Best plants for Aurora gardens
Aurora gardens sit at about 5,470 ft in USDA zone 5b-6a on alkaline clay, on the windy, hail-prone eastern edge of the metro, with a last frost in mid-May. With a 2026 Stage 1 drought (and a ban on new cool-season turf), the smart move is water-wise, and Aurora Water pays generously to help, so the plants below are low-water, hail- and wind-tough.
Last updated 2026-05-31
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Aurora growing conditions
- USDA hardiness zone
- 5b-6a
- Elevation
- 5,471 ft
- Avg. annual precipitation
- ~14 to 15 in
- Soil
- alkaline clay; eastern plains edge
- Avg. last spring frost
- mid-May
- Avg. first fall frost
- early-to-mid October
- Growing season
- ~150 days
Aurora spreads east onto the open plains, so its eastern and southern neighborhoods catch more wind and hail and run a touch colder than Denver's core. Soils are alkaline clay. Aurora was the first Colorado city to ban cool-season turf in new construction, and it offers one of the metro's strongest lawn-replacement rebates.
What's challenging in Aurora
Stage 1 drought, and no new bluegrass
Aurora declared a Stage 1 drought in 2026: outdoor watering is limited to two days a week (never 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), violations start at $250, and installing new cool-season turf is banned until restrictions lift. Existing lawns can be maintained, but new plantings should be water-wise. (source)
Emerald ash borer confirmed
EAB was confirmed in Aurora in 2025. Don't plant new ash (genus Fraxinus); consult a certified arborist about any existing ash. The trees below are diverse non-ash species. (source)
Top trees for Aurora
Ranked for Aurora's hail, drying wind and low water use.
One-seed JuniperJuniperus monosperma10 to 20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Rocky Mountain Juniper (species)Juniperus scopulorum15 to 30 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Arizona CypressHesperocyparis arizonica30 to 50 ftlow waterUSDA 7 to 10- Arizona Cypress 'Blue Ice'Hesperocyparis arizonica20 to 30 ftlow waterUSDA 7 to 10
Singleleaf Pinyon PinePinus monophylla15 to 30 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 7
'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' PinePinus flexilis25 to 30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 7
Thornless Common Honeylocust (IMPERIAL®)Gleditsia triacanthos40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9- Thornless Common Honeylocust (NORTHERN ACCLAIM®)Gleditsia triacanthos30 to 45 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Top shrubs for Aurora
Ranked for Aurora's hail, drying wind and low water use.
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
CliffrosePurshia mexicana4 to 8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Common juniperJuniperus communis2 to 4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 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
Top perennials for Aurora
Ranked for Aurora's hail, drying wind and low water use.
Bee Balm/HorsemintMonarda fistulosa24 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Bigelow's TansyasterMachaeranthera bigelovii24 to 48 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Black-eyed SusanRudbeckia hirta24 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
BlanketflowerGaillardia aristata12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 10
Blue FlaxLinum lewisii18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Blue Mist PenstemonPenstemon virens12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Bush SunflowerHelianthus pumilus20 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Butterfly MilkweedAsclepias tuberosa18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Top groundcover for Aurora
Ranked for Aurora's hail, drying wind and low water use.
Blue grama grassBouteloua gracilis8 to 18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 10
Buffalo grassBouteloua dactyloides4 to 8 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 10
Mat penstemonPenstemon caespitosus2 to 4 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Small-leaf pussytoesAntennaria parvifolia2 to 5 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Sulfur buckwheatEriogonum umbellatum6 to 12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
DOG TUFF™ grassCynodon 'PWIN04S'4 to 6 inlow water
Fire Spinner ice plantDelosperma 'Fire Spinner'1 to 2 inlow waterUSDA 5 to 10
Hens and chicksSempervivum tectorum2 to 6 inlow waterUSDA 3 to 8
Rebates & water rules in Aurora
Between windows now: the next group applies Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 and installs by July 31, 2027. Aurora Water customers; approval comes first (not retroactive), and the grass must be healthy (dormant is fine). Minimum: the whole front yard or a 500 sq ft section (same for the curbside strip); in back, the larger of 300 sq ft or 35% of the backyard grass. At least 50% living plant coverage. Rebates of $600 or more are taxable.
All Aurora Water customers
Watering rules: 2026 Stage 1 drought: outdoor watering 2 days/week, never 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; new cool-season turf installation banned; fines from $250. current rules →
What's open right now across the Front Range, with dates and the rules that trip people up: lawn replacement rebates by city →
Statewide: new Colorado turf rules (SB24-005/HB25-1113) limit nonfunctional turf in new development, and HOAs can't ban xeriscaping (SB23-178). Read the statewide rules →
Local resources near Aurora
- Extension
CSU Extension, Arapahoe County Master Gardeners, Master Gardener help desk and demonstration gardens serving Aurora and the south metro. - Utility program
Aurora Water, water-wise landscaping, Rebate details, plant lists, and a free landscape-design service.
When to plant in Aurora
Plant in spring after mid-May or in early fall. Site fragile plants out of the worst wind/hail exposure on the east side, amend the clay, and water deeply but within the 2-day schedule. On Aurora's open eastern plains, wind and hail reward hardy, well-spaced plantings.
Video
Video PlantTalk Colorado: xeriscape & planting videos (CSU Extension)
Aurora gardening FAQ
- What hardiness zone is Aurora?
- Aurora is USDA zone 5b-6a; eastern/exposed areas run cooler and windier than Denver's core.
- Does Aurora pay a lawn-replacement rebate?
- Yes. Aurora Water's GRIP pays $3 per sq ft for a water-wise landscape ($0.50 per sq ft for water-wise grass). The next application window runs Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Minimums depend on where the grass is: the whole front yard or 500 sq ft of it, the curbside strip or 500 sq ft of it, or in back the larger of 300 sq ft or 35% of the backyard grass. Get approval before you remove anything.
- Can I install a new bluegrass lawn in Aurora?
- New cool-season turf in new construction is banned, and under the 2026 Stage 1 drought new cool-season turf installation is paused. Choose water-wise grasses or plantings instead.
Targeted guides for Aurora
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.
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