Fact Sheet No. Gardening Ser ies|Flowers

by J.E. Klett and C. Wilson*

Wet climate landscapes have molded perceptions of flower gardens and ingrained the names of the flowers they contain through literature, painting, photography and more. Dry climate gardens by contrast often evoked images of sparseness and scarcity. No more.

A new view of water wise gardens has evolved from the creativity and experimentation of gardeners. It is supported by the wider availability of native and adapted plants from high altitude dry climates around the world. Plant marketing efforts from nurseries and the Plant Select® program have fostered this plant revolution. Plant Select® identifies and distributes plants best for intermountain and high plains gardens. (See www.plantselect.org)

Growing on less water does not mean water-wise gardens are lacking. They can be colorful, with a wide variety of plants, and delight as much as the traditional English garden border. They can also be subtle and evocative of the wide-open skies and intense light of the natural western landscape.

Grasses, perennials and wildflowers native to the Rocky Mountain West are frequently found in the modern Colorado flower garden. Annuals easy on water use are seasonally mixed in. Introduced plants from the high and dry areas of the Andes, Himalayas, the Middle East and South Africa are often included. This list of perennials and annuals includes native and adapted plants for the water wise flower garden. Use it as a tool to explore the expanded garden possibilities in the West.

For additional plant suggestions, see other native plant and xeriscape fact sheets (www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/pubs.html) available from Colorado State University Extension.

Quick Facts•Nurseriescarryagreaterselectionofnativeandadaptedwaterwiseperennialsandannualsthaneverbefore.

•Widerplantavailabilitysupportsnewdirectionsinwesternflowergardens.

•Usethislistofperennialandannualplantsasatoolforexploringexpandedgardenpossibilities.

©ColoradoStateUniversityExtension.6/00.Reviewed2/10.

www.ext.colostate.edu

*J. E. Klett, Colorado State University Extension landscape horticulturist and professor, department of horticulture and landscape architecture; C. R. Wilson, Extension horticulture agent, Denver County. Revised from original “Xeriscaping: Garden flowers” fact sheet authored by J.R. Feucht and J.E. Klett. 2/10

Xeriscaping: Perennial and Annual Flowers

7.231

Figure 1: PerennialsGaillardia x grandiflora ‘Goblin’(lowerright)andSedum sp.(centerleft).

Figure 2:AnnualsRudbeckia‘AutumnColors.’

Figure 3:DenverCityCountyBuildingPerennialGarden(Zauschneria garrettii (bottomleft).

Botanical Name Common Name

Cultivars

Flower Color

Bloom Period

Height

Comments/ Cultural hints

Achillea hybridsYarrow

‘Moonshine’ LightYellow Jun-Sep 18-36” Featheryfoliage,vigorous,clumpforming

Achillea filipendulaFernleafyarrow

‘CoronationGold’‘Parker’sVariety’

BrightyellowGoldenyellow

Jun-SepJun-Sep

36-42”36-48”

Gray-greenfoliage,heattolerant

Weakstems-mayrequirestaking

AchilleamillefoliumCommonyarrow

‘Paprika’

‘RedBeauty’

‘SummerPastels’‘TerraCotta’

RedwithyellowcentersCrimsonredPastelmixPeachpink

Jun-SepJun-SepJun-SepJun-Sep

18-24”18-24”18-24”30-36”

Soft,featherygreenfoliage,vigorousspreadingnatureGray-greenfeatheryfoliage,aggressivespreadingclumpFeatheryfoliage,formsclumpsSilveryfeatheryfoliage,spreadingnature

Achillea ptarmicaThePearlyarrow

‘ThePearl’ White Jun-Sep 12-18” Smallspraysofdouble,buttonlikeflowers,openhabit,goodcutflower

AgastacheaurantiacaHyssop

Coronado®Coronado®Red

OrangeRed

Jul-OctJul-Oct

15-18in.15-18in.

