Written by: Sherie Shaffer, Horticulture Agent
It makes sense that our native pollinator species need native plants to sustain. We, as gardeners, can make a difference by planting native plants in our landscapes. We can go a step further by planting low water natives, that will help save our most precious resource, water, and benefit native pollinators.
Planting the correct plants is a great step, but to make your yard a pollinator haven, you can also provide nesting sites and host plants on which pollinators can lay their eggs. When eggs hatch, they are already on their food source and can begin their journey of life on the right foot. Many of our native bees nest in the ground, so having areas of bare, undisturbed soil will help them to be able to create future generations. Others are wood nesting, so installing a mason bee house, or leaving twigs and snags for them to nest in will create a pollinator friendly habitat as well.
The longer the bloom time in your yard is, the more you will be helping native pollinators. The goal is to always have at least three different plants in bloom from early spring to late fall. Having this diversity of plants not only helps pollinators but also helps to have a proper predator-prey balance.
It is good practice to lump plants of the same species together. This saves pollinator’s energy so they don’t have to fly far to get another flower of the same species, and it also looks nice to have larger clumps of the same flowers.
Finally, try to avoid the use of pesticides in your garden. There are many other strategies to pest control that do not involve chemicals. If you do use a chemical product, be sure to read the label and follow all instructions, including the environmental hazard instructions that are there to lessen any damage to pollinators.
The following list of wildflowers and shrubs is from the Colorado Native Plant Society. The plants are broken down into their season of bloom (except for shrubs which is its own section) so that you can maximize the bloom time in your yard.
Early Season Wildflowers
Nodding Onion Allium cernuum
Nodding pale pink umbels; 6”-12” tall; open woodlands, sunny, dry locations, up to 11,000’ late spring early summer
Sulphur Flower Eriogonum umbellatum
6”-12”, sunny, dry, well-drained, up to 10,500’ Flower heads and leaves turn reddish later in the season
Wallflower Erysimum spp.
6”-24” tall flower heads; biennial or short-lived perennial. Sunny dry locations up to 8,000’
Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
(Erythrocoma triflorum)
Nodding rose-pink blossoms followed by long feathery seed pods, 6” – 12” tall; sun to part shade, moist to part-dry, up to 10,000’
Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
Bright red blossoms on spikes; 1-2.5’ tall, sunny, dry, well-drained. Bees love this plant.
Blue Mist Penstemon Penstemon virens
Small blue-violet spikes up to 1’ tall in late spring. Dry, well-drained locations in sun to part-shade, up to 10,000’
Pasque Flower Pulsatilla patens
(P. ludoviciana)
6”-12” tall, part sun, moist to dry locations up to 9,000’ Cup-shaped lavender blossoms followed by feathery seed heads
Golden Banner * Thermopsis divaricarpa
1-2’ tall, part sun, moist to dry; up to 9,500’. Can be aggressive.
Mid-Season Wildflowers
Pearly Everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea
Silvery foliage, clusters of ‘straw’ white flowers, excellent dried flower; 1-2’ tall, sunny, moist or dry sites; up to 10,000’
Showy Milkweed * Asclepias speciosa
3-4’ tall, back of border; sunny, moist to dry locations; up to 8,000’; will self-seed; great for the Monarchs!
Harebells Campanula rotundifola
Nodding bell-shaped flowers; 6-12” tall, moist to dry, sun to shade, up to 13,000’
Aspen Daisy Erigeron speciosus
Daisy-type blossoms, lavender with yellow centers; 1-2’ tall, sun to part shade, moist to dry; up to 9,500’
Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
1-2’ tall, up to 9,000’; dry, well-drained, sunny locations. Most of the commercial varieties are non-native hybrids.
Beebalm Monarda fistulosa
2-3’ tall, sun to part-shade, moist or dry; up to 9,000’
Rocky Mtn. Penstemon Penstemon strictus
1-2’ tall spikes; dry, well-drained, sun to part shade; up to 10,000’
Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
Golden yellow/brown centers; biennial or short-lived perennial, reseeds readily; dry mountain meadows up to 9,000’; moist to dry locations
Late-Season Wildflowers
Rocky Mtn. Bee Plant Cleome serrulata
1-3’ tall annual; large pink to lavender flower heads; reseeds readily; sun to part shade, dry, well-drained; up to 7,500’; available by seed
Common Sunflower
Prairie Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Helianthus petiolaris
2-5’ annuals; sunny, dry, well-drained; give these plants lots of room in an informal, meadow-type setting
Spotted Gayfeather Liatris punctata
Spikes of fringed rose-purple flowers attract butterflies. Rigid linear leaves. 6”-12” tall; dry, sunny, well-drained locations; up to 7,500’
Tansy Aster Machaeranthera canescens
Erect stems of small lavender daisy-like flowers; short-lived, but readily reseeds; 6”-30” tall; sun, dry, well-drained locations; up to 8,000’
Goldenrod * Solidago spp.
1-4’ tall depending on species; spreads by rhizomes; tiny yellow flowers in heads bloom mid-late summer; sun/part shade; moist to dry; elev. range varies w/species
Shrubs
Rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus nauseosus
Bright yellow flowers late summer; up to 6’ tall which can be controlled by early spring-time pruning; dry, well-drained, sun; up to 8,000’
Chokecherry * Prunus virginiana
(Padus virginiana) ssp. melanocarpa
Racemes of white flowers in spring, followed by red/black fruit. Up to 6’ high, wide-spreading, prefers dry, well drained location in sun or partshade; up to 8,500’
Golden Currant Ribes aureum
Yellow flowers in spring, black fruit for the birds; leaves red/orange in fall, 4-6’ tall, arching branches; sun/part shade, well-drained; moist to dry, up to 10,000’
Woods Rose * Rosa woodsii
Large pink flowers in summer; red/brown prickly stems; red-orange hips in fall; 2-6’ tall, suckers from rhizomes; sun to part shade; moist to dry; to 10,500’
Boulder Raspberry Rubus deliciosus
(Oreobatus deliciosus)
Large white flowers in summer; fruit great for wildlife; 5’ tall; sun to part shade, dry, well-drained, up to 9,000’
