This document provides information on selecting and caring for water-efficient native plants for the Intermountain West region. It discusses choosing plants that are adapted to the local climate and conditions, and that provide benefits like pollinator habitat, wildlife food sources, and reduced water and resource demands. Care tips emphasize using mulch, watering infrequently, and avoiding fertilizers. Specific plant profiles give details on suitable growing conditions and maintenance for over 50 native shrub, tree, perennial, and grass species.

1. Dr. Heidi Kratsch
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

2.  Withstand regional weather extremes
when properly sited and planted.
 Provide habitat for native bees, birds,
butterflies and other wildlife.
 Helps restore the regional character of the
land.
 Places fewer demands on natural
resources.
 Prevents future invasive plant
introductions.

3.  Availability? (will a nursery grow or carry
them?)
 Easy to produce? (propagation barriers)
 Life cycle – bloom in first year?
(marketing)
 Broadly adapted? (genetically diverse)
 Fire safety? (combustibility)
 Tolerance to typical urban conditions?

4. Mason bee
(Osmia) on
Berberis. Photo by
USDA-ARS, Jack
Dykinga.
Blue Orchard bee (Osmia) foraging in
arrowleaf balsamroot. Photo by Matthew Shepherd,
The Xerces Society.
Solitary pollen wasp
(Pseudomasaris vespoides)
specializes on Penstemon.

5.  Source of
nectar for
adults…
AND
 Host plants for
larvae
Butterfly bush provides nectar for
adults but the young (larvae) won’t
eat it.
Buddleja davidii

6.  Attracts a large
number of native
bees, including
bumblebees.
 Larval host for
monarch and queen
butterfly.
 Good for moist well-
drained garden soils.
 Cultivars ‘Ice Ballet’
and ‘Soul Mate’
Asclepias incarnata
Danaus plexippus
Danaus gilippus

7. Source: H.A. Kratsch, Water-Efficient Landscaping in the Intermountain West

8. Source: H.A. Kratsch, Water Efficient Landscaping in the Intermountain West

9.  Fuzzy, hairy leaves
 Waxy leaves
 Blue-tinted leaves
Dorr’s sage
Greenleaf manzanita
Blue fescue

10.  Curled or rolled
leaves
 Reduced leaf size
Curl-leaf mountain mahogany
Winterfat
Rosaceae

11. Penstemon x mexicali ‘Red Rocks’
Penstemon palmeri

12. Source: H.A. Kratsch, Water Efficient Landscaping in the Intermountain West
Spring Late
Summer

14.  Non-combustible
area (within 5 feet of
home)
 Lean, clean and
green area (within
30 feet)
 Wildland fuel
reduction area
(around the outer
perimeter of home
landscape)
Herbaceous plants contain 65% to 85% moisture by weight.

15. Birch love water but rarely get irrigated properly in
our urban landscapes.

16. Look for clues in the plant’s native habitat.
Stanleya pinnata

17.  Adapted to IMW
climate.
 Lower nutrient and
water needs.
 Some are slow-growing
and take on interesting
forms.
 Many do best when
neglected.

18.  Well drained soil
 Lots of sun
 Only small amount of
organic matter; no
fertilizer
 Little to no deadheading
(perennials)
 Occasional rejuvenation
pruning (trees & shrubs)
 Avoid overwatering
Unsheared rabbitbrush
Rabbitbrush after shearing

19.  Renewal pruning is for
plants that produce
‘canes’ directly from the
roots.
 Heavy shearing
rejuvenates faster
growing shrubs and
cleans up dead
vegetative perennial
growth.
Renewal pruning
Heavy shearing

20.  Serviceberry (Amelanchier)
 Wild lilac (Ceanothus)
 Alderleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus
montanus)
 Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium)
 Littleleaf mockorange (Philadelphus
microphyllus)
 Mallow-leaved ninebark (Physocarpus
malvaceus)
 Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
 Golden currant (Ribes aureum)
 Woods rose (Rosa woodsii)
 Blue elderberry (Sambucus caerulea)

