🌿 PlantWise
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

Virginia Sweetspire
Virginia Sweetspire
Itea virginica Henry's Garnet
Fragrant, deep red blooms light up late spring through summer, creating stunning color and texture in any garden. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in USDA zones 5-9 and attracts pollinators while resisting deer.
Zone 5–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Wild Bergamot
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Vibrant lavender-pink blooms light up summer gardens with a fragrant, airy charm. This drought-tolerant native attracts pollinators and thrives in USDA zones 3-9.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Coneflower Magnus
Coneflower Magnus
Echinacea purpurea Magnus
Vibrant magenta blooms light up summer gardens with long-lasting color and a classic daisy shape. Deer resistant and hardy in USDA zones 3-9, it attracts pollinators effortlessly.
Zone 3–8🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Limelight Panicle Hydrangea
Limelight Panicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
Showcasing stunning white to pink blooms from June to September, this shrub brightens gardens with its long-lasting color. Low-maintenance and deer resistant, it thrives in USDA zones 4-9 while attracting pollinators.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Deutzia
Deutzia
Deutzia spp.
Delightful pink and white blooms from June to September brighten gardens with a long-lasting display. This low-maintenance shrub attracts pollinators, thrives in zones 4-9, and is both dog- and cat-friendly.
Zone 4–9🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Marigold
Marigold
Tagetes patula
Bright orange and yellow blooms light up gardens from summer to fall, adding vibrant color and cheer. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant flower thrives in USDA zones 2-11 and attracts pollinators.
Zone 2–11🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Creeping Bentgrass
Creeping Bentgrass
Agrostis stolonifera
The ultra-fine-bladed grass of championship golf greens. Creeping Bentgrass forms a velvety, dense carpet when mowed very low, but requires intensive maintenance and can escape into natural areas.
Zone 3–8🐾 Pet-Friendly†
View care guide →
Bigleaf Hydrangea
Bigleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Showy clusters of pink and white blooms brighten gardens from June to September, adding vibrant color through summer. This low-maintenance shrub thrives in part sun, attracts pollinators, and grows well in USDA zones 4-9.
Zone 4–9🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Goldenrod
Goldenrod
Solidago canadensis
Bright golden-yellow blooms light up late summer gardens, adding vibrant color as other flowers fade. This hardy, deer-resistant perennial thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and attracts valuable pollinators.
Zone 3–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Heuchera Palace Purple
Heuchera Palace Purple
Heuchera micrantha Palace Purple
Striking deep purple foliage adds rich color from spring through fall, complemented by delicate pink blooms in late spring. This low-maintenance perennial thrives in USDA zones 4-9 and attracts pollinators while being deer resistant.
Zone 4–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Bartlett Pear Tree
Bartlett Pear Tree
Pyrus communis 'Bartlett'
Showcasing fragrant white blossoms in spring and juicy, sweet fruit in late summer, this tree brightens any landscape. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9, it’s low maintenance and attracts pollinators.
Zone 5–7🐾 Pet-Friendly†🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →
Rugosa Rose
Rugosa Rose
Rosa rugosa
Fragrant, vibrant pink blooms light up summer with a charming, old-fashioned appeal. Rugosa Rose thrives in USDA zones 3-7, offering deer resistance and salt tolerance.
Zone 2–9🦌 Deer-Resistant🐝 Pollinator
View care guide →

Get a Personalized Plant List for Denver

Answer 4 quick questions about your yard — sun, soil, deer pressure, and pet situation — and get a custom list of plants that will thrive in Zone 5b/6a.

Start the Plant Advisor →

Other Cities in Zone 5b/6a

Chicago, IL Columbus, OH Indianapolis, IN Louisville, KY Kansas City, MO Cleveland, OH Wichita, KS St. Louis, MO

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.