Silverygreenleaves,mintyfragrance,PlantSelect®plants

Agastache canaHummingbird’smint

SonoranSunset®

PinkLavenderrose

Jul-OctJul-Oct

24-36”12-18”

Graygreenaromaticfoliage,uprightclumpsMorecompactthanspecies,longerblooming,PlantSelect®plant

Agastache rupestrisSunsethyssop

Salmonpink Jul-Oct 24-36” Graygreenaromaticfoliage,PlantSelect®plant

Agastache hybridAnisehyssop

‘BlueFortune’ Blueviolet Jul-Oct 24-48” Darkgreenleavesonstoutstems

Alcea roseaHollyhock

Chater’sseriesWatchman’

Mix Jul-SepJul-Sep

60-72”60-72”

Cuttingbackstalksencouragescontinuingbloom

Antennaria parvifoliaPussytoes

Pink May-Jun 2-6” Woolysilvery-grayleaves

Aquilegia chrysanthaYellowcolumbine

DenverGold®

Yellow May-Aug 24-36” Recurrentbloomifcutback.SouthwesternnativePlantSelect®plant

Aquilegia Remembrance®columbine

‘SwanViolet&White’ Violet-blueandwhite May-Jun 18-24” HybriddevelopedfromnativeA. cae-rulea tohonorthememoryofthoseshotatColumbineHighSchool.PlantSelect®plant

Arabis caucasiaRockcress

‘Snowcap’ White Mar-Apr 6-8in. Cutbackafterbloomtomaintaincompactplant.

Aurinia saxitalisBasket-of-gold

Yellow Apr 6-12” Narrowgray-greenleavescontrastwithbrightflowersinbloom.

Baptisia australisFalseindigo

Blue May-Jun 36-48” Attractivebrownseedpods.Bluegreenfoliage.

Berlandiera lyrataChocolateflower

Yellow Jun-Sep 12-24” SoutheasternColoradonative.Chocolatefragrancefromdaisy-likeflowers.PlantSelect®plant

Callirhoe involucrataPrairiewinecups

Magentapink Jun-Sep 6-12” Trailingstemssprawl2to3feet.PlantSelect®plant

Calylophus serrulatus Sundrops

‘PrairieLode’ Yellow Jun-Sep 6” Spreadinggroundcover.PlantSelect®plant.

Centaurea montanaMountainbluet/Perennialbachelorbutton

Violet-blue Jun-Jul 18-24” Spiderycornflowers.Vigorousgrowerthatself-seeds.

Centranthus ruberRedvalerianorJupiter’sBeard

‘Albus’

ReddishpinkWhite

Jun-Aug 24” Sprawlingplantwithblue-greenleaves.Reseeds.Deadheadtopro-motecontinualblooming.

Perennials

Botanical Name Common Name

Cultivars

Flower Color

Bloom Period

Height

Comments/ Cultural hints

Cerastium tomentosumSnowinsummer

White May-Jun 6-12” Silverygrayfoliage.Needswelldrainedsoil.

Coreopsis auriculataDwarfcoreopsis

‘Nana’ Yellow-orange May-Sep 6-8” Lowclumpformerwithevergreenfoliage.Deadheadflowers.

Coreopsis grandifloraDwarfdoublecoreopsis

‘Sunray’ Goldenyellow Jun-Aug 24” Doubleflowers.Spoon-likevibrantgreenleaves.Compactplant.

Coreopsis lanceolataLanceleafcoreopsis

Yellow Jun-Jul 18-24” Long-lived,finetexturedplantwithshinygreenleaves.

Coreopsis verticillataFernleafcoreopsis

‘Moonbeam’

‘Zagreb’

Paleyellow

Goldenyellow

Jun-Sep 18-24”

12-18”

Finelydissected,brightgreenfoliage.Deepgreenthread-likeleaves.

Delosperma cooperiPurpleiceplant

Violetpurple May-Jun 2-4’ Succulentgray-greenleavesturnred-purpleinwinter.

