This list is Deb Lebow Aal’s compilation, with assists from Kenton Seth and Bob Nold. It is for folks who don’t want to water much and are gardening for wildlife value.
Biennials/Perennial Forbs
Amsonia jonesii (blue star flower)
Argemone polyanthemos (prickly poppy): reseeds like crazy. White flower – annual/biennial
Artemesia polyanthemos var. ludoviciana or latiloba (not others)
Asclepia tuberosa (butterfly weed): blooms and blooms orange, once it gets roots down. NOT BUTTERFLY BUSH –an invasive plant and not a true host plant for butterflies
Berlandia lyrata (chocolate flower): reseeds a lot
Callirhoe invollucrata (prairie wine cups): also reseeds like crazy. Gorgeous magenta flowers
Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Rabbit brush): reseeds like crazy
Eriogonum umbellatum (Sulphur buckwheat): Also reseeds
Glaucium acutidentatum or flavum: (Orange horned poppy): Not native, but an annual/biennial that readily reseeds with beautiful orange flowers and interesting seed pods. It’s incredibly drought tolerant and the bluish foliage adds a lot to a landscape. It’s a show stopper!
Hesperaloe parviflora (Texas red yucca): not quite native to Colorado, hummingbirds love
Krascheninnikovia lanata (Winterfat): nice silvery foliage all season; great fall/winter interest
Liatris ligustylus (Gayfeather): butterflies love!
Linum lewiseii (Blue flax): Drop seeds where you want them and they come up! Beautiful blue flower in spring and early summer
Mahonia ( or Berberis) repens: in shade or sun. In spring, yellow berries, in fall, turns red
Mirabilis multiflora (Desert four o’clock): blooms in late afternoon
Penstamen barbatus: red flowers – hummingbirds love. Penstemons are short lived but reseed.
Penstamen brandegei: blue flowers (NOT elfin pink, rondo, eatonii or clutei – need water!)
Penstamen centrathifolius (Scarlet bugler): red
Penstamen grinnellii: pink
Penstamen pseudospectabilis: pink
Penstamen virgatus: easily the most cold hardy and drought tolerant of penstemons– purple
Phacelia campanulania (Desertbells): annual, blue/purple
Pulsatilla patens (Pasque flower): early bloomer so can go under trees that leaf out late
Spharaelcea coccinea (Scarlet globemallow): So drought tolerant! Orange flower
Yucca glauca (soapweed): White flower on tall stalk
Zinnea grandiflora (Prairie zinnia): Yellow flower. Small plant
Grasses [Note: native grasses do better when planted by seed in fall or winter]
Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama): does well in a dry garden; not spectacular to look at
Bouteloua dactyloides (Buffalo grass): the native alternative to Kentucky bluegrass. See below
Muhlenbergia porteri (muhly): Porteri is the most drought-tolerant muhly
Oryzopsis hymenoides (Indian Ricegrass): one of the best ornamental grasses for a dry garden
Schizachyrrium scoparium (Little blue stem): turns a gorgeous burgundy in fall
Sporabulus airodes: Kenton’s favorite grass. He uses it everywhere!
Sporabilus cryptandrus (Sand dropseed): most drought tolerant of the sporabilus
Shrubs/small trees
Amelanchier utahensis (Utah serviceberry)
Chamaebatiaria millefolium (Fernbush)
Forestera neomeciana (New Mexican privet)
Mahonia fremontii
Prunus americana (Wild plum)
Prunus besseyi (Sand cherry)
Ptelea trifolata (Wafer ash)
Quercus gambelii (Gambel oak): gets only 10 feet tall if unirrigated
Quercus turbinella: evergreen
Quercus macrocarpo (Bur oak)
Rhus typhina (Staghorn sumac): might need a bit of water
Ribes aureum (Golden currant): not very showy
Robinia (New Mexican Locust)
Rubus deliciosus (Boulder raspberry): can grow in light shade
Salvia dorii (Purple sage): our native salvia, kind of a sub-shrub
Trees
Juniperus scopulorum ‘Woodward’: upright, adds formality to a garden, spiders and birds love them. Don’t plant near a house as it is quite fire prone
Pinus edulis (Pinyon pine): very slow growing
Sapindus drumondii (Western soapberry): a native that can grow unirrigated. Small but can get tall enough to shade a house
Plants for a Crevice Garden (e.g., small and very xeric)
Arenaria hookeri (Hooker’s sandwort)
Echinocereus coccineus or triglochidiatus (Claret cup cactus): Our Colorado State cactus
Eriogynum ovalifolium (Ovalleaf buckwheat)
Escobaria sneedii (Dwarf snowball cacti)
Hymneoxys acaulis var. caespitosa (Sunshine daisy)
Oenethera caespitosa (Desert evening primrose)
Townsendia hookeri (Hooker’s Townsend Daisy)
Seeds/Plants to plant in buffalo grass (buffalo grass will do much better if interplanted)
Artemesia frigida (Fringed sage)
Bouteloua gracilis (Blue grama)
Dalea purpurea (Purple prairie clover)
Koeleria macrantha (Prairie Junegrass)
Liatris punctata (Spotted gayfeather)
Sphraeralcea coccinea (Scarlet globemallow)
Zinnea grandiflora (Prairie zinnia)