Drought-tolerant shrubs for Colorado's Front Range
Quick answer
70 plants make our list of drought-tolerant shrubs for Colorado's Front Range. Examples include American plum, Apache plume, Big sagebrush, Cliff fendlerbush, and Cliff jamesia / waxflower. Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
Drought-tolerant shrubs that hold up to Front Range heat and water limits once established. Each is rated low or low-to-medium water. The catch: "drought tolerant" starts after the roots settle in, so plan on regular deep watering for the first season or two.
Planning a whole xeriscape? See the xeriscape plants for Colorado list, trees through groundcovers.
Plan your garden
Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
Compare these shrubs at a glance
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American plum | 10 to 15 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 |
| Apache plume | 4 to 6 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 4 to 9 |
| Big sagebrush | 3 to 8 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 3 to 9 |
| Cliff fendlerbush | 3 to 6 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 5 to 8 |
| Cliff jamesia / waxflower | 3 to 6 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 |
| Cliffrose | 4 to 8 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 |
| Common juniper | 2 to 4 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 2 to 7 |
| Common snowberry | 3 to 5 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 7 |
| Curlleaf mountain mahogany | 10 to 20 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 |
| Dwarf wild indigo | 1 to 2 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 4 to 9 |
| Fernbush | 4 to 6 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 |
| Fourwing saltbush | 3 to 8 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 4 to 9 |
Ordered Colorado-native first, then alphabetically, not a quality ranking. Full list below.
All 70 plants
American plumPrunus americana10 to 15 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Apache plumeFallugia paradoxa4 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata3 to 8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Cliff fendlerbushFendlera rupicola3 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 5 to 8
Cliff jamesia / waxflowerJamesia americana3 to 6 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
CliffrosePurshia mexicana4 to 8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Common juniperJuniperus communis2 to 4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 7
Common snowberrySymphoricarpos albus3 to 5 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 7
Curlleaf mountain mahoganyCercocarpus ledifolius10 to 20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Dwarf wild indigoAmorpha nana1 to 2 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
FernbushChamaebatiaria millefolium4 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Fourwing saltbushAtriplex canescens3 to 8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Fragrant sumacRhus aromatica2 to 3 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Golden currantRibes aureum5 to 8 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 8
LeadplantAmorpha canescens2 to 4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Leadplant / false indigo bushAmorpha fruticosa6 to 12 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Littleleaf mountain mahoganyCercocarpus intricatus3 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Mountain mahoganyCercocarpus montanus6 to 12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
New Mexico privetForestiera neomexicana6 to 12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Rockspirea / mountain sprayHolodiscus dumosus3 to 5 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8- Roundleaf buffaloberryShepherdia rotundifolia3 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 5 to 8
Rubber rabbitbrushEricameria nauseosa3 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Sand cherryPrunus pumila3 to 5 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Sand sagebrushArtemisia filifolia2 to 5 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Shrubby cinquefoilPotentilla fruticosa2 to 4 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 7
Silver buffaloberryShepherdia argentea8 to 18 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 7
Small soapweed / Great Plains yuccaYucca glauca2 to 4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Smooth sumacRhus glabra8 to 15 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Three-leaf sumacRhus trilobata4 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Utah serviceberryAmelanchier utahensis10 to 15 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Wax currantRibes cereum3 to 5 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 8
Western sand cherryPrunus besseyi2 to 4 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Western snowberrySymphoricarpos occidentalis2 to 4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 7
WinterfatKrascheninnikovia lanata1 to 3 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Wood's wild roseRosa woodsii4 to 6 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Adam's needle yuccaYucca filamentosa2 to 4 ftlow waterUSDA 4 to 10
Birchleaf spireaSpiraea betulifolia 'Tor'2 to 3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Blue mist spireaCaryopteris x clandonensis2 to 4 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Blue Star juniperJuniperus squamata 'Blue Star'1 to 3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
BLUE VELVET® honeysuckleLonicera korolkowii 'Floribunda'8 to 12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Butterfly bushBuddleja davidii5 to 8 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Compact Oregon grapeMahonia aquifolium 'Compactum'2 to 3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Creeping juniperJuniperus horizontalis1 to 2 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 9- Electric Blanket roseRosa 'Korpancom'2 to 3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
- Flower Carpet Coral roseRosa 'Noala'2 to 3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Hansa roseRosa rugosa 'Hansa'4 to 5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Japanese barberryBerberis thunbergii2 to 5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Japanese garden juniperJuniperus procumbens 'Nana'1 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Knock Out roseRosa 'Radrazz'3 to 4 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Lena broomCytisus 'Lena'3 to 5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 8- Platinum sageSalvia daghestanica1 ftlow waterUSDA 4 to 9
Red yuccaHesperaloe parviflora2 to 4 ftlow waterUSDA 5 to 11
Redleaf roseRosa glauca4 to 7 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 9- Ruby Voodoo roseRosa 'Ruby Voodoo'4 to 5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
- Rugosa / beach roseRosa rugosa4 to 6 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Russian oliveElaeagnus angustifolia15 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2 to 7
Russian sageSalvia yangii2 to 4 ftlow waterUSDA 4 to 9
Saltcedar / tamariskTamarix ramosissima12 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2 to 8
Savin juniperJuniperus sabina1 to 3 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 7
Scarlet firethornPyracantha coccinea6 to 12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Sea buckthornHippophae rhamnoides10 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Sea Foam sageArtemisia versicolor 'Sea Foam'1 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 9
Siberian pea shrubCaragana arborescens10 to 18 ftlow waterUSDA 2 to 7
Silver fountain butterfly bushBuddleja alternifolia8 to 12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Smoke bush / smoke treeCotinus coggygria10 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
SPANISH GOLD® broomCytisus purgans2 to 4 ftlow waterUSDA 5 to 8
Sungari redbead cotoneasterCotoneaster racemiflorus var. soongoricus6 to 10 ftlow waterUSDA 4 to 7
Sunrise Sunset roseRosa 'BAIset'2 to 3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
TIDY Littleleaf peashrubCaragana microphylla 'Tidy'3 to 4 ftlow waterUSDA 2 to 7
Wayfaring tree viburnumViburnum lantana8 to 12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best drought-tolerant shrubs for Colorado?
- Our top-ranked picks for the Front Range are Apache plume, Fernbush, Red yucca, and Rockspirea / mountain spray. 37 of the 70 shrubs here are rated low water, the rest low to medium. All of them still need regular deep watering for the first season or two while the roots establish.
- How big do these shrubs get?
- Mature heights range from about 1 to 30 ft across the 70 shrubs on this list. Each plant's page lists its exact mature size and spread.
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 35 of the 70 shrubs are Colorado natives, including American plum, Apache plume, Big sagebrush, and Cliff fendlerbush.
- How much water do these plants need?
- Every plant here is rated low or low-to-medium water in our data once established, water-wise choices for Colorado's semi-arid climate.
- How were these plants selected?
- Each of the 70 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.
Related guides
- Colorado native shrubs for the Front Range
- Privacy and hedge shrubs for Colorado
- Front Range plants that are toxic to dogs
- Deer-resistant plants and shrubs for Colorado's Front Range
- Fast-growing screening shrubs for the Colorado Front Range
- Native plants of Colorado for Front Range yards
- Xeriscape plants for Colorado
- Salt-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range
- Hail-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range