Delosperma nubigenumYellowiceplant

Yellow May-Jul 1-2” Moundofsucculentleavesturnpurplishinwinter.

Delospermahybrids

LavenderIce™MesaVerde®TableMountain®

LavenderSalmonpinkFuchsia

May-Aug 2-4in. Succulentgray-greenleavesPlantSelect®plants

Echinacea purpureaPurpleconeflower

‘WhiteSwan’

‘Magnus’

White

Darkpink

Jul-Sep 24-36” Erectprairiewildflower,daisy-likeflowers,deepgreenleaves

Echium amoenumRedFeathers

Russetred May-Jul 12-16” BaserosetteoffoliagewithspikesoffeatheryflowersPlantSelect®plant

Erigeron hybridsFleabanedaisy ‘AzureFairy’

Pink-purpleBluewithyelloweye

Jun-Jul 18-24” Growinwell-drainedsoil,deadheadforrebloom

Eriogonum umbellatumSulfurflower KannahCreek®

Yellow May-Jul 6-12” Darkgreenmatoffoliagewithumbrella-likeflowersKannahCreek®foliageturnsarichredinwinter-PlantSelect®

Eryngium planumSeaholly

Blue Jun-Aug 12-24” Silver-blueflowerheadsdrywell

Eschscholzia californicaCaliforniapoppy

Yellow-orange Jun-Sep 12-24” Finebluegreenleaves.Short-livedperennialatlowelevations,annualathighelevations.Reseedseasily.

Gaillardia aristataNativeblanketflower

Yellow Jun-Aug 18-24” Fuzzy,greenclumpoffoliage,flow-ershavereddishbrowntoorangecenters

Gaillardia x grandifloraBlanketflower

‘Burgundy’

‘Goblin’

Red

Redwithyellow

Jun-Aug 18-24”

18-24”

Wineredflowers

Compactgrowth

Gaura lindheimeriWhirlingbutterflies

‘CrimsonButterflies’

‘SiskiyouPink’

Pink

Pink

Jul-Sep 15-18” Darkcrimsonleaves

Deeppinkflowerswithwhitestamens

Gazania linearis ColoradoGold®Hardygazania

Yelloworange May-Oct 4-6” Deepgreenlinearleaves,bloomsopeninsunnyweather,PlantSelect®plant

Gypsophila paniculataBaby’sbreath

‘BristolFairy’

‘PinkFairy’

White

Lightpink

Jun-Aug 36-48”

18-24”

Doublewhiteairyflowers

LightpinkdoubleflowersBothusefulascutflowers

Helianthemum nummulariumSunrose

Many White,pink,yellow,red,orange

May-Jul 8-12” Numerouscultivarswithvariousflowercolorsandsilverytodeepgreenfoliage

(Perennials, Continued)

Botanical Name Common Name

Cultivars

Flower Color

Bloom Period

Height

Comments/ Cultural hints

Hemerocallis spp.Daylily

Many Red,orange,yellow,purple,white

Jun-Jul 12-48” Clumpsoflong,mediumgreen,grass-likeleaves,leaflessflowerstalksbearbell-shapedflowers

Iberis sempervirensCandytuft

White Apr-Jun 12-18” Glossygreenfoliage,shearafterbloom,mayrepeatbloominfall

Irishybrids Many Blue,white,red,purple,yellow,orange,bi-colors

May-Jun 8-30” Swordlikeleavesaddverticalaccenttothegarden,makesgoodcutflower

Knautia macedonicaKnautia

Burgundy Jun-Aug 18-36” Foliageclumpsgiverisetomanyopenlybranchedflowerstems,reseeds

Kniphofia uvariaTorchlily

Kniphofia caulescensRegalTorchLily

Red,orange,yellow,bi-colors

Golden,crimsonandivorytri-color

Jul-Sep 24-48”

40”

