Colorado is home to 3,322 known plant taxa.
Here are my favorite native plants grown at Lafayette Garden and loved by local wildlife.
Amsonia illustris (Ozark Bluestar) The prettiest shade of baby blue. Spring bloomer.
Aquilegia canadensis (Wild Columbine) Spring bloomer.
Baptisia australis (Wild Blue Indigo) Spring bloomer.
Camassia leichtlinii (Camassia Lily) Spring bloomer.
Chamaebatiaria millefolium (Fernbush) Exquisite foliage, sweet aroma, bee magnet. Summer bloomer.
Castilleja linariifolia (Wyoming Indian Paintbrush)
Cleome serrulata (Rocky Mountain Bee Plant) Bees adore this one. But a colony of these can be stinky. Prolific self-seeder.
Echinacea pallida (Pale Purple Coneflower)
Helianthus maximiliana (Maximilian's Sunflower) Very tall, can be floppy unless you Chelsea chop them. Perfect for a fence line.
Liatris spicata (Blazing Star)
Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia)
Oenothera biennis (Common Evening Primrose) Love a night bloomer.
Oenothera caespitosa (Tufted Evening Primrose) Olive colored velvety leaves. Spring bloomer.
Penstemon palmeri (Palmer's Penstemon) The prettiest shade of pale pink.
Pulsatilla patens (Pasqueflower) If you can find this one, buy it. Spring bloomer.
Salvia azurea (Pitcher Sage) Standout color. Fall bloomer.
Silphium integrifolium (Rosinweed) American Goldfinch favorite. Summer bloomer.
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England Aster) Fall bloomer.
Verbena stricta (Hoary Vervain). Spikes of purple. Summer bloomer. A living bird feeder in the fall.
Vernonia fasciculata (Prairie Ironweed) Statuesque. Want butterflies? This is your go-to. Summer bloomer.