UTAH NATIVE PLANTS WE CARRY

Our plant selection changes often. If you’re looking for something specific, call us or stop by The Greenhouse Nursery to see what’s in stock.

Utah Native Flowers: Perennials

Perennials keep your yard colorful year after year. Many Utah native flowers handle the dry weather with ease. They bring in pollinators, need little care, and make your garden look great with almost no effort.

  • Big Bluestem Grass (Andropogon gerardii): A tall prairie grass that turns deep red in the fall. Grows well in tough conditions and helps stabilize soil. Great for restoration projects or natural landscapes.
  • Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): Bright yellow petals with a dark center, super easy to grow. It handles different soil types and brings in butterflies. Deer usually leave it alone.
  • Blue Flax (Linum lewisii): Delicate blue flowers that bloom in the morning and drop by afternoon. It reseeds itself and grows easily in dry, sandy, or rocky soil.
  • Blue Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis): A short, drought-tolerant native grass of Utah, with unique curved seed heads. Good for xeriscaping and works well as a low-maintenance lawn option.
  • Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa): A bright orange milkweed that’s great for monarchs but doesn’t spread aggressively. Prefers dry conditions and adds a nice pop of color.
  • Desert Four O’Clock (Mirabilis multiflora): Magenta flowers that open in the evening, making it great for night pollinators. Tough plant that thrives in dry, rocky soil.
  • Evening Primrose (Oenothera spp.): Yellow flowers that bloom at dusk, attracting moths and other nighttime pollinators. Super drought-friendly and does well in poor soil.
  • False Indigo (Amorpha nana): A small, hardy shrub with deep purple flowers. Bees love it. Helps fix nitrogen in the soil, making it a great choice for tough, rocky areas.
  • Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii): Bright red flowers that show up in early spring, giving hummingbirds an early food source. Grows well in dry, rocky soil.
  • Mojave Sage (Salvia pachyphylla): A tough, low-maintenance sage with silvery leaves and violet-blue flowers. Handles heat and drought like a pro.
  • Munro’s Globe-Mallow (Sphaeralcea munroana): A deep-rooted wildflower that thrives in hot, dry conditions. Bright orange blooms attract bees and butterflies.
  • Pine Leaf Penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius): A smaller penstemon with thin, needle-like leaves. Its bright red flowers bloom in summer and bring in hummingbirds.
  • Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa): Big pink flower clusters, thick silvery leaves, and an important plant for monarch butterflies. Spreads underground, so it can take over if it’s happy.
  • Wilcox’s Penstemon (Penstemon wilcoxii): A lesser-known penstemon with tall flower stalks. Hummingbirds and bees love it. This is a drought tolerant Utah native and does great in rocky soil.
  • Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): A tough plant that spreads easily and supports pollinators. Soft, fern-like leaves and clusters of tiny white or pink flowers. Handles drought well.
  • Yellow Columbine (Aquilegia flavescens): Light yellow flowers with a unique shape. Hummingbirds go for it. Prefers a little more moisture than other natives but grows well in well-drained soil.

Native Trees of Utah

Native trees bring shade, clean air, and beauty to your yard. Aspen trees glow golden in the fall, while the Blue Spruce Christmas tree is a classic for the holidays. These trees are built for Utah’s climate and will make your yard stand out.

  • Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum) : A smaller, drought-tolerant maple with brilliant red-orange fall color. Both cultivars are more compact than the wild variety, making them great for yards. Grows well in poor soi…strong wood that lasts. Can be shaped as a shrub or left to grow naturally.
  • Blue Spruce (Picea pungens): A classic evergreen with striking blue needles. Cold-hardy and slow-growing, making it a great windbreak or privacy screen. Needs well-drained soil and doesn’t like too much heat. People also love Blue Spruces as Christmas Trees.
  • Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa): A towering pine with long needles and thick, puzzle-like bark that smells like vanilla in the sun. Can handle dry conditions once established and grows best in well-drained soil. One of the best pines for Utah’s climate.
  • Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides): This is a signature tree of the mountains. Bright yellow fall color and smooth white bark. Grows in clusters from underground roots, so one tree can turn into a whole grove over time. Prefers cooler areas and moist soil.

Utah Native Shrubs

Native Utah shrubs are hardy and easy to grow. They help the soil stay in place, give wildlife a home, and add shape to your yard. Once planted, they don’t need much water to do well.

  • Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium): Sometimes called “desert sweet,” this shrub has fern-like leaves, small white summer flowers, and a spicy fragrance. Super drought-tolerant and thrives in poor soil. A great choice for adding texture to a dry landscape.
  • Mountain Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata v. vaseyana): One of the most iconic shrubs of the West. Aromatic, silvery-green leaves and deep roots that help it survive in dry conditions. Provides shelter and food for wildlife, including sage-grouse.
  • Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.): A rugged, drought-tolerant shrub with deep roots and twisting branches. It stays green year-round, has small, understated flowers, and its feathery seed tails stand out in late summer. Great for erosion control and wildlife habitat.
  • Rubber Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa): Bright yellow flowers in late summer and soft, silvery-green foliage. Thrives in dry, rocky soil and is one of the best late-season nectar sources for pollinators. Fast-growing and low-maintenance.
  • Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia): White spring flowers, edible blue berries in summer, and brilliant orange-red fall color. Berries taste similar to blueberries and are a favorite of birds and people alike. Prefers well-drained soil and a little extra moisture.
  • Silver Sagebrush (Artemisia cana v. cana): Silvery-blue foliage, small yellow flowers, and a strong, herbal scent. Handles drought and poor soil easily. Stays lower and more compact than other sagebrush varieties, making it great for smaller spaces.
  • Utah Snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus): A smaller, adaptable shrub with soft green leaves and clusters of white berries in fall. Birds love the berries, and it does well in a variety of soils. Handles partial shade better than many other native shrubs.