Verticalflowerspikesarisefromclumpsofgrasslikefoliage,bloomsfrombottomofspikeupward.PlantSelect®Plant

Lavandula angustifoliaEnglishlavender

‘Hidcote’

‘Munstead’

Lavenderblue

Lavenderblue

May-Sep 12”

12-18”’

Aromaticbloomsandfoliage,semiev-ergreen,woodystems

Liatrus spicataGayfeather

‘Kobold’

‘FloristanViolet’

‘FloristanWhite’

Rose

Violetpurple

White

Jul-Sep 18-36” Clumpsofgrassyfoliage,bottlebrushblooms,goodcutflower

Limonium latifolium Sealavender

Lavenderpurple Jul-Sep 18-24” Spoon-shaped,leatheryclumpofleaves,cloudofairyflowers

Linum perenneBlueflax

Blue May-Jun 12-24” Skyblueflowersonairystems,self-seeds

Lychnis coronariaRosecampion

Purple-red May-Jul 18-36” Silverygrayrosetteoffoliage,reseeds

Mirabilis multifloraDesertfouro’clock

Purplishred Jun-Sep 12-30” Bluegreenleaves,trumpetshapedflowers,southernColoradonative

Nepetaspp.Catmint

‘SixHillsGiant’

‘WalkersLow’

LittleTrudy®

Lavender May-Oct 24-36”

18-24”

8-12”

Fragrantgray-greenleavesonsquarestems,spreadinghabit,trimbackafterbloom.

PlantSelect®plant

Oenothera macrocarpasubsp.IncanaEveningprimrose

SilverBlade® Yellow May-Sep 4” Silverleavescomplimentclearyellowflowers.Growinwell-drainedsoils.PlantSelect®plant

Papaver orientaleOrientalpoppy

Orange,salmon,red May-Jun 24-30” Verydroughthardy,foliagediesinsummer.

Penstemon grandiflorus

PrairieJewel®penstemon

White,lavender,rose-pink,purple-violet

May 18-36” StrainofGreatPlainspenstemonswithgiantflowers.Attractivesilveryleafrosettes.PlantSelect®plant

Penstemon linarioidesvar.coloradoensis

Silverton®bluematpenstemon

Lavender-blue May-Jun 8-12” Spreadingsilverymoundsofever-greenleaves.PlantSelect®plant

Penstemon rostriflorusBridges’penstemon

Scarletred Jul-Sep 24-36” Southwesternnativepenstemonno-tableforlatesummerbloomperiod.PlantSelect®plant

Phlox subulataCreepingphlox

White,red,blue,pink Mar-Apr 4-6” Plantsformblanketsofgreenleavescoveredwithsmall,star-shapedflowers

Pulsatilla vulgarisPasqueflower

Purple Mar-Apr 6-12” Silverybudsopentocup-shapedblooms,fuzzyseedheadspersistintosummer

Rudbeckia fulgidaBlack-eyedSusan

‘Goldsturm’ Goldenyellow Jul-Aug 18-24” Goldenyellowflowerswithdarkbrowntoblackcenters

(Perennials, Continued)

Figure 4:Perennials.NativebluePenstemon strictus (left)andP. grandiflorus PrairieJewel®(centerandright).

Figure 5:AnnualsCleome‘SenoritaRosalita’.

Botanical Name Common Name

Cultivars

Flower Color

Bloom Period

Height

Comments/ Cultural hints

Salvia argenteaSilversage

White Jun-Jul 24-36” Silkyhairsonlargeleavesmakesthisasuperiorfoliageplant.PlantSelect®plant

Salvia nemerosaSage

‘MayNight’

‘RoseQueen’

Violetblue

Rosepink

Jun-Aug 18-24” Erectflowerstalkswithgray-greenfoliage,repeatbloomifcutbackafterfirstbloomfinishes

