Pollinator perennials for the Front Range
Quick answer
95 plants make our list of pollinator perennials for the Front Range. Examples include Bee Balm/Horsemint, Bigelow's Tansyaster, Black-eyed Susan, Blanketflower, and Blue Flax. Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
High-value perennials for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators on the Colorado Front Range.
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Compare these perennials at a glance
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness | Pollinator value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bee Balm/Horsemint | 24 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–9 | High |
| Bigelow's Tansyaster | 24–48 in | low water | Yes | USDA 4–8 | High |
| Black-eyed Susan | 24 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–9 | High |
| Blanketflower | 12 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–10 | High |
| Blue Flax | 18 in | low water | Yes | USDA 4–9 | High |
| Blue Mist Penstemon | 12 in | medium water | Yes | USDA 3–8 | High |
| Bush Sunflower | 20 in | low water | Yes | USDA 4–9 | High |
| Butterfly Millkweed | 18 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–9 | High |
| Chocolate Flower | 18 in | low water | Yes | USDA 4–9 | High |
| Common Yarrow | 18 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–9 | High |
| Desert Four O’Clock | 18 in | medium water | Yes | USDA 4–9 | High |
| evening primrose | 12–18 in | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4–8 | High |
Ordered Colorado-native first, then alphabetically, not a quality ranking. Full list below.
All 95 plants
Bee Balm/HorsemintMonarda fistulosa24 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Bigelow's TansyasterMachaeranthera bigelovii24–48 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Black-eyed SusanRudbeckia hirta24 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
BlanketflowerGaillardia aristata12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–10
Blue FlaxLinum lewisii18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Blue Mist PenstemonPenstemon virens12 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Bush SunflowerHelianthus pumilus20 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Butterfly MillkweedAsclepias tuberosa18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Chocolate FlowerBerlandiera lyrata18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Common YarrowAchillea millefolium18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Desert Four O’ClockMirabilis multiflora18 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
evening primroseOenothera speciosa12–18 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Firecracker PenstemonPenstemon eatonii18–36 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Fringed SageArtemisia frigida12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
GayfeatherLiatris punctata24 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Geyer’s onionAllium geyeri12 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Golden ColumbineAquilegia chrysantha24–36 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
HarebellsCampanula rotundifolia12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Howard’s Evening-PrimroseOenothera howardii6 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Little Bluestem GrassSchizachyrium scoparium24–36 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Missouri Evening PrimroseOenothera macrocarpa6–12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
nodding onionAllium cernuum12 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
northern bedstrawGalium boreale12 inmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Pacific WindflowerAnemone multifida8–12 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Pineleaf PenstemonPenstemon pinifolius12–18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Pitcher SageSalvia azurea36 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
plains coreopsisCoreopsis tinctoria36 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
poppy mallowCallirhoe involucrata6 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Prairie ConeflowerRatibida columnifera18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–10
Prairie Dropseed GrassSporobolus heterolepis24–30 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Prairie SageArtemisia ludoviciana18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
prairie smokeGeum triflorum18 inmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Purple Prairie CloverDalea purpurea24 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Rigid GoldenrodSolidago rigida36–60 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Rocky Mountain ColumbineAquilegia coerulea18–36 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Rocky Mountain PenstemonPenstemon strictus30 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
rosy pussytoesAntennaria rosea6 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Sandia Coral BellsHeuchera pulchella6–12 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Showy FleabaneErigeron speciosus12–24 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Showy MilkweedAsclepias speciosa30 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Side-bells PenstemonPenstemon secundiflorus20 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
