What Are Xeriscape Plants?

In Colorado Springs, xeriscape plants are species adapted to 15–19 inches of annual precipitation, alkaline clay soil, and 6,000-foot altitude. Choosing the right plants means your yard becomes self-sufficient within two seasons; poor selection leads to replanting for three years.

Key Takeaways

• Colorado Springs receives 15–19 inches annual precipitation; xeriscape plants must tolerate this water availability.
• Xeriscape plants establish within 2 seasons, eliminating 3+ years of maintenance and replanting.
• Blue grama grass grows 4–12 inches and requires nearly zero supplemental water once established.
• Russian sage reaches 3–5 feet tall and survives weeks without rain in full heat.

The single most important decision in any xeriscape project is plant selection. Get it right, and your yard is largely self-sufficient within two seasons. Get it wrong, and you are still pulling dead plants and reseeding bare spots three years in.

A xeriscape plant is any species that can survive, and ideally thrive, on the amount of water your region naturally provides. In Colorado Springs, that means a plant adapted to roughly 15 to 19 inches of annual precipitation, alkaline clay soil, altitude around 6,000 feet, and temperature swings that can put frost on the ground in late May.

What traits make a plant xeriscape ready?

The term covers a wide range: true Colorado natives, plants native to other semi-arid regions that thrive here, and cultivated varieties selected for drought tolerance. Not every xeriscape plant is native, and not every native plant is water-wise. The key traits are:

• Deep or efficient root systems that access soil moisture below the surface layer
• Waxy, fuzzy, or small leaves that reduce water loss through transpiration
• Dormancy strategies (going semi-dormant in dry spells rather than dying)
• Tolerance for our alkaline, clay-heavy soil

CSU Extension maintains plant databases and fact sheets organized by water need. The Colorado Springs city government also publishes an approved plant and xeric planting guide for properties in city jurisdiction. Both are good starting points for research.

What are the main categories of xeriscape plants?

Ground Covers

Ground covers do the unglamorous work: filling space between other plants, shading the soil, and outcompeting weeds. Good choices for Colorado Springs include:

Blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) is the official Colorado state grass and a true native. It stays low (4 to 12 inches), needs almost no supplemental water once established, and produces distinctive eyelash-shaped seed heads in summer.

Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides) forms a dense, low-growing mat and goes dormant in drought rather than dying. It is one of the few turfgrass options that genuinely qualifies as xeriscape. More on that at our drought-tolerant landscaping page.

Creeping thyme (various Thymus species) stays under 4 inches, tolerates foot traffic, and produces small purple flowers. It works well between flagstones and along path edges.

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) blooms in pink, white, or lavender in spring and forms a dense mat the rest of the year. It handles clay soil and alkaline pH better than most ground covers.

Perennial Flowers

These come back each year from the same root system. They require the most water in year one while they establish, then drop to minimal supplemental irrigation.

Penstemon (Penstemon strictus, P. barbatus, others) is a Rocky Mountain native available in blue, red, pink, and white. It blooms May through July and is a magnet for hummingbirds. One of the most reliable xeriscape perennials in the Pikes Peak region.

Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) grows 3 to 5 feet tall with silver stems and blue-purple flowers from July into October. It tolerates full heat, reflected heat off concrete, and weeks without rain.

Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata) produces red and yellow blooms from June through frost and reseeds freely. It is native to Colorado and one of the most drought-tolerant flowering perennials available.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) tolerates poor soil, drought, and neglect. Available in white, yellow, red, and pink. It spreads gradually and fills bare spots without much encouragement.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) blooms from July through September with bright yellow petals. Native to North America and well adapted to Colorado's Front Range conditions.

See our full native plants guide for care notes on each of these species.

Shrubs

Shrubs give a xeriscape its backbone and year-round structure.

Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) is native to Colorado and blooms white in spring, followed by feathery pink seed plumes that persist into fall. It reaches 4 to 6 feet and needs almost no water once established.

Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) is a common Colorado native that produces bright yellow blooms in late summer when almost nothing else is flowering. It tolerates poor soil, high alkalinity, and extended drought.

Potentilla / Shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa) is a compact 3-to-4-foot shrub that blooms yellow, white, or orange from June through September. Hardy to zone 3 and completely unfazed by Colorado Springs winters.

Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium) has aromatic, fern-like foliage and white flowers in summer. It handles heat, alkaline soil, and dry conditions with very little attention.

Trees

Pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) is the defining tree of the Colorado foothills. It is slow growing, native, and needs no supplemental irrigation once established. It provides evergreen structure year-round.

Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) tolerates full sun, wind, and extended dry spells. Available in upright forms for screening or spreading forms as large ground cover.

Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) is native to Colorado's foothills, produces acorns that support wildlife, and turns orange-red in fall. It spreads via root suckering over time, which is useful for larger spaces.

What to Avoid

Kentucky bluegrass is the most common turf in Colorado Springs and the most water-intensive. It evolved in cool, moist European climates and has no business in a semi-arid Colorado yard.

Impatiens, petunias, and most annual bedding plants are designed for high-water environments. They can work in small contained planters but do not belong in a xeriscape bed.

Water-hungry ornamental trees like weeping willows or silver maples are wrong for this climate and will constantly demand supplemental water you will have to provide.

Where to Find Xeriscape Plants in Colorado Springs

Several local and regional sources carry well-adapted plants:

• Resource Central (Boulder) runs an annual Plant Sale specifically featuring Front Range-adapted, water-wise species
• Local independent nurseries in Colorado Springs carry CSU Extension-recommended varieties
• High Country Gardens (Santa Fe, ships to Colorado) specializes in xeric and native plant material
• Water-wise rebate programs through Colorado Springs Utilities sometimes include plant vouchers

When buying, look for plants labeled "water-wise," "xeric," or "Colorado native." Ask nursery staff whether the plant is tested for Front Range conditions specifically, not just "drought tolerant" in a general sense.

If you would rather have a professional choose and install the right plant palette for your specific lot, our team does exactly that. Browse our xeriscape design service, visit the drought-tolerant plants page, or call (719) 631-2371 to talk through your project. You can also get a free estimate online.