Native Plants

Gardening with Boulder County Native Plants  - How to, where to get them

Boulder County is located at the junction where the Great Plains abruptly end and the Rocky Mountains begin. The land rises from 5,000 feet above sea level to over 14,000 feet, and as a result, there is an amazing diversity of plants within a relatively small area. It is estimated that there are over 700 species of trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses and ferns on Open Space and Mountain Parks, and the geology, elevation and climate all influence the various species that are seen here. Many of the plants migrated to the area when the climate was quite different, others have evolved in this area, and some have been either accidentally or purposefully introduced by people since 1858. This has resulted in a tremendously diverse spectrum of plant species, including those common to the Great Plains tallgrass prairies as well as the Southern Rocky Mountains. Such Ice Age relicts as paper birch trees and Black Snakeroot can be found on Open Space and Mountain Parks, as well as a number of critical plant species of special concern.

BE CAREFUL! Poison Ivy grows in many places throughout Open Space and Mountain Parks, especially in moist drainages. Watch out for three shiny leaves. Many people suffer a serious skin reaction when they contact this plant. Even its twigs and ivory-colored berries can produce a reaction.

Trees and Shrubs

If you are not from the Rocky Mountain region, you'll quickly notice that most of our trees on Open Space and Mountain Parks are conifers. These stately trees are mainly ponderosa pine and douglas-fir, with an occasional blue spruce, limber pine and lodgepole pine seen in the western portions of the park. Several species of deciduous trees (trees that drop their leaves during winter) can be found on Open Space and Mountain Parks as well, including aspen, Rocky Mountain maple, mountain ash, boxelder, cottonwood, willow, alder and birch. Common shrubs of Open Space and Mountain Parks include juniper, chokecherry, smooth sumac, skunkbush, wild plum, hawthorn, beaked hazelnut, wax currant, Boulder raspberry, wild raspberry, ninebark, snowberry, and serviceberry.

Wildflowers

There is an incredible wealth of wildflowers on Open Space and Mountain Parks, and they are truly a sight to behold. Species have been documented as blooming every month of the year in the Park, but May and June are particularly lovely months for wildflower viewing. Chautauqua Meadow comes alive with color, and species that have ended their blooming period at lower elevations can often be found blooming later on at higher elevations on Open Space and Mountain Parks. Some of our favorite Open Space and Mountain Parks bloomers include gaillardia, golden banner, spring beauty, chiming bells, western wallflower, arnica, larkspur, lupine, penstemon, sand lily, yucca, prickly pear, cinquefoil, Indian paintbrush, wild geranium, harebells, wild iris, wood lily, shooting star, Colorado columbine, mariposa lily, monkshood, goldenrod, blazingstar, and pasque flower. Learn how to grow these plants in your own garden!

Grasses

Native grasses of the tall, mid-, and shortgrass prairie grassland may be seen on Open Space and Mountain Parks, including big and little bluestem, switchgrass, king spike fescue, western wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, sideoats grama, blue grama and buffalograss. In addition, foothills grassland is scattered in small pockets in the moist mountain-front areas. These areas include a mixture of mid-grasses in the drier areas, and tallgrasses in moister locations.
Invasive weeds are a terrible threat to the native plants of Open Space and Mountain Parks. To learn about these silent killers, and how you can help, follow this link.

More Flora Links

Garden with Native Plants
Noxious Weeds
Rare and Sensitive Species
Prescribed Fires and Forest Management

Last Updated on Wednesday, 28 October 2009 13:21