Satureja montanavar.illyricaPurplewintersavory

Purple-blue Aug-Sep 4-6” Evergreenmoundswithlate-seasonshowyflowers.PlantSelect®plant

Sedum acreGoldmossstonecrop

Yellow May-Jun 2-4” Star-likeflowersonshortstemswithbrightgreenleaves

SedumAutumnJoystonecrop

‘AutumnJoy’ Salmonpink Aug-Sep 18-24” Uprightclumpbearsthick,rounded,blue-greenleaveswithflatflowerclusters

Sedum spuriumDragon’sBloodstonecrop

‘Dragon’sBlood’ Rosered Jun-Jul 2-4” Matsofred-rimmedfoliageturnblood-redinfallandwinter

Veronica liwanensisTurkishveronica

Cobalt-blue Apr-Jun 1-2” Flat,evergreenmatsofglossyleaves.PlantSelect®plant

Veronica‘Reavis’ CrystalRiver®ve-ronica

Blue Apr-Jun 2-3” Fast-growingvigorousmassesoffoli-age.PlantSelect®plant

Viola corsicaCorsicanviolet

Purple Apr-Sep 6-8” Adroughttolerantviolet.PlantSe-lect®plant

Zauschneria garrettii (Epilobium garettiisynonymous)

Orangecarpet®hum-mingbirdtrumpet

Orange-scarlet Jul-Aug 4-6” SpreadingperennialfromIdahowithmassesofbloom.PlantSelect®plant

Zinnia grandifloraPaperflower

Yellow Jun-Sep 6” Longlastingbloom,droughtendur-ing.

(Perennials, Continued)

Figure 6:PerennialsDelosperma MesaVerde®(front)D. nubigenum(back).

Figure 7:PerennialsBerlandiera lyrata(top)andLavandula angustifolia (below).

Annuals that require one quarter to one-half inch of additional water per week

Botanical Name Common Name Exposure

Flower Color

Bloom Time

Height Hardiness

Centaurea cyanusCornflower,BachelorButton

Sun–Partshade White,pink,blue,purple

Jun-Sep 15-20in. Hardy,reseeds

Cosmos bipinnatisCosmos

Sun Pink,white,purple Jul-Sep 36-48in. Tender,reseeds

Gazania rigensGazania

Sun White,yellow,orange Jun-Oct 8-10in. Half-hardy

Gomphrena globosaGlobeAmaranth

Sun White,pink,lavender

Jun-Oct 12-24in. Tender

Lantana camaraLantana

Sun–Partshade Yellow,white,orange,Numerous

Jun-Sep 12-24in. Tender

Lobularia maritimaSweetAlyssum

Sun–Partshade White,violet,maroon

May-Sep 4-8in. Hardy

Mirabilis jalapaFourO’Clocks

Sun–Partshade Yellow,pink,red,white Jul-Sep 18-30in. Tender,reseeds

Petunia x hybridaPetunia

Sun–Partshade Pink,white,yellow,violet,red,blue,Various

Jun-Oct 8-15in. Halfhardy

Portulaca grandifloriaRoseMoss

Sun Pink,red,white,yellow,orange,Numerous

Jul-Oct 6-8in. Tender

Sanvitalia procumbensCreepingZinnia,TrailingSanvitalia

Sun Yellow,orange Jun-Sep 6-8in. Tender

Senecio cinerariaDustyMiller

Sun White-Silverfoliage N/A 8-12in. Hardy

Tithonia rotundifoliaMexicanSunflower

Sun Orange,red Aug-Oct 12-40in. Tender

Scaevola aemulaFanFlower

Sun White,blue,violet Jul-Oct 6-12in. Tender

Figure 8:PerennialsRudbeckia fulgida(top)andErigeron sp.(below)

