31 Perennial Plants to Grow if You Live in Colorado

Investing in the right perennial plants for a Colorado garden can be a bit intimidating, even for advanced gardeners! It’s always a struggle to figure out what plants will look great in the garden, whether their colors match up, and more importantly, finding plants that will come back each season without being replanted after you’ve found the perfect plant combination.

Not only that, but the Colorado climate can be quite varied and harsh! So finding the right perennials that will come back each year after a drought plagued summer, or a colder winter can be a challenge. You need to look for hardy plants that also don’t need as much water, unless you can freely provide them with hydration.

There are a vast array of plants and flowers that can grow well in Colorado. These perennials are ideal for dry areas and give year-round visual interest with vibrant colors, charming textures, and sculptural shapes. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite perennials to plant in your Colorado garden this season!

Adriatic Bellflower

Scientific Name: Campanula garganica

• Plant Type: Pretty Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Southern Europe
• Plant Size: 2 to 4 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 7

Adriatic Bellflowers form a sea of starry flowers all summer. It is an exceptional selection for tucking into wall crevices for a cottage garden. This flower comes in purple, hues of pink and white but essentially lavender or light blue perennial blooms.

This perennial flourishes throughout the summer and into fall and spreads 6 inches to 3 feet. It adapts perfectly to well-drained chalk, loam, and sand soil. It’s low maintenance, hardy, and will typically come back each year, even after a little neglect.

Ashy Sunflower

Scientific Name:Helianthus mollis Lam.

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: North America
• Plant Size: 2 to 6 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Light shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 9

The Ashy sunflower will straighten out and expand into the ground, enveloping a mass of plants with age. They spread two to three inches and have soft, gray-green foliage. Their bright yellow perennial blooms are synonymous with summertime sun.

When planting this, consider giving it considerable room for space. The flowers of this native are superb for attracting bees and butterflies.

When fully developed, the plant thrives exceptionally well in poor soil and withstands slight drought tolerance. Ashy flower prefers full sun and adapts well on average to moderately moist, well-drained soils.

Asters

Scientific Name: Aster amellus

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Eastern U.S
• Plant Size: 1 to 6 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 3 to 8

Asters have picturesque daisy-shaped flowers that flourish when numerous summers gradually grow faint and lose their beauty. Asters are easy to grow, and are a favorite amongst gardeners both as a perennial flower, and annual in hotter climates.

The plants brighten up the garden in late summer and Autumn, offering essential late-season nectar for pollinators. Their star-shaped flower heads possess multiple colors, ranging from purple to white to blue.

Asters are highly flexible and bloom in full sun. Some varieties will tolerate part shade but will have minimal flowers. They are well adapted to moist, well-drained, and loamy soil.

Bandwidth Maiden Grass

Scientific Name: Miscanthus sinensis

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Eastern Asia
• Plant Size: 2 to 3 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 5 to 9

This flexible dwarf maiden grass with rust-resistant, dazzling yellow and green striped foliage will make your small garden eye-popping.

This long-lasting, intrinsically narrow, upright grass is an excellent accent for large-scale landscapes. While maiden grass tends to spread quickly and sometimes uncontrollably, Bandwidth is not highly productive and does not reseed itself anywhere.

Conspicuous foliage clusters are filled with airy golden brown plumes towards the end of summer and persist into winter. It requires sufficient water, and therefore, it is incredibly crucial to water it regularly – preferably weekly or after a few days.

Bluestar

Scientific Name: Amsonia tabernaemontana

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: North America
• Plant Size: 2 to 3 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 3 to 11

The plant got its name due to its soft blue, star-like flowers. Although its flowers are small, they flourish in feathery clumps and put on a gorgeous show for a few weeks. Bluestar flowers are among the most authentic blues you will come across in flower colors.

Most various types of Bluestars will spread two to three inches. However, the different sizes that they can grow up to will depend on the variety you grow and the environment. They do exceptionally well in sand, chalk, clay, and loam soil.

Chocolate Flower

Scientific Name: Berlandiera lyrata

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Southern United States, Mexico
• Plant Size: 1 to 2 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Part shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 10

Chocolate flower, also known as Lyre-leaf green eyes, is a velvety-leaved perennial. It is amassed, rough, gray-green foliage with a chocolate scent.

