The Horticulture and Restoration Committee seeks to increase the appreciation and use of Colorado native plants in private and public landscapes and in the restoration, rehabilitation and revegetation of disturbed areas.  The H & R Committee also prepares guidelines and other documents for the collection and use of native plants. 

Native Plant Garden and Landscape Use

General Information Regarding the Native Plant List and Contact Information PDF (1 page)
Suggested Native Plants for Gardening and Landscape Use on the Front Range of Colorado PDF (7 pages)
Plant Species to Avoid for Landscaping, Revegetation, and Restoration PDF (4 pages)
Garden Smart Colorado brochure  PDF (22 pages)
Larimer County Native Plant List
CSU Extension Fact Sheets:
                Native Trees for Colorado Landscapes #7.421 PDF (4 pages)
                Native Shrubs for Colorado Landscapes  #7.422  PDF (6 pages)
                Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado Landscapes  #7.242  PDF (6 pages)
CSU Extension’s Colorado Plant Database  

Colorado Native Plant Vendors

    Retail Only List PDF (2 pages)
    Retail and Wholesale List PDF (4 pages)

Guidelines For Using Native Plants

Defining Native Plants for Purposes of Restoration, Revegetation, and Landscaping PDF (2 pages)
Ethics of Collecting Native Plants PDF (2 pages)
Guidelines for Collection of Native Plants For Use in Restoration, Horticulture, Medicinal Preparations, and Scientific Research PDF (3 pages)
Policy for Use of Native Plants PDF (1 page)

Restoration Resources

Society for Ecological Restoration 
SER International Primer on Ecological Restoration 
Colorado Natural Areas Program’s Creating an Integrated Weed Management Plan (PDF)
Colorado Natural Areas Program’s Native Plant Revegetation Guide for Colorado (PDF)
Colorado 14ers Initiative  
Wildlands Restoration Volunteers   

Monitoring Native Plants in the Garden

The Colorado Native Plant Society is developing a new program, the long-term objective of which is to develop an interactive, searchable database of native plants that are being grown in gardens across Colorado.   The information gathered will help all gardeners, nurseries, and partner agencies determine which natives do well in a garden setting across the state, which plants are having problems, and why.   The survey can be repeated each season, for comparison and research purposes, and will ask for information such as:

• Plant names, bloom times, garden location/elevation
• Irrigation and rainfall amounts, pollinators present
• Soil type, micro-climates, sun/shade

If you are interested in monitoring the native plants in your garden for future research and sharing the results with us, please email conpsoffice@aol.com .   The survey form and instructions can be downloaded from the links below, filled out throughout the growing season and returned to us at the end of the season.  The information from all surveys received will be entered into our database and will be available on our website next spring to help gardeners across the state have more success with their nativ e plant gardens.   The data will also be shared with nationwide phenology sites. 

We would also love receiving photos of the native plants in your garden, and we’ll need volunteers at the end of the season to help us with data entry.  If you have questions, please call Linda at 970-663-4085 or email conpsoffice@aol.com

• SURVEY - Monitoring Native Plants in the Garden (pdf)
• EXTRA SURVEY PAGES - Monitoring Native Plants in the Garden  (pdf)
• INSTRUCTIONS – Monitoring Native Plants in the Garden (pdf)
• PHOTOGRAPH RECORD REPORT – Monitoring Native Plants in the Garden (pdf)

Become a Native Plant Master® – A Program of Colorado State University Extension

• Learn fascinating plant facts including landscape uses of Colorado natives and other human uses.
• Discover how noxious weeds threaten native plants and wildlife.
• Learn how to use a key and botanical field guides to identify wild plants.
• Interact with others who share your love of Colorado’s native flora.
• Be recognized for your advanced knowledge with a certificate from CSU Extension.

Native Plant Master® courses are offered at various open space parks, state parks and other public lands. No course is a required prerequisite for another course. Each 12-hour course is made up of three four-hour sessions taught on mornings in May, June, July, August or September. There is a fee for each course. Courses are offered at a reduced rate for participants who agree to teach at least 20 people per year about Colorado plants for each course taken. For more information or an application, visit the NPM® website.

Native Plant Lists (See also the new Plant Lists Page.)

For more information about this committee, please contact

Megan Bowes

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