silvery lupineLupinus argenteus12–36 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Smooth AsterSymphyotrichum laeve24–36 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Star Flower/Blazing-StarMentzelia decapetala28 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
SwitchgrassPanicum virgatum36–72 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Utah milkvetchAstragalus utahensis6 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
western springClaytonia lanceolata6–18 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
western wallflowerErysimum capitatum12 inmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
White-tufted Evening-PrimroseOenothera caespitosa6 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
alpine mouse-earCerastium alpinum12 inmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Anise HyssopAgastache foeniculum24–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 4–10
Avalanche White Sun DaisyOsteospermum 'Avalanche'6–8 inlow to medium water
bearded irisIris germanica12–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Bellina Pink CornflowerPsephellus simplicicaulis10–14 inlow waterUSDA 3–8
Cape Forget-Me-NotAnchusa capensis12–18 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Cashmere SagePhlomis cashmeriana24–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
common or gardenSalvia officinalis24 inlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
dayliliesHemerocallis sp.12–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
DREW'S FOLLY Hardy SnapdragonAntirrhinum sempervirens 'P020S'6–10 inlow water
European Pasque FlowerPulsatilla vulgaris8–12 inlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
False IndigoBaptisia australis36–48 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9Garden phloxPhlox paniculata 'Delilah'24–32 inmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Golden CandlesThermopsis lanceolata24–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Golden FleeceSolidago sphacelata12–18 inlow waterUSDA 3–9
heartleaf bergenia,Bergenia cordifolia12 inmedium waterUSDA 3–8
Hopflower OreganoOriganum libanoticum18–24 inlow waterUSDA 4–9
Indigo Blue DragonheadDracocephalum ruyschiana12–18 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Jupiter’s beardCentranthus ruber24–30 inlow to medium waterUSDA 5–8
Lady’s mantleAlchemilla mollis12 inmedium to high waterUSDA 3–8
Letitia Flannel PlantVerbascum 'Letitia'8–12 inlow waterUSDA 4–8
LITTLE TRUDY CatmintNepeta 'Psfike'8–10 inlow waterUSDA 3–8
Moon CarrotSeseli gummiferum24–36 inlow waterUSDA 4–8
OLYMPUS Gold Leaf SageSalvia chrysophylla8–12 inlow waterUSDA 4–9
Oriental poppyPapaver orientale24–36 inhigh waterUSDA 3–8
Palace Purple Coral BellsHeuchera micrantha18–24 inmedium waterUSDA 4–9
Pink Cotton Lamb's EarStachys lavandulifolia8–12 inlow waterUSDA 4–8
PlumbagoCeratostigma plumbaginoides6–10 inlow waterUSDA 5–9
Purple ConeflowerEchinacea purpurea24–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
PURPLE MOUNTAIN Sun DaisyOsteospermum barberae 'P005S'6–10 inlow to medium water
Purple Winter SavorySatureja montana8–12 inlow waterUSDA 5–8
Red FeathersPontechium maculatum12–18 inlow waterUSDA 5–8
red hot pokerKniphofia uvaria36 inlow waterUSDA 5–9
Regal TorchlilyKniphofia caulescens24–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Regel’s jointfirEphedra regeliana6–12 inlow waterUSDA 5–9
saxifrageSaxifraga hirsuta6 inhigh waterUSDA 4–8
sea thriftArmeria maritima6 inlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Shangri-La SageSalvia moorcroftiana x indica30–48 inlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
SKY'S EDGE ScutellariaScutellaria 'Pat Hayward'8–12 inlow waterUSDA 4–8
SPANISH PEAKS FoxgloveDigitalis thapsi12–18 inlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
SUNSET FoxgloveDigitalis obscura 'Sunset'18–24 inlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
Sunset HyssopAgastache rupestris24–36 inlow waterUSDA 4–10
wallflowerErysimum linifolium12–36 inlow waterUSDA 3–9
Wee One Dwarf English LavenderLavandula angustifolia 'Wee One'10–12 inlow waterUSDA 5–9
Whirling ButterfliesGaura lindheimeri24–36 inlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
winter creeperEuonymus fortunei36 inmedium waterUSDA 4–9
Frequently asked questions
- How big do these perennials get?
- Mature heights range from about 6 to 72 in across the 95 perennials on this list. Each plant's page lists its exact mature size and spread.
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 49 of the 95 perennials are Colorado natives, including Bee Balm/Horsemint, Bigelow's Tansyaster, Black-eyed Susan, and Blanketflower.
- How much water do these plants need?
- 76 of the 95 are rated low or low-to-medium water; the rest need moderate water. Each plant's page lists its water rating.
- How were these plants selected?
- Each of the 95 plants meets this page's criteria and is cross-referenced against the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List, CSU Extension, Denver Botanic Gardens, and USDA PLANTS. This is a reference guide, not a paid listing.