In most cases, a leafy plant has numerous short branches at the base and longer, inclining branches finishing in leafless stalks. The upper part has flower heads which consist of yellow rays encompassing a maroon central disk.

The many daisy-like flourishes are two inches wide with yellow rays and a maroon center. The plant thrives in moist soil.

Coral Bells

Scientific Name: Heuchera

• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Geographic Origin: North America
• Plant Size: 8 to 18 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 8

Coral bell is a flexible perennial with gorgeous foliage and bell-shaped flowers. Also referred to as Heuchera, they provide a collection of colors and forms multi-seasonal interest and long flourish time. You can grow them in a shade garden or pots as a gardener.

They can persevere under a broad range of light conditions, infertile soil, heat, cold, humidity, and drought. Coral bells produce flowers in hues of coral, red, white, or punk and are alluring to butterflies and hummingbirds.

They are exceptionally adapted to rich, well-draining soil but can endure clay or rocky soils and salt. However, if you are in Colorado, where the soil is heavy clay, you can change it to enhance the drainage before planting your new corals’ bells.

Dianthus Kahori ‘Scarlet’

Scientific Name: Kahori scarlet

• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Europe and Asia
• Plant Size: 0.50 to 1.00 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 3 to 9

In spring, this perennial gives rise to abundant dazzling magenta flowers with white centers. It forms grass-like foliage and exhibits remarkable hardiness, never dying out in the middle of the winter.

Therefore, it thrives in a rock garden or a container. It creates a gorgeous ground cover or edging plant for a passageway.

Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’

Scientific Name: Echinacea angustifolia

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Eastern and North America
• Plant Size: 3 to 4 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 8

This perennial flower occurs in numerous colors and varieties that wear a picturesque show every year, from late spring to fall. From Colorado’s high altitude to massive temperature changes and intense hailstorms, these robust flowers can withstand most of the extreme weather found in Colorado.

However, they need a cold, moist period during their germination. The flower is drought resistant and can thrive in clay, loam, or sandy soil.

Geranium ‘Rozanne’

Scientific Name: Geranium ‘gerwat’ Rozanne

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: South Africa
• Plant Size: 1 to 2 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial sun to full sun
• Plant Zone: 5 to 8

Geranium is highly conspicuous due to its striking violet-blue flowers that combine perfectly with whatever is planted nearby. Geraniums are perennial favorites by many gardeners, but are often grown as annual flowers in hotter climates.

The plant has a habit of spreading out over a sizable area irregularly. Also, the stems have a disorganized way of developing and navigating in and around neighboring plants. However, it supports its numerous flowers high above the foliage.

Geranium will flourish the entire growing season, but it may partially stop flowering mid-season to re-energize. It flourishes in the spring all the way to the summer into immense petaled violet-blue flowers.

It is not susceptible to insects or diseases and can be cut back to refresh, shape, or facilitate more blooms.

Granita Orange Ice Plant

Scientific Name: Aizoaceae

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: South Africa
• Plant Size: 2 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 5 to 9

If you are looking for exquisite flowers that can cover your yard with blooms, the Granita Orange Ice Plant is king. The plant develops about two inches tall but can straighten out as much as four feet across. This sturdy perennial forms a brilliant orange carpet of permanent flowers when blooming.

It can bear dry soil as it blossoms extensively from spring through fall.

Although it has a fragile look, it thrives well year after year, even in harsh Colorado winters. It forms an effective groundcover for the surrounding plants and other late spring flourishing perennials such as Sundancer Daisy, Select Blue Catmint, and Penstemon.

Once they have fully developed, Ice Plants need minimal maintenance. As succulents, they require moderate watering. Additionally, this perennial does not require fertilizers. All you need to do is plant them and enjoy their seamless growing.

Hyssop

Scientific Name: Hyssopus officinalis

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Southern Europe
• Plant Size: 1.5 to 2 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun 
• Plant Zone: 3 to 11

Hyssop is a dazzling colored shrub or subshrub with a woody stem at the bottom, which develops numerous upright branches.

The plant has gorgeous dark green leaves with small, sharp leaves and enchanting flower spikes. The leaves can grow up to one inch tall. It blossoms during summer, giving rise to pink, blue, or, more infrequently, white fragrant flowers. The herb is both sweet-scented and fragrant.

Hyssop can bloom in dry areas and adapt well to chalky, sandy soils. It loves full sun, partial shade, and warm climates. They require well-drained soil, which is partially supplemented with organic matter.