21. Occasional
 Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex
canescens)
 Apache plume (Fallugia
paradoxa)
 Utah holly (Mahonia
fremontii)
 Shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla
fruticosa)
 Squaw bush (Rhus trilobata)
 Blue elderberry (Sambucus
caerulea)
 Mountain snowberry
(Symphoricarpos oreophilus)
Frequent
 Silver sage (Artemisia
cana)
 Winterfat (Ceratoides
lanata)
 Red-osier dogwood
(Cornus sericea)
 Rubber rabbitbrush
(Ericameria nauseosus)
 Lacy Buckwheat
(Eriogonum corymbosum)
 Broom snakeweed
(Gutierrezia sarothrae)
 Antelope bitterbrush
(Purshia tridentata)

22.  Plants that bloom on last year’s growth:
 Prune after flowering is finished
 Examples: Amelanchier, Lonicera, Philadelphus,
Prunus, Physocarpus, Rosa
MockorangeTwinberry NinebarkServiceberry

23.  Inhibits decomposition of organic
mulches.
 Inhibits natural spread of native
perennials and ground covers.
 Best use is beneath 3 to 4 inches of
mulch in unplanted areas (ex.
walkways), or….
 Use in planted areas with inorganic
mulch.

24.  Grouping plants into
irrigation zones
according to water
needs.
 Each zone irrigated
by a separate valve.
 The deeper the roots,
the longer and less
often to water.
It’s especially important to
irrigation turfgrass separately from
other plants in your landscape.

25. Redosier dogwood
Palmer penstemon

26.  Montane
 Greater precipitation
 Understory vs.
overstory
 Soils shallow, rocky
 Foothill
 Moderate precip,
higher ET
 Soils well-drained
 Rapid urbanization
 Desert
 Low precip, high
temps and ET
 Soils highly variable,
from clayey to sandy,
may be salty
Many microclimates also exist
in the built environment.

27. General care:
• Mulch with shredded bark or wood
chips
• Water every 7 to 10 days
• May benefit from compost
amendment of soil
• Some species tolerate partial shade

28.  Subalpine species (but does really well in an urban
environment)
 Slow-growing, long-lived
 Prefers rocky, well-drained soil
 Shade-intolerant
Pinus longaeva

29.  Zone 3-6
 Small multistemmed
tree; can be trained to
a single trunk
 Tolerates alkaline soil
 Full sun for best fall
color
 Tolerates drought better
than most maples

30.  Deciduous shrub with
a tight rounded form
 Bright yellow flowers
all summer
 Tolerates light shade
 Occasional heavy
shearing will
stimulate flowering.
Potentilla fruticosa
Zone 2-7

31.  Evergreen, rounded
symmetrical crown
 Good for fire-resistance
and erosion control.
 Needs excellent
drainage.
Arctostaphylos patula
Zone 2-6

32.  Broadleaved evergreen
shrub with a vanilla like
aroma
 Flower clusters in spring
to early summer
 Water weekly
 Thin to remove older
canes (stems)
 Loves full sun
Ceanothus velutinus
Zone 3-6

33.  Fruits are edible.
 Attracts large
numbers of native
bees.
 Larval host for
California Hairstreak
and Elf butterflies.
 Also try Amelanchier
utahensis.
 Try cultivars ‘Regent’
(compact) and
‘Success’ (heavy
fruit).
Amelanchier alnifolia
California hairstreak
Elf butterfly
Zone 3-6

34.  10 to 15 feet tall
 Flowers in spring
 Berries make good
jam.
 Riparian species, so
likes extra moisture.
 Prune out old canes to
enhance flowering and
fruiting.
 Best for naturalized
landscape.
Prunus virginiana
Zone 2-6

35.  3 to 6 feet tall
 Bark orange and
peeling – very
ornamental
 Attracts large
numbers of native
bees.
 Plant in part shade;
or place in a northern
exposure.
Physocarpus malvaceus
Zone 2-5

