The relatively adaptable and easygoing North American native plant inGreat Natives From the Western United States — That Anyone Can Groware excellent option to commonly grown nonnative works . These picks are as near — or even better — than the older understudy . Here ’s how they compare .
Instead of:Meadow rue
Photo : Michelle Gervais
Try:‘Denver Gold’ columbine
Photo : courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
‘ Denver Gold’has attractively textured foliage like meadow rue ( Thalictrumspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–9 ) and European aquilegia ( Aquilegia vulgaris , Zones 3–9 ) , but it blooms much longer and is more adaptable .
Instead of:Ajuga
exposure : Ann E. Stratton
Try:Sandia alumroot
If you are looking for an attractive edging plant , Sandia alumrootis less likely to intrude on the lawn than ajuga ( Ajuga reptans , Zones 3–10 ) or many spreading sedum ( Sedumspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) .
Instead of:Russian sage
Try:Pink butterfly mint
pinkish butterfly stroke mintis drouth tolerant and adaptable to most well - drained dirt , like Russian sage ( Salvia yangii , Zones 5–9 ) , but without its invasive tendencies . Or judge it as an easy - to - grow substitute for lavender ( Lavandulaspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–8 ) .
Instead of:Eurasian sedums
Photo : FG faculty
Try:Old man’s bones
Photo : Joshua McCullough
honest-to-god military man ’s bonestolerates shade and is a noninvasive alternative to Eurasian sedums such as moss stonecrop ( Sedum acre , Zones4–9 ) and stringy stonecrop ( S. sarmentosum , Zones 4–9 ) .
Instead of:‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass
Photo : Jennifer Benner
Try:Undaunted®ruby muhly grass
Hardier than most muhlies , undismayed ® makes a sophisticated replacement for overdrive ‘ Karl Foerster ’ ( Calamagrostis×acutiflora‘Karl Foerster ’ , Zones 5–9 ) .
Instead of:Spanish bluebell
picture : Steve Aitken
Try:Giant camas
This Northwestern beauty is less incursive than Spanish bluebell ( Hyacinthoides hispanica , Zones 3–8 ) and sealed ornamental onion ( Alliumcvs . ) , which can become ineradicable garden pests .
Instead of:Calamint
Try:‘Marian Sampson’ scarlet horsemint
With cultural demand similar to those of gardenmints like calamint ( Calamintha genus Nepeta , Zones 5–7 ) and savories ( Saturejaspp . andcvs . , Zones 6–8),‘Marian Sampson’is showier and has a much foresightful bloom time .
Instead of:Catmint
Try:Pineleaf penstemon
Pineleaf penstemon’sunique color makes it an clamant garden attracter . It can be used in the same way as catmints ( Nepetaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , but it is more moderate .
Instead of:Eurasian salvias
Try:Mojave sage
Mojave sageis much more tolerant of rut and drought than usually grow Eurasian sage such as woodland salvia ( Salvia nemorosa , Zones 4–8 ) and meadow sage ( S. pratensis , Zones 4–8 ) .
Instead of:Spirea
Try:Fernbush
Photo : millettephotomedia.com
Fernbushis an highly knotty client , is more restrained than spireas ( Spiraeaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) or forsythias ( Forsythiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , and has in force midsummer color .
Instead of:Mugo pine
Try:Dwarf pinyon pine
Photo : Mark Turner / gapphotos.com
Perfect for very sunny photo with excellent drainage , dwarf pinon pineis more restrained and drought broad than mugo true pine ( Pinus mugo , Zones 2–7 ) .
Instead of: Yarrow
Try: Kannah Creek®buckwheat
Yarrows ( Achilleaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) and some spurges ( Euphorbiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–10 ) can be weedy , seedy garden thugs . Kannah Creek ® buckwheatprovides carefree color without becoming invading .
More on native plant :
peachy Native Plants from the West – That Anyone Can Grow
Best Regional Native Woodies
Best Native Plants for Each Region of the United States
Panayoti Kelaidis is senior curator and director of outreach at Denver Botanic Gardens .
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Photo: Michelle Gervais
Photo: Michelle Gervais
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: Ann E. Stratton
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: Michelle Gervais
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: FG staff
Photo: Joshua McCullough
Photo: Jennifer Benner
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: Steve Aitken
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: FG staff
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: Michelle Gervais
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: Jennifer Benner
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
Photo: Michelle Gervais
Photo: millettephotomedia.com
Photo: Jennifer Benner
Photo: Mark Turner/gapphotos.com
Photo: Jennifer Benner
Photo: courtesy of Panayoti Kelaidis
