Grow these tough perennials and shrubs for unbeatable color in a hot, dry climate
The deserts and stack of the West seem to get all the care , but between the deserts and mountains is a vast landscape painting that most people just drive through on their fashion to somewhere else . The sage brush steppe is a dry , grassy knit that demand up much of Nevada , Utah , Idaho , Wyoming , Oregon , and Washington . It is one of the few true steppe regions in the world , and its native flora has a beauty all its own . The mood is characterize by live summer , cold and wry winters , abundant sun , and wandering hastiness . Anyone who lives in Twin Falls , Idaho , or Moab , Utah , will make love exactly what I mean .
horticulture here can be a challenge , but there are tidy sum of plant — nativeand otherwise — that find this clime to be exactly what they need to flourish . Many bloom natives provideyear - troll interestwith spring and summer colouration and unique wintertextures . mass of traditional garden favourite also thrive as long - experience anchor in this demanding landscape . All will apprise full sun and well - drain soil . Here are some favorites .
Penstemons
There is a large diversity ofnative Penstemon in the Mountain West . For the sagebrush steppe , it ’s hard to beatPalmer ’s penstemon(Penstemonpalmeri , Zones 4–10 ) , with its soaring spires of grape vine - perfumed efflorescence , andfirecracker penstemon(Penstemon eatonii , Zones 4 - 8) , with its other - time of year fire - railway locomotive - red flowers that are an former spread for hummingbird . bridge circuit ’ penstemon(Penstemon rostriflorus , Zones 4b-8 ) is another peachy pick that has a low , shrubby mannikin and flowers all summertime . There are dozens more penstemons that are all worth produce .
Foxtail lilies
Eremurusspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–9
Foxtail lilies hail from the Himalayas , but they are right at home in semi - arid western garden . Leaves emerge in give after winter ’s moisture , followed by soaring spires of compact blooms that are adored by bees . When summer heat set up in , the plants retreat , leaves and all , to sarcoid devilfish - shaped roots , wait next springiness ’s moisture and fair weather . ‘ Romance ’ foxtail lily ( Eremurus‘Romance ’ , Zones 5–9 ) is in particular adorable with its salmon - colored blooms .
Buckwheats
Eriogonumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9
Wild buckwheats hand their greatest variety in the Intermountain West , so there are plenty to opt from . Two of my favorites areWright ’s buckwheat(Eriogonum wrightiivar.wrightii , Zones 4–9 ) , which has fluffy mounds of whitened flowers , andKannah Creek ® sulfur buckwheat(Eriogonum umbellatumvar.aureum‘Psdowns ’ , Zones 3–8 ) , which has long - lasting gamboge - yellow flowers .
Rubber rabbitbrush
Ericameria nauseosa , Zones 4–9
safe rabbitbrush grows abundantly along roadsides throughout the arid West , with several hard - to - distinguish varieties useable . Nearly all will imprint aureate bonce in late summer and fall , specially along wayside , where they guide your way through canyon country and beyond . Late - season pollinators will feast on their nectar until the showing fades in mid - autumn .
Apache plume
Fallugia paradoxa , Zones 4–9
It ’s easygoing to understand why Apache feather is in the rosaceous kinsfolk , with its nippy , white , five - petaled blooms . This bush can hit 4 feet improbable and 6 feet spacious and gain a honorable substructure plant , especially as blossom morph into fuzzy pink germ heads that radiate when backlit by even Sunday .
This is only a starter lean , and you could well bring scores more for a truly long-lived , water - wise , and colourful sage brush res publica garden . For more tough , colorful flower for the Mountain West , discipline out :
And for more Mountain West regional reports , get across here .
— Dan Johnson lives and garden in Denver and in Tucson , Arizona . He is an associate music director of horticulture for the Denver Botanic Gardens .
Photos , unless otherwise notice : Dan Johnson
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Desert penstemon (Penstemon pseudospectabilis, Zones 5–9) and Kannah Creek® sulphur buckwheat are two plants perfectly adapted to the dry, grassy plains of the Mountain West.
The sagebrush steppe in Utah is a dry, grassy landscape.
Bridges’ penstemon provides nectar to hummingbirds all summer long.
‘Romance’ foxtail lily has giant bottlebrush flowers that are a light salmon pink.
Wright’s buckwheat becomes covered in cotton-like white flowers in June.
Rubber rabbitbrush is a late-blooming shrub with goldenrod-yellow flowers.Photo: courtesy of Charles Mann
Apache plume’s white flowers give way to pink, feathery seed heads.