36.  Attracts large
numbers of native
bees.
 Blooms orange-
scented in early
morning.
 Becomes rangy, leggy
in shade.
 Site in full sun.
 Also try P. lewisii
Philadelphus microphilus
Zone 4-10

37.  6 to 8 feet tall
 Attracts large numbers
of native bees.
 Good for erosion
control.
 Prune out deadwood in
fall in fire-prone areas.
 Occasional
rejuvenation pruning
to reshape.
Purshia tridentata
Zone 3-6

38.  4 to 6 feet tall
 Spicy, fragrant flowers
 Berries orange, red or
black, used in pies and
preserves.
 Sun or part shade
 Will tolerate extra
moisture.
 Try cultivar ‘Crandall’
Ribes aureum

39.  3 to 6 inches tall
 Mat-like, spreading
 6-inch long flower
clusters in May.
 Grows along rock faces
in canyons
 Excellent ground cover
 Infrequent irrigation,
good drainage, do not
prune.
Petrophytum caespitosum
Zone 3-7

40.  Up to 3-1/2 inches tall
 Needs full sun
 Blooms all summer
 Will tolerate extra water.
Erigeron speciosus
Zone 3

41. General care:
• Mulch with rocks, gravel or DG
• Water every 2 weeks
• Light compost if nutrient
deficiency suspected

42.  4 to 5 feet tall
 Fine-textured
evergreen leaves
 Tiny tube-shaped pink
flowers in spring
 Requires infrequent
irrigation; no compost
Cercocarpus intricatus
Zone 4-6
Fruits appear in August

43. Fallugia paradoxa
• Up to 5 feet tall
• Prune to the ground every
2 years. Zone 3-10

44.  6 to 12 feet tall
 Both male and female
plants required for fruit
set – fruit is edible.
 Full sun
 Tolerates extra
moisture but should be
irrigated infrequently.
 Best in naturalized area
- thorns
Shepherdia argentea
Zone 3-6

45. Rhus trilobata
 3 to 4 feet tall
 Three-lobed leaves
with nice fall color
 Berries are edible.
 Sun or part shade
 Very drought tolerant.
 Good for erosion
control.
 Occasional shearing to
improve form. Zone 4-7

46.  4 to 20 inches tall
 Blooms June to
August
 Tolerates some shade
 Good native
substitute for Liatris
sp. (gayfeather)
 Very drought tolerant
 Prefers gravelly soils
Phacelia sericea
Hardy to zone 3

47.  Showy flowers throughout the summer
 Interesting round seed heads in fall
 Drought tolerant, adaptable flower
 Re-seeds easily
 Divide clumps every 2 to 3 years.
Gaillardia sp.

48.  Mound-forming 6 to 12 inches
 Blooms July to September, fragrant
 Water needs: low
 Prune to encourage
bushy form
 Easy to establish
and maintain
 Attracts bees and
butterflies
Monardella odoratissima
Zone 3

49.  Leaves palmate, turn
red in fall
 Flowers in two’s,
blooms all summer.
 Drought-tolerant if
placed in shade
 Use compost to
improve soil.
 Easy to seed and
transplant
Geranium viscosissumZone 2

50.  4 to 8 inches tall
 Blooms June to August
 Spreads from stolons
 Withstands light foot
traffic – use between
paving stones
 Will dieback if
drought-stressed but
comes back with
irrigation.
Antennaria microphylla
Zone 2

51.  6 to 30 inches tall
 Bloom June to
September
 Leave in the garden for
winter interest
 Needs good drainage
and low nutrients.
 Excellent as a dried
flower
Anaphalis margaritacea
Zone 4-8
Zone 4-8

52.  10 to 40 inches tall
 Blooms April to July.
 Red tube-shaped flowers
attract hummingbirds.
 Very adaptable to climatic
conditions.
 Must have good drainage.
 Do not overwater.
Penstemon eatonii
Zone 3