Lami Dark Purple Spotted Dead Nettle

Scientific Name: Lamium maculatum

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Europe, North Africa, West Asia
• Plant Size: 0.5 to 1 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial sun to Filtered sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 9

If you are looking for a stunning groundcover for a shady spot, containers, hanging baskets, Lami Dark Purple Spotted Dead Nettle is the perfect perennial. One gardener’s weed is another’s treasure applies here, as this purple flowered plant is sometimes considered a weed in certain locations.

Glittering silver leaves with emerald green edges form a luxuriant groundcover that flourishes earlier than other dead nettles. It boasts abundant, deep purple flowers from spring to summer.

It can do well in filtered sun, but it can still tolerate partial or full shade. However, it is vital to water it more often to maintain uniform moist soil. You can water it weekly or after a few days for the best results. It flourishes from spring to fall.

Lavender ‘Phenomenal’

Scientific Name: Lavandula x intermedia ‘phenomenal’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Western Europe
• Plant Size: 2 to 3 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 9

Lavender ‘Phenomenal’ is an evergreen subshrub that is one of the most flexible lavenders and easy to grow. It does exceptionally well in dry, hot, and cold climates. It is known to put up some humidity.

The silvery foliage produces the long bountiful blue flowers that flourish all summer long. They grow up to 32” tall and 30” across. Usually, they take approximately two years to attain full size.

They prefer well-drained sandy soils with average nutrients and abundant sunlight every day. With proper care, they can last for more than 15 years. As with most lavender varieties, they thrive under extreme conditions and some gardeners say Lavender grows better with a little neglect.

Liatris

Scientific Name: Liatris spicata

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Eastern United States
• Plant Size: 3 to 6 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 5 to 8

Liatris, commonly known as blazing star, forms a clump of pink-lavender blooms atop narrow stems and develops in bunches. The plants have a vast array of species and cultivars, making them a spectacular addition to your border and landscapes.

Their leaves take the shape of grass and purple, pink or white flowers that have no fragrance. Each of its flowers can grow to about two to five feet.

They are not vulnerable to pests and diseases but can be affected by powdery mildew and leaf spots when subjected to overly wet and sunless conditions.

This remarkably hardy plant can even thrive in poor soils. However, if grown in adequately enriched soils, the tall stems may need additional support to curb them from flopping over.

Lunaria Rediviva

Scientific Name: Lunaria rediviva

• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Europe
• Plant Size: 2 to 3 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 6 to 9

Lunaria Rediviva, commonly known as perennial honesty, is a gorgeous herbaceous perennial that usually forms clusters while blooming.

Towards the end of spring and early summer, it gives rise to a plethora of fragrant, lilac white flowers prevalent with bees and butterflies.

The flower endures exceptionally well into summer and is followed by picturesque papery seed heads that last into fall and even winter.

It is seamlessly grown in uniformly wet, organically rich garden soils. Lunaria Rediviva is not affected by insects or diseases.

Lupine ‘Gallery Mix’

Scientific Name: Lupinus polyphyllus

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Western North America
• Plant Size: 20 to 24 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 8

Lupine is the perfect perennial for your yard if you reside in windy areas. With charming multi-color flower spikes, this is an exceptional dwarf variety. The fascinating spires are a memorable sight in the late spring and early summer garden.

Although they multiply by self-seeding, depending on the process isn’t advisable when you want to reproduce the qualities of a specific ornamental lupine. For better results, ensure this hardy perennial has sufficient access to the morning sun, afternoon shade, and well-drained soil.

Lupine can grow up to 12 inches wide. They don’t take long to establish and develop into flowers.

Millenium Ornamental Onion

Scientific Name: Allium millenium

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Central Asia
• Plant Size: 15 to 20 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 8

Millenium Ornamental Onion is among the most robust perennials. Unlike other plants that easily flop over when watered from above or subjected to punishing hailstorms, this plant’s blooms remain unaffected.

It prefers soil of any fertility and will give better results in clay soil. It is not susceptible to pests and diseases. Usually, its fragrant foliage also makes it not vulnerable to deer and rabbits.

Usually, its roots can extend between 15 and 20 inches. Its pinkish-purple flourish goes through the summer, thus attracting numerous bees and butterflies.

