Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet
Zauschneria garrettii
Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet (Zauschneria garrettii) is a groundcover suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 3–6 in tall and 12–24 in wide, needs low water, and prefers full sun. Tubular orange-red flowers explode in late summer when little else blooms. Hummingbird favorite.
low water3–6 in tall and 12–24 in wideXeric / water-wisePlant Select®Deer-resistant
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At a glance
- Botanical name
- Zauschneria garrettii
- Variety / cultivar
- ORANGE CARPET® ('PWWG02S')
- Type
- Groundcover
- Mature size
- 3–6 in tall and 12–24 in wide
- Planting spacing
- ~17–24 in apart
- Growth habit
- Mat-forming
- Foot traffic
- No foot traffic
- Winter cover
- Partial winter cover
- Lawn alternative
- No-mow lawn alternative
- Bloom length
- Long (several weeks)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4–9
- Water needs
- low water
- Sun
- Best in full sun.
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Soil
- sandy, well drained only
- Soil pH
- 6.5–8.5
- Hail tolerance
- moderate
- Wind tolerance
- moderate
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Firewise (defensible space)
- Zones 2–3 (keep it back from the house)
- Plant Select®
- Yes, Colorado's Plant Select® program (2010)
- Bloom color
- orange, red
- Bloom time
- late summer, early fall
- Pollinator value
- high
- Site uses
- Hellstrips / parking strips, Hot south- or west-facing walls, Slopes & erosion control
Wildlife & ecology
- Pollinator value
- high
- Deer
- Generally deer-resistant
Using Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet as a groundcover
Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet forms a low mat. It fills in to a moderately dense cover. On a slope it helps knit the soil together and control erosion.
Planting & establishment
Water deeply 1×/week first summer to establish. Minimal water after, needs sharp drainage and tolerates true xeric conditions.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet is a well-suited groundcover for Colorado's Front Range.
- How big does Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet get?
- It matures to about 3–6 in tall and 12–24 in wide.
- How far apart do I plant Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet?
- Space Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet about 17 in apart for a faster, fuller cover, or up to 24 in apart for a looser planting.
- Is Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet hardy on the Front Range?
- Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet is hardy in USDA 4–9. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b–6a, so it is well within range.
- How much water does Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet need?
- It needs low water once established.
- Is Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
- Is Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet deer-resistant?
- Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet is generally considered deer-resistant, though no plant is deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
- Is Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet a good firewise plant near the house?
- Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet is suitable in defensible-space zones 2–3, best kept back from the house rather than in the area right against the structure. This is general suitability guidance based on CSU Extension firewise plant lists, not a guarantee that any plant won't burn, a well-irrigated, well-maintained plant is the goal. Follow CSU Extension defensible-space guidance and check with your local fire district before planting in the wildland-urban interface.
- Is Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet a Plant Select® winner?
- Yes (inducted 2010). Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet is in Plant Select®, the plant-recommendation program run by Colorado State University and Denver Botanic Gardens to highlight plants that thrive in the region.
- Can you walk on Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet?
- Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet isn't meant for foot traffic, site it where you won't need to walk across it.
- Can Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet replace a lawn?
- Yes, Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet works as a no-mow lawn alternative on the Front Range. Expect a season or two of weeding and watering while it fills in before it reads as a lawn replacement.
- Will Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet spread or stay put?
- Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet is mat-forming. Give it room to fill in and edit the edges to keep it where you want it.
- Does Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet stay green in winter?
- Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet keeps partial cover through Front Range winters.
- Is Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet good for a slope?
- Yes. Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet helps hold soil on Front Range slopes and control erosion once its roots knit in.
- How long does Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet bloom?
- Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpet blooms for several weeks, a long-season performer on the Front Range. Bloom timing shifts a week or two with elevation and spring weather.
