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Plant Guide

Best Plants for Denver, Colorado

📍 Denver, CO 🌡️ USDA Zone 5b/6a 🌱 331+ compatible plants

Gardening in Denver

Denver falls in USDA Hardiness Zone 5b/6a, which means your plants need to survive winters with minimum temperatures in the −10°F to 0°F range. The 331+ plants below are proven performers for your zone — including deer-resistant varieties, pet-friendly options, and pollinator-attracting species.

Top Plant Picks for Denver

Boltonia
Boltonia
Boltonia asteroides
Delicate daisy-like white blooms light up late summer through fall, adding graceful elegance to any garden. This deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts butterflies with ease.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Oriental Poppy
Oriental Poppy
Papaver orientale
Vibrant scarlet blooms burst in late spring, creating a stunning focal point with their silky petals. This hardy perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-7 and is low maintenance and deer resistant.
Zone 3–7🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Foxglove
Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea
Tall spikes of tubular purple-pink blooms light up spring and early summer with striking elegance. Deer resistant and a magnet for bees, thriving in USDA zones 4-10.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Heuchera spp.
Vibrant coral bells dazzle with their colorful foliage and delicate spring blooms, adding year-round interest to any garden. This shade-tolerant, low-maintenance perennial thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Fothergilla
Fothergilla
Fothergilla major
Fragrant white bottlebrush blooms light up spring with a delightful floral display and vibrant fall foliage. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in USDA zones 5-8 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Prairie Dropseed
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Delicate, airy golden seed heads dance above fine-textured foliage, creating stunning fall interest from summer to autumn. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant grass thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Prairie Blazing Star
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Vibrant purple flower spikes burst into bloom in late summer, creating a stunning vertical accent in any garden. This prairie native thrives in USDA zones 3-9, attracts pollinators, and is deer resistant.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Bee Balm
Bee Balm
Monarda didyma
Vibrant red blooms light up summer gardens, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies with their rich nectar. This deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and is low maintenance.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Climbing Hydrangea
Climbing Hydrangea
Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris
Fragrant white lacecap blooms adorn this vigorous climber in summer, creating stunning vertical interest. Shade tolerant and deer resistant, it thrives in USDA zones 4-8.
Zone 4–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Sweetshrub
Sweetshrub
Calycanthus floridus
Fragrant, deep red blooms appear in late spring, filling gardens with a spicy-sweet scent that delights the senses. This low-maintenance shrub is deer resistant and thrives in USDA zones 4-9.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
Smokebush
Smokebush
Cotinus coggygria Royal Purple
Rich, deep purple foliage and airy pink flower plumes create a stunning summer display that lasts into fall. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in USDA zones 4-8 and is drought tolerant.
Zone 5–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Vibrant red foliage in fall transforms this vigorous vine into a stunning seasonal spectacle. Deer resistant and hardy in USDA zones 3-9, it thrives with minimal care.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†

Get a Personalized Plant List for Denver

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Other Cities in Zone 5b/6a

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Browse All 331+ Plants for Zone 5b/6a

The 12 picks above are a sample. Use the full directory to filter by sun, water, deer resistance, and more.

View All Zone 6 Plants →

† "Pet-friendly" means not listed as toxic by ASPCA for dogs and/or cats. Always supervise pets around plants. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.