Monardella Macrantha ‘Marian Sampson’

Scientific Name: Monardella macrantha

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Nevada, Baja California
• Plant Size: 1 foot tall
• Sun Exposure: Part shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 9 to 10

If you want a plant for an alpine garden or an edge, this is the ideal plant for you. However, it is delicate until it is heavily deep-rooted.

The plant has a striking appearance and thrives in low-nutrient soil and exceptional drainage. Clusters of dazzling, lightly scented, orange-scarlet trumpet flowers extend up to 3” tall and 18” wide.

The flowers appear from early summer to Autumn, with each cluster possessing up to 25 upright, illuminating scarlet-red narrow trumpets of approximately two inches.

Monardella prefers part shade with frequent watering, but it can still thrive in the scorching sun if adequately mulched. It also does well in clay soil.

Photo Credit: John Rusk via Flickr (Use Permitted With Attribution)

Oriental Poppy

Scientific Name: Papaver orientale

• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Northeastern Turkey
• Plant Size: 1 to 3 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 5 to 7

Oriental Poppy, commonly known as papaver Orientale, is a charming specimen of the papaver Orientale family. This orange flowering perennial is quite popular both as perennial in certain locations, as well as an annual flower in both hot and colder climates.

With flowers between four and six inches, it provides exquisite and satin-like petals of striking salmon pink hue and will bloom in most gardens.

Its massive salmon-pink petals are profoundly dispirited with a deep and shimmery purple center, making a substantial statement.

Perovskia ‘Russian Sage’

Scientific Name: Perovskia atriplicifolia

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Southwestern and Central Asia
• Plant Size: 4 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 9

Perovskia is a blue flowering woody shrub. However, the top parts of the plant have a high potential of dying off during frigid winter weather.

Russian sage develops as a numerous stemmed cluster. The stems of each flower end with long, slender flower panicles. It boasts dazzling long panicles as the flower opens.

The charming blue-purple flowers of this perennial’s picturesque arrays will turn heads towards the end of summer. It begins with a hazy, pale blue to a jubilant azure. When it finishes flourishing, it appears like a lavender-blue haze.

It comes in different sizes and shapes that can perfectly fit anywhere. Its scent attracts bees & butterflies, but it is not affected by deer and rabbits. It is drought-resistant and loves the scorching sun.

Purple Coneflower

Scientific Name: Echinacea purpurea

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Ontario
• Plant Size: 5 feet
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 3 to 8

Purple coneflowers are prevalent in numerous flower gardens. Butterflies and bees are always close to these great perennials. This sun-friendly perennial flower is easy to grow, and has beautiful purple blooms.

The plant also creates a tall background or recurring rows of vast, often six inches across, purple, daisy-like flowers. The robust stalks rarely bend or need staking to maintain an upright posture.

The plant does well in poor or lean soil since fertile soil may result in luxuriant foliage and compromised flowering.

When planting the purple coneflower, subject them to full sun. If you reside in the southern areas of Colorado, locate them in the morning sun as this may enhance exceptional performance, with the late afternoon shade shielding them from burning.

Purple Poppy Mallow

Scientific Name: Callirhoe involucrata

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: The Central United States and part of the Eastern and Southwestern United States
• Plant Size: 6 to 12 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 8

They beautify the landscape in late spring and early summer with their abundant dazzling cup-shaped flowers on top of ground-hugging stems.

The eye-popping upward-facing flourishes up to 2.5 inches wide open in the morning and closes when the sun is setting and stays closed after pollination. They are semi-evergreen. Poppy Mallows grow up to six inches tall and spread two to three inches.

They are well-adapted to chalk, loamy, sandy soil, which must be well-drained. However, these flowers can still do well in poor, infertile soils. They can thrive in dry areas and are extremely easy to grow.

Poppy ‘Spring Fever Mix’

Scientific Name: Papaver nudicaule

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Asia and North America
• Plant Size: 6 to 12 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: Sun to partial shade
• Plant Zone: 3 to 7

Conspicuous large flowers of red, yellow, orange, and white blossom from early spring to summer. The plant prefers adequate sunlight every day and can only thrive in well-drained soils.

Beyond maintaining moist soil, spring fever doesn’t need to be supplemented with synthetic or organic fertilizers as they are not vulnerable to natural predators. They are pretty easy to grow and extend up to eight to 12 inches wide.

