10 Top Native Plants for Rocky Mountain Gardens

Native plants bring distinct terroir—sense of place—to landscapes. They support butterflies, native bees, songbirds, and the web of life that sustains healthy environments. Rocky Mountain natives are adapted to the region’s wild weather: blistering summer heat and drought at low elevations, deep winter snows and short summers up high. Wherever you live in the region, these 10 natives add beauty, personality, and wildlife value.

Not in the Rockies? Browse plants native to other U.S. regions.

Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)

Native both sides of Rockies, south to eastern OR, UT, CO, KS; in Canada, BC to Saskatchewan. Thrives in poor, dry soil, full sun. Long-blooming cheery flowers from early summer to frost. Magnet for butterflies, native bees, beetles; bristly foliage deters deer/rabbits. Goldfinches and siskins eat seeds. 2½ ft tall/wide. Best in full sun, well-drained unenriched soil—star in hot, tough spots. Reseeds readily for meadow/informal gardens. Pair with blue-purple Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus) or native asters.

See how to grow blanketflower

Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum)

Native to mountain/plateau canyons from northwestern MT to northern Mexico, including ID, WY, UT, CO, TX, NM, AZ. Plant for cool shade, brilliant fall color, songbird habitat. The Rockies’ sugar maple—one of few native deciduous trees for traditional landscapes. Summer shade, rosy seeds, classic maple leaves, gorgeous fall color, nesting songbirds. Reaches 50 ft tall, 25 ft wide with supplemental water/enriched soil; tolerates some drought, mildly alkaline soil. Not suited for West’s lowest, hottest elevations.

See how to grow bigtooth maple

Colorado Four O’Clock (Mirabilis multiflora)

Native from CO and UT south to northern Mexico. High-desert native thrives in full sun, copious blooms, mounding habit, pollinator appeal. Magenta flowers fill summer afternoons, attracting moths, butterflies, hummingbirds. Pink-tinged succulent stems and shiny leaves enliven hot spots. Late-sprouting from huge taproot; grows until fall frost. ~3 ft tall and wide. Prefers well-drained sandy/gravelly soil. Use as hell-strip ground cover or in xeric borders to camouflage fading spring bulbs.

See how to grow Colorado four o’clock

Threadleaf Giant Hyssop (Agastache rupestris)

Native to southern Southwest mountains and northern Mexico. Adds fragrance to late-summer/fall xeric gardens—silvery-green leaves smell of licorice. Lavender-to-pink buds open to sunset-red blooms, attracting hummingbird crowds. Sunny, well-drained soil; water only until established. Thrives in containers. Pair with yellow coreopsis. Deer-resistant mint family member, ≥2 ft tall, 15 in wide.

See how to grow threadleaf giant hyssop

Lyreleaf Greeneyes (Berlandiera lyrata)

Native to CO, KS, OK south to central Mexico (TX, NM, AZ). Heat- and drought-tolerant Southern Plains native with daisy-like yellow flowers, earthy chocolate scent, spring to frost. Single flowers on short stalks open early morning (peak scent) above green leaves with smooth to wildly undulating edges. Lime-green seedbeds decorative but short-lived—songbirds eat papery seeds. 12 in tall × 15 in wide. Plant in drifts in sunny, hot locations including south-facing slopes/terraces.

See how to grow lyreleaf greeneyes

White Spruce (Picea glauca)

Native across North America from Yukon boreal forests to Maritime provinces, south to Rockies in WY and Black Hills of SD. Sculptural form, evergreen foliage bring mountain-forest feel. Year-round beauty, wildlife food/shelter. Silvery-blue foliage, conical Christmas-tree shape. Purple summer cones feed pine grosbeaks and crossbills in winter. Mature: 20–80 ft tall, narrow 4–12 ft wide. Full sun or part shade.

See how to grow white spruce

Bridge Penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus)

Native to southwestern CO, UT, AZ west to southeastern CA. Abundant scarlet flower spikes bring color and hummingbirds late spring through fall. Longest-lived, longest-blooming red penstemon; bright green foliage; seeds feed chipmunks/small wildlife in winter. Shrubby with multiple arching flower stalks (“mountain fountains”)—fills borders, mixes with tall native grasses. Up to 32 in tall, 30 in wide. Full sun or light shade; needs supplemental irrigation where <15 in annual precipitation.

See how to grow bridge penstemon

Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca)

Native to Great Plains and Rockies foothills from Alberta to northern NM, east to AR. Evergreen leaves brighten winter; sculptural year-round. Spiky silhouette, dramatic fragrant flower stalks. Long-lived, cold- and drought-tolerant. Bell-shaped downward flowers: sole food/nesting for a night-flying moth; nectar/pollen attract hummingbirds/pollinators. Spiky ball 3 ft tall/wide; flower stalk to 6 ft. Full sun; deer/rabbit resistant.

See how to grow soapweed yucca

Skunkbush Sumac (Rhus trilobata)

Native to plains, intermountain basins, mountain foothills from Alberta to northern Mexico, Pacific Coast east to Dakotas, AR, TX. Plant for brilliant fall color and tiny late-winter flowers feeding pollinators. Long-lived, drought-tolerant shrub. Tiny fragrant flowers precede tart red fruit clusters for songbirds/quail. Naturalistic form, prunable to formal. 8 ft wide, 5 ft tall. Thrives in poor soil—ideal for steep, hot banks.

See how to grow skunkbush sumac

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

Native wide swath of North America: Saskatchewan to Quebec, south to FL, Mexico, Central America; most abundant on Great Plains. Beautiful, long-lived ornamental bunchgrass for full sun. Among most cold-hardy, drought-tolerant large native prairie grasses. Warm-season: blue-green blades late spring/summer, airy seed heads. Fall: leaf tips gold to orange, warm hue through winter. Hiding cover for butterflies/pollinators; seeds feed goldfinches, chickadees, small songbirds in winter. Bunches 4–5 ft tall, 2 ft wide; live decade+. May need supplemental water in dry areas. Plant spring through fall.