Annuals that require one half to one inch of additional water per week

Botanical Name Common Name Exposure

Flower Color

Bloom Time

Height Hardiness

Catharanthus roseusPeriwinkle,vinca

Sun White,violet,rose,purple

Jun-Oct 8-14in. Tender

Cleome hasslerianaCleome,SpiderFlower

Sun Pink,white,purple Jul-Sep 36-48in. Tender

Dianthus chinensisChinaPinks

Sun–Partshade White,pink,rose,red May-Sep 8-12in. Hardy

Helichrysum bracteatumStrawflower

Sun White,rose,yellow,orange,crimson

Aug-Oct 10-30in. Hardy

Ipomea batatusSweetPotatoVine

Sun-Partshade Notimportant N/A 12-24in.Vining

Tender

Limonium sinuatumNotchleafStatice

Sun White,yellow,blue,lavender

Aug-Oct 12-24in. Hardy

Nierembergia hippomanica violaceaeCupFlower

Sun Violet,lavender,white Jun-Sep 8in. Halfhardy

Osteospermum spe-ciesAfricanDaisy,CapeDaisy

Sun White,yellow,lavender,pink,orange

Jun-Sep 10-18in. Halfhardy

PennisetumsetaceumFountainGrass

Sun Grownforfoliage&plume

Jul-Oct 24-40in. Halfhardy

Pentas lanceolataEgyptianStarFlower

Sun Red,white,pink Jun-Sep 12-20in. Tender

Rudbeckia hirta pulcherimmaGloriosaDaisy

Sun Yellow,orange Jul-Oct 12-30in. Hardy

Salvia farinaceaMealycupSage

Sun–Partshade Blue,lavender,white,rose

Jul-Oct 12-30in. Halfhardy

Tagetes speciesMarigold

Sun Yellow,orange,white,mahogany

Jun-Oct 6-30in. Halfhardy

Tropaeolum majusNasturtium

Sun Red,orange,yellow Jun-Sep 12in. Tender

Verbena x hybridaGardenVerbena

Sun White,pink,pose,lavender,red,violet

Jun-Oct 12-18in. Tender

ZinniahybridsZinnia

Sun White,yellow,red,orange,pink,rose

Jun-Oct 8-36in. Tender

Annuals that require one to one and a half inches of additional water per week

ColoradoStateUniversity,U.S.DepartmentofAgricultureandColoradocountiescooperating.CSUExtensionprogramsareavailabletoallwithoutdiscrimination.Noendorsementofproductsmentionedisintendednoriscriticismimpliedofproductsnotmentioned.

Botanical Name Common Name Exposure

Flower Color

Bloom Time

Height Hardiness

Ageratum houstonianumMexicanFlossFlower

Sun–Partshade Lavender,pink,blue,white

Jun-Oct 8-12in. Tender

Antirrhinum majusSnapdragon

Sun White,yellow,pink,bronze,various

May-Oct 6-30in. Hardy

Argyranthemum speciesMargueriteDaisy

Sun White,yellow,pink,various

Jun-Oct 6-36in. Halfhardy

Bacopa speciesBacopa,WaterHyssop

Sun–Partshade Pink,white,lavender,various

May-Sep 3-6in. Tender

Celosia plumosaFeatherCockscomb

Sun Yellow,orange,red,pink

Jul-Sep 15-24in. Tender

Heliotropium arborescensHeliotrope

Sun Blue,purple Jun-Sep 10-20in. Tender

Impatiens wallerianaImpatiens

Sun–Shade White,pink,rose,red,blue,copper

Jun-Sep 6-12in. Tender

Lobelia erinusLobelia

Sun-Partshade Blue,purple,white May-Sep 4-12in. Tender

Nicotiana alataNicotiana

Sun Red,white,pink,lime-green

Jun-Sep 10-60in. Tender

Pelargonium x hortorumZonalGeranium

Sun White,pink,rose,red,orange

May-Oct 12-20in. Halfhardy

Viola x wittrockianaPansy–LadiesDelight

Sun-Partshade White,blue,violet,yel-low,orange,maroon

Allyear 4-8in. Veryhardy