53.  6 to 30 inches tall
 Cornflower blue
flowers that bloom in
May to July
 Prefers well drained
soils
 Easy from seed
 Short-lived but will
self sow
 Extremely drought-
tolerant
Linum lewisii
Zone 4-9

54. General care:
• Mulch with rock, gravel or DG
• Water only when needed
• No compost or fertilizer
• May be tolerant of salt

55. Chilopsis linearis
 To 30 feet tall
 Prune as multi-
trunked tree form
 Showy catalpa-like
flowers in May-June
 Prefers a sandy soil
and full sun
 Water every 2 to 3
weeks.
 Prune out old limbs.
Zone 4-9

56.  Low and rounded shrub;
1 to 2-1/2 feet tall
 Evergreen leaves
 Two-toned blooms in late
spring
 Requires fast-draining
infertile soil and full sun
 Do not overwater.
 Looks good without
pruning.
Salvia dorrii
Zone 3-6

57.  4 to 24 inches tall;
flowers on leafless
stalks
 Larval host for Lupine
Blue butterfly
 Morphologically
variable.
 Opportunities for
cultivar development
 Low water, no fertilizer
Eriogonum umbellatum
Zone 4

58.  Annual
 1 to 3 feet tall
 Blooms June to Sept.
 Great cover for spent
bulbs
 Very drought tolerant
 Grows on disturubed
sites; plant in dry,
gravelly soil
Mentzelia laevicaulis
Zone 4

59.  To 3 feet tall
 Variable forms from
strongly upright to weeping
 Leaves turn salmon-peach
color in fall
 Needs good drainage and
low organic matter
 Full sun
 Very salt- and drought-
tolerant
Atriplex confertifolia
Zone 3-6

60.  Up to 16 inches tall
 Flowers orange-scarlet,
blooms May to July.
 Attracts large numbers
of native bees.
 Diadasia diminuta
(globemallow bee) is a
specialist.
 Readily hybridizes with
other globemallows.
 Prefers rocky, well
drained soil. Sphaeralcea coccinea
Zone 4-7

61.  15 to 40 inches tall
 Flowers large and
showy (“Cowboy’s
fried eggs”)
 Prickly leaves
 Blooms June to Sept.
 Water sparingly
 Like hot, dry sites
 Pollinated by native
bees and butterflies
Argemone munita
Zone 4(5)-7

62.  Perennial to 1 foot tall
 Blooms April to July
 Large fragrant
blossoms open in early
evening
 Blooms its first year
 A good choice for hot,
rocky spots
 Tolerates clay or sand but
take care not to overwater.
Zone 4-9

63.  Up to 6 feet tall
 Blooms May to August in
majestic spires – sweetly
fragrant.
 Its large flowers attract
native bees.
 Prefers dry, gravelly soils.
 Water only when
necessary; susceptible to
root rot.
Penstemon palmeri
Zone 4

64. Krascheninnikovia lanata
 Up to 2-1/2 feet tall
 Evergreen leaves,
flowers cottony
 Requires full sun
 Looks best with only
occasional irrigation
and regular
rejuvenation pruning.
 Salt-tolerant
Zone 2-7

65.  Blossom spikes to 5
feet tall
 Evergreen succulent
 Bell-shaped flower
tinged with purple
 Sandy, well drained
soil
 Don’t irrigate.
 Don’t prune.
Yucca harrimaniae
Zone 4-8

66.  To 2 feet tall
 Cool season bunch
grass
 Coarse-textured, low
fertility soil
 Will not tolerate
saturated or
compacted soil
 Intolerant of salt
Stipa speciosa Zone 4

67.  6’ tall warm season
bunchgrass
 Attractive pink, lacy seed
head
 Tolerant of salty and heavy,
wet or dry soil
 Prefers fine-textured,
alkaline soil
 Water needs: very low
 Versatile, ornamental
specimen Sporobolus airoides
Zone 3