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The High Xerics Exposed sites with mineral soils, probably high winds and definitely baking sun of steppe or high desert are the sources of these plants. They will thrive on your difficult low water sites. All are Full sun,
Grayish-green to bluish foliage creates an irregularly rounded upright tree with stout reddish brown barked branches that turn up at the ends. Globular, one seeded pulpy fruits with dark blue waxy skin mature to copper toned bird food. Mature height is 10-30’ spreading from 6-12’ wide. Plant in full sun in locations receiving very low water. (Water carefully during establishment to encourage strong root growth without overwatering and rotting roots.)
Zone 3
This drought tolerant single or multiple trunked upright Juniper has yellow-green foliage and may produce berries that are brown with a blue coating. Like most Junipers this one is drought and alkaline soil tolerant, requiring low water and full sun. Walk the area above Fremont Canyon at Alcova to find these.
Zone 3
A unique shrub/tree that is found in the plateau country of the southern Rocky Montains. A true xeric plant that has thick leathery, blue-green leaves that have wavy margins- a real conversation piece! Our oak friends tell us that there are seven ancestors in this natural hybrid. The Cheyenne Experiment Station has one that is doing very well after some 70 years. This one is a character of the windswept west—it decides which way it will grow, upright like a tree or outward like a shrub! These oaks have become such pets for their people that each gets named when planted! Height: 10-15’ Width: 10-15’ Shape: Irregular rounded
Black Sagebrush is very much a part of the Wyoming sagebrush steppe, living and flourishing in some of the most wicked environmental conditions found in the state, whether it be high wind, poor soils, and minimal water. This small, spreading shrub with three lobed leaves is a perfect addition to your rock garden or naturalized area. It prefers rocky to clay shallow soils kept on the dry side. Height: 10”–18” Width: 10” –18” Shape: Open irregular Zone 3
This is another native artemesia found through out the Wyoming sagebrush steppe. Unlike Black sage it grows best in good draining soils. It’s bluish-gray leaves and stately form standout in the landscape. A great addition to your xeric garden! Height: 3’ – 4’ Width: 3’ – 4’ Shape: Open irregular
Zone 3
Native tree-like shrub with silvery foliage and thorny branch tips. Yellow flowers in spring are followed by orange-red berries for jelly or birds on female plants. Must have a male plant to pollinate. Outstanding as an accent shrub where slivery foliage is desired, in a windbreak or as wildlife cover and food. Height: 10’-15’ Width: 10’-12’ Shape: Rounded
Zone 2
This drought tolerant Wyoming native is found throughout the foothill country of the Bighorns. This shrub has an upright habit with dark green, leathery leaves with edges that curl under — giving it its name! Most winters the leaves stay green adding interest through out the year. In autumn, attractive, curled, fuzzy seed tails arise adding yet another reason to add this to your western landscape. Very long lived, in fact we believe that some near the ‘Hole in the Wall’ Country are over 2,000 years old! Consider using this for a western formal hedge. As a native plant it is regularly “pruned” by deer without detrimental effect. It will be a while before it needs shearing but when it gets to your chosen size it will tolerate it well. Height: 8’-20’Width: 6’-10’Shape: Open spreading
Zone 4
This native is found along the front range of Wyoming from about Douglas and southward on limestone outcrops. As one drives southward on I-25, this is the shrub on hillsides that looks dark rather than silvery like sagebrush. A durable xeric species suited to rocky or sandy soils. Enjoy the dark gray-green deeply lobed foliage and the autumnal fuzzy seed tails. Height: 5’-8’ Width: 5’-6’ Shape: Open spreading
Zone 2
A native to the American Southwest, this shrub is similar to our native True Leaf mountain mahogany but grows bigger and has even larger twisted seed tails. The leaves are gray-green and persist going into winter. Very tolerant of harsh conditions. Height: 8’ – 12’ Width: 8’ – 12’ (may take centuries to reach maturity) Shape: Broad upright
A Rocky Mountain beauty for a small space or as an accent in a rock or alpine garden! A very dense and rounded shrub with stiff intertwining branches and tiny, almost needle-like evergreen leaves, evergreen! Very drought tolerant and slow growing. Height: 3’-5’ Width: 3’-5’ Shape: Rounded
Zone 4
A native of the arid canyons of the Southwest, this highly xeric evergreen broadleaf shrub possesses wonderful blue spiny holly-like foliage. Racemes of soft yellow May-blooming flowers are followed by red berries that can be spectacular in late summer. Seldom used in the landscape, but an excellent evergreen that withstands bright sunshine and drought. Height: 3’ – 5’ Width: 3’ – 6’ Shape: Compact rounded
Zone 4
As western as sage brush these native shrubs really convey a sense of place. The golden yellow blooms in August and September signify the approach of fall and provide bees with a late season chance to continue to feed and to store food in the hive for winter. In a larger landscape or out in the open in a more suburban setting these three species say that you more than accept where you live—you celebrate it! We advise planting away from patios and walkways due to bee attraction and pollen production. Companion plants: Artemisias, Mountain mahoganies, western sand cherries and other xeric shrubs and perennials. Full sun, very low water when established.
