Best plants for Loveland gardens
Loveland gardens sit at about 4,980 ft in USDA zone 5b on alkaline clay where the Big Thompson leaves the foothills, with a last frost in early-to-mid May. Emerald ash borer arrived in 2024 and the canyon-mouth west side sees real deer pressure, so the lists below favor deer-resistant and water-wise plants and leave out ash.
Last updated 2026-05-31
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Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
Loveland growing conditions
- USDA hardiness zone
- 5b
- Elevation
- 4,980 ft
- Avg. annual precipitation
- ~15 in
- Soil
- alkaline clay
- Avg. last spring frost
- early-to-mid May
- Avg. first fall frost
- early-to-mid October
- Growing season
- ~145 days
Loveland sits where the Big Thompson River spills out of its canyon at about 4,980 ft, wrapped around Lake Loveland. West-side neighborhoods toward the canyon mouth catch downslope wind and heavy deer traffic moving down the drainage, while the soils citywide are heavy alkaline clay. The city's own Water & Power utility runs a distinctive Hydrozone program that rewards water-efficient landscape design in new development. Emerald ash borer reached Loveland in June 2024, so diversifying away from ash is now a local priority.
What's challenging in Loveland
Emerald ash borer arrived in 2024
EAB was confirmed in Loveland in June 2024 (East 5th Street). Don't plant new ash (genus Fraxinus); consult a certified arborist about treating or replacing an existing ash before it declines. The trees below are diverse non-ash species. (source)
Deer come down the Big Thompson
West Loveland near the canyon mouth sees heavy deer browse as animals follow the river drainage into town. No plant is deer-proof, so the lists below rank plants rated deer resistant higher, and those are far less likely to be eaten.
Hydrozone-friendly, water-wise design
Loveland Water & Power's Hydrozone program pushes new landscapes toward grouping plants by water need. Doing the same at home pays off here on the dry, clay-heavy Front Range. We could not confirm any 2026 lawn or irrigation rebate, so check with the utility before counting on money.
Top trees for Loveland
Ranked for Loveland's hail, deer browse, low water use and late frosts and cold.
One-seed JuniperJuniperus monosperma10 to 20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Pinyon PinePinus edulis15 to 30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Ponderosa PinePinus ponderosa60 to 100 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 7
Rocky Mountain Douglas firPseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca40 to 80 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 6
Rocky Mountain Juniper (species)Juniperus scopulorum15 to 30 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
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
Colorado Blue SprucePicea pungens glauca15 to 50 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 7
Top shrubs for Loveland
Ranked for Loveland's hail, deer browse, low water use and late frosts and cold.
Apache plumeFallugia paradoxa4 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata3 to 8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Common juniperJuniperus communis2 to 4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 7
Curlleaf mountain mahoganyCercocarpus ledifolius10 to 20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
FernbushChamaebatiaria millefolium4 to 6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
LeadplantAmorpha canescens2 to 4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Mountain mahoganyCercocarpus montanus6 to 12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
New Mexico privetForestiera neomexicana6 to 12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Top perennials for Loveland
Ranked for Loveland's hail, deer browse, low water use and late frosts and cold.
Bee Balm/HorsemintMonarda fistulosa24 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
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
Butterfly MilkweedAsclepias tuberosa18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Chocolate FlowerBerlandiera lyrata18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Common YarrowAchillea millefolium18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 9
Desert Four O’ClockMirabilis multiflora18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 9
Top groundcover for Loveland
Ranked for Loveland's hail, deer browse, low water use and late frosts and cold.
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
Kinnikinnick / bearberryArctostaphylos uva-ursi4 to 8 inlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 7
Angelina sedumSedum 'Angelina'3 to 6 inlow waterUSDA 3 to 9
Russian stonecropSedum kamtschaticum4 to 8 inlow waterUSDA 3 to 9- Serbian yarrowAchillea serbica4 to 6 inlow waterUSDA 3 to 9
Silverheels horehoundMarrubium rotundifolium6 to 12 inlow waterUSDA 4 to 8
Rebates & water rules in Loveland
We could not confirm a 2026 lawn replacement program. Loveland is not on Resource Central's 2026 partner list, and the utility's residential programs page said rebates for water-saving items were unavailable pending 2026 updates. Check with Loveland Water and Power before you plan on any money.
Watering rules: Loveland is updating landscape codes under SB24-005; watering guidance follows the Front Range norm (avoid 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Check the utility for the current level. 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 Loveland
- Native nursery + open space
High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC), 76-acre center with a native-plant nursery (~200 species of forbs, shrubs, and grasses). - Extension
CSU Extension, Larimer County Master Gardeners / Native Plant Master, Master Gardener help plus a Native Plant Master class program. - Native plant society
Colorado Native Plant Society, Northern Chapter, Active in the Loveland/Fort Collins area.
When to plant in Loveland
Plant in spring (late April to May) or early fall. Amend the clay, group plants by water need (hydrozone), protect new plantings from canyon-mouth wind, and favor deer-resistant species on the west side. Cold air draining the Big Thompson canyon can delay west-side beds about a week.
Video
Video PlantTalk Colorado: planting & xeriscape videos (CSU Extension)
Loveland gardening FAQ
- What hardiness zone is Loveland?
- Loveland is USDA zone 5b at about 4,980 ft.
- Should I plant an ash tree in Loveland?
- No, emerald ash borer was confirmed in Loveland in 2024. Plant a diverse non-ash species and consult a certified arborist about existing ash.
- What plants do deer leave alone in Loveland?
- On the canyon-mouth west side, choose deer-resistant species (many aromatic and native plants), though no plant is fully deer-proof under heavy browse.
- Does Loveland have a turf rebate?
- We could not confirm one for 2026. Loveland is not on Resource Central's 2026 lawn replacement partner list, and the utility's own page said its water-saving rebates were unavailable pending 2026 updates. Call or check Loveland Water and Power before you plan on any money.
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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