Rocky Mountain Columbine

Scientific Name: Aquilegia caerulea

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: North America
• Plant Size: 18 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 3 to 8

This picturesque perennial from the columbine flower family has compelling white and lavender petals surrounding a lustrous yellow center. Indigenous to the higher heights of the intermountain West, it is ideally suited to mountain gardens and parts of the West with cool nights. It blossoms in late spring all the way to early summer.

Rocky Mountain Columbine blooms in compost enriched garden loam and disregards clay soil. If planted in dry climates, it should be mulched with most types of prevalent mulch materials. It should be moderately watered to avoid making them floppy.

Its aromatic blooms attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. It is also deer and rabbit resistant. It’s also the state flower of Colorado, and can be planted late in the season, even as late as May or June.

Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Scientific Name: Penstemon strictus

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: New Mexico
• Plant Size: 24 to 36 inches
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
• Plant Zone: 3 to 6

Rocky Mountain Penstemons have a shape similar to the trumpet, and their aromatic nectar makes hummingbirds and butterflies not go far from them.

They are drought resistant and straightforward to maintain. This Colorado native is a perfect selection for xeriscapes. The plant thrives in well-drained, rocky, sandy, loamy soils.

Salvia ‘May Night’

Scientific Name: Salvia x sylvestris

• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Central and South America
• Plant Size: 18 to 24 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 9

This robust plant does exceptionally well in dry areas. It is situated to accommodate the Colorado soil, which is rich in clay content.

Salvia has simple or compound leaves positioned oppositely across the square stems. It has aromatic leaves that are the origin of the culinary herb. Typically, the flowers have a tube-like shape with only two lips and stamens. They are held up in terminal flower clusters.

These perennials flourish spires of indigo towards the beginning of summer and will re-blossom at the beginning of fall if deadheaded.

Sedum ‘Tapestry Carpet’

Scientific Name: Sedum ‘Tapestry Carpet’

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: South America
• Plant Size: 4 to 12 inches
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Plant Zone: 5 to 6

Sedum’s plentiful, succulent leaves and collection of star-shaped flowers make it sensational. It appears in two significant categories that depend on their growth habits – low-growing sedum and Upright sedum.

The plant comes in a vast array of colors, sizes, textures, and species, also referred to as “stonecrop,” making it ideal for application in almost any garden layout.

Most sedum flourishes in summer through fall. Grow them in well-drained, average-rich soil and maintain moderate watering for better outcomes. They are sturdy, seamless to maintain, and attract pollinators.

Summerific ‘Cherry Choco Latte’

Scientific Name: Hibiscus moscheutos

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: North America
• Plant Size: 4 feet tall
• Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
• Plant Zone: 4 to 9

Summerific ‘Cherry Choco Latte’ is an ideal late summer perennial. It got its name from its massive, deep pink and white flowers that appear from mid-summer into fall.

While growing it, you won’t need to get rid of dead flower heads as it inherently falls off when they dry up. It attracts bees and hummingbirds and resists deer. Summerific ‘Cherry Choco Latte’ is very easy to maintain.

Viola ‘Corsican Violet’

Scientific Name: Viola corsica

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Australia
• Plant Size: 6 to 12 inches tall
• Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 4 to 9

Viola is highly related to pansy and has more common traits. It belongs to the violet family Violaceae and is the largest in the family. This sturdy plant blossoms even during frigid winter days.

Although it is usually applied as a groundcover around trees and shrubs, it reseeds limitlessly once fully developed.

Violas should be grown in clay or fertile loam soil supplemented with sufficient organic matter for better results. They should also be subjected to moderate watering. They contain two- to three-inch flowers that can have one or multiple colors.

Yarrow

Scientific Name: Achillea millefolium

• Plant Type: Perennial
• Geographic Origin: Asia, Europe, and North America
• Plant Size: 30 to 36 inch
• Sun Exposure: Part shade to full sun
• Plant Zone: 3 to 9

Yarrows exhibit large, flat heads comprising tiny flowers. They have clusters of fluffy leaves which are green or silvery. There are also yellow, red, and orange varieties. Yarrows thrive in nearly any type of soil and temperature and can also tolerate infertile soils.

Yarrow can be considered invasive in some areas, due to its rapid growth. So keep in mind that when you plant it, you’ll need to make sure to keep it trimmed back regularly. Because of it’s versatility, Yarrow can grow pretty much anywhere, even in arid desert climates.