Zone 3
Plant Select ’06! A native to the Uncompaghre Plateau of western Colorado, this broadleaf evergreen has tiny bright green oval leaves and produces tiny very light pink urn shaped flowers that bloom early in April. Established plants can produce small red berries. Will not do well in heavy soils as the root system needs air as much as water. Quite xeric upon establishment, and will cascade down rock walls and slopes. Height: 10-15” Width: 24-36” Shape: Spreading
Zone 4b
Shiny, oval, dark-green evergreen leaves cover mahogany red branches. Urn-shaped pale pink flowers bloom in earliest spring followed by small red berries. This cultivar grows lower and has smaller leaves than others. Plan on little to no additional water once established. Height: 4-10” Width: 2-4’ Shape: Spreading
Zone 4b
This native Rocky Mountain shrub is much like a short Staghorn sumac with shiny dark-green leaves turning into a brilliant red display in autumn. Red seed clusters stand above the foliage from mid-summer into winter. The look can be almost formal oriental when one is planted as a specimen, perhaps near a boulder. When massed, it can be used to form a tall groundcover for dry areas such as slopes. Height: 3’ – 6’ Width: 3’ – 10’ Shape: Upright spreading
Zone 2
Plant Select ’06! Fine-textured, gray-green fern like foliage with a thick waxy coating gives rise to the name of this high desert aromatic plant. White flowers like a cluster of strawberry blooms top the stem from mid to late summer. Dr Crenshaw, CSU says this plant is one of the best pollinator plants he’s come upon! Our friends at the Denver Botanical Garden recommend using it as an informal western hedge! Makes a great privacy screen for a hot patio or terrace! H: 3’-5’W: 3’-5’ Shape: Upright rounded
Zone 4
A very attractive smaller western shrub that takes drought, poor soils and just basic neglect extraordinarily well! Fine textured foliage and slender branches support white flowers in spring that look like strawberry flowers. After petal drop feathery silver-pink tasseled seed heads persist into winter supplying continued interest. May be trimmed for size and shape control or allowed to grow into a billowing, rolling form—great on hillsides or as accents in naturalized plantings. Height: 3’-4’Width: 3’-4’Shape: Irregular spreading Zone 4
A native shrub that is vastly underused in the landscape on hot, exposed, windy sites on clay as well as sandy soils. Multiple stems grow upright carrying beautiful white blooms in spring followed by edible berries for bird attraction later in the year. Silvery green foliage turns a showy soft red in fall. Height: 5’-6’Width: 5’-6’Shape: Open spreading
Zone 4
Plant Select 2000! This shrub has a low arching branches making it a great choice for the perennial garden or nestled next to a boulder where the branches will spill around the rock.. White flowers in May open along the stems and are followed by dark edible berries. Autumn brings a bright red shade to the foliage. The Denver Botanical Gardens collected the parent plant near the Pawnee Buttes in Eastern Colorado. Height 12”- 18” Width: 4’ - 5’ Shape: Creeping
Zone 2
Plant Select ’07 and a true Wyoming native! This mid-sized perennial puts on a glowing yellow show that turns orange as the flowers age during a May to July bloom season. These vigorous 12-15“ tall by 12-24“ wide plants adapt from xeric to moderately moist settings and tolerate conditions up to 10,000 ft!
Zone 3
A very valuable hardy native xeric plant for garden and rock garden use. The crown, maturing to 12” diameter, is very hardy and even evergreen in mild winters. But who plants for a nice little tuffet in winter! Bright yellow 3/4” to1” daisy-like flowers with golden centers top 8”tall leafless scapes (scaposa). For a long lived native plant, the bloom season is quite long, too! (don’t drown on tight clay)
Zone 4
This spectacular performer in All American Selection test trials, is a real shorty; at only 8” to 10” tall and 10” to 12” wide it even fits in pots and planters! Flower style is traditional with mahogany red petals edged in bright yellow blooms throughout the summer.
Zone 3
This one is a local native of clay soils and early May to August bloom of 2½” to 4“ white flowers composed of four petals looking like hearts. Handles sandy to loamy soils too! Tough but oh so beautiful! 6” tall by 6” wide.
Zone 3
Four Wing Saltbush (AtriplexCanesens) This is one of the best kept secrets when it comes to beautiful shrubs for landscape sites that have poor, salty, soils. And it does well even if you don’t have those conditions! It’s commonly found in the Red Desert of S. Wyoming. The plants we offer are females, which in late summer develop four-winged fruit and a beautiful soft rose tint in autumn. Height: 3’ – 4’ Width: 3’– 4 Shape: Upright spreading.
Zone 3
Bluestem Joint Fir (Ephedra equisetina) Plant Select® 2004 Native to Russia, this slow growing compact shrub deals with harsh weather by being leafless and gets by with just finely textured blue-green stems. Small frothy yellow flowers are followed by bright red berries in mid-summer on female plants. This densely branched conifer relative exhibits great winter interest and a very wild look year-round. Makes a great accent on a high point or exposed site and unlike yucca, another accent plant for tough sites, this plant is not “pokey”. It is very child friendly! Tolerates most soils and does well in hot dry areas. Height: 4’-6’ Width: 3'-8’ Shape: Mounding
Zone 4b
Zone 3
Zone 3
A very hardy native found in the open on the foothills of our mountains and along upland streams. A personal favorite because of its ability to handle nearly any extreme! This multi stemmed shrub has unique 'oak like' leaves that turn a brilliant red to orange in fall. Height: 4-6’ Width: 5-7’ Shape: Spreading upright
Zone 3
Bridges Penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus) Plant Select® 2006 During later summer a continuous succession of small scarlet red tubular flowers in elongate panicles top slender stems with dark green narrow leaved foliage that forms a basal rosette and climb upward. Long lived if not pampered. Height: 1’-2’ and width: 1’ at maturity.
Zone 4
Rain Gauge Throughout this site, the following are used as guidelines for watering established plants:
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Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma)
Black Sagebrush
Silver Buffaloberry (Shepherdia argentea) 
Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Cerocarpus ledifolius) 
True Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus)
Hairy Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus breviflorus) 
Fremont’s Desert Holly (Mahonia fremontii)
Tall Blue Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus albicaulis) Matures to a 4-6’ tall and wide open rounded silvery blue green shrub.
Panchito Manzanita (Arctosphylos x coloradoensis ‘Panchito’)
Full Sun to Part Shade
Mock Bearberry Manzanita (Arctostaphylos x coloradoensis)
Rocky Mountain Sumac
Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium) 
Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)
Western Sandcherry (Prunus besseyi)
Pawnee Buttes Sandcherry (Prunus Besseyi ‘Pawnee Buttes’)
Kannah Creek Buckwheat ( Eriogonum umbellatum var. aurem ‘Psdowns’)
Prairie Sunshine
Hymenoxys (Hymenoxys scaposa ’Prairie Sunshine’)
Arizona Sun (G. aristata ‘Arizona Sun’)
White Evening Primrose (Oenothera caespitosa) 
Tall Green Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus graveolens) Matures to a 4-6’ tall and wide open rounded yellowish green shrub.
Dwarf Blue Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus nauseosus) When there isn’t much space but you still want the look of the west, there is usually room for this one. The blue-gray leaved compact rounded shrub matures to 2-3’ tall and 3-4’ wide.
These plants need regular watering somewhat like a bluegrass lawn so that they never dry to depth in the root system during the active growing season and need occasional winter watering to prevent root dessication and resultant plant death.Wyoming Plant Company, LLC PO Box 670, Evansville, Wyoming 82636 (307) 247-1190 Copyright ©2010 Wyoming Plant Company. All rights reserved