, San Miguel County and Colorado
MeasureSan Miguel CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 237 237 1,119
Garden-ready natives 148 148 585
Tree 16 — 66
Shrub 32 — 92
Wildflower (forb) 131 — 626
Grass or grass-like 49 — 278
Vine 2 — 20
Fern 7 — 37

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with San Miguel County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

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
San Miguel County (county FIPS 08113), Colorado. 237 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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