Xeric groundcover for the Colorado Front Range
Quick answer
24 plants make our list of xeric groundcover for the Colorado Front Range. Examples include Blue grama grass, Buffalo grass, Mat penstemon, Small-leaf pussytoes, and Sulfur buckwheat. Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
Water-thrifty groundcovers that carpet hot, dry Front Range ground, including hellstrips, slopes, and rock gardens.
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 groundcovers at a glance
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue grama grass | 8–18 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–10 |
| Buffalo grass | 4–8 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–10 |
| Mat penstemon | 2–4 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–8 |
| Small-leaf pussytoes | 2–5 in | low water | Yes | USDA 3–8 |
| Sulfur buckwheat | 6–12 in | low water | Yes | USDA 4–8 |
| Angelina sedum | 3–6 in | low water | — | USDA 3–9 |
| Creeping rosemary | 6–18 in | low water | — | USDA 4–9 |
| DOG TUFF™ grass | 4–6 in | low water | — | — |
| Fire Spinner ice plant | 1–2 in | low water | — | USDA 5–10 |
| Hens and chicks | 2–6 in | low water | — | USDA 3–8 |
| Mesa Verde ice plant | 1–3 in | low water | — | USDA 5–10 |
| Moroccan pincushion flower | 1–3 in | low water | — | USDA 5–9 |
Ordered Colorado-native first, then alphabetically, not a quality ranking. Full list below.
All 24 plants
Blue grama grassBouteloua gracilis8–18 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–10
Buffalo grassBouteloua dactyloides4–8 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–10
Mat penstemonPenstemon caespitosus2–4 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Small-leaf pussytoesAntennaria parvifolia2–5 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Sulfur buckwheatEriogonum umbellatum6–12 inlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Angelina sedumSedum 'Angelina'3–6 inlow waterUSDA 3–9
Creeping rosemarySalvia rosmarinus6–18 inlow waterUSDA 4–9
DOG TUFF™ grassCynodon 'PWIN04S'4–6 inlow water
Fire Spinner ice plantDelosperma 'Fire Spinner'1–2 inlow waterUSDA 5–10
Hens and chicksSempervivum tectorum2–6 inlow waterUSDA 3–8- Mesa Verde ice plantDelosperma 'Kelaidis'1–3 inlow waterUSDA 5–10
Moroccan pincushion flowerPterocephalus depressus1–3 inlow waterUSDA 5–9
Myrtle spurge / donkey-tail spurgeEuphorbia myrsinites4–8 inlow waterUSDA 4–9
Orange carpet / hummingbird trumpetZauschneria garrettii3–6 inlow waterUSDA 4–9
Partridge featherTanacetum densum amani4–8 inlow waterUSDA 3–8- Purple ice plantDelosperma cooperi2–4 inlow waterUSDA 5–10
Russian stonecropSedum kamtschaticum4–8 inlow waterUSDA 3–9Serbian yarrowAchillea serbica4–6 inlow waterUSDA 3–9
Silverheels horehoundMarrubium rotundifolium6–12 inlow waterUSDA 4–8
STARBURST™ ice plantDelosperma floribundum2–4 inlow waterUSDA 5–10
Sun rose / rock roseHelianthemum nummularium6–12 inlow waterUSDA 5–8- Table Mountain ice plantDelosperma 'P001S'1–2 inlow waterUSDA 5–10
Turquoise Tails blue sedumSedum sediforme4–8 inlow waterUSDA 3–9
WINTER FIRE® sedumPetrosedum rupestre 'Rice Creek'3–6 inlow waterUSDA 5–8
Frequently asked questions
- How big do these groundcovers get?
- Mature heights range from about 1 to 18 in across the 24 groundcovers on this list. Each plant's page lists its exact mature size and spread.
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 5 of the 24 groundcovers are Colorado natives, including Blue grama grass, Buffalo grass, Mat penstemon, and Small-leaf pussytoes.
- How much water do these plants need?
- Every plant here is rated low or low-to-medium water on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List once established, water-wise choices for Colorado's semi-arid climate.
- How were these plants selected?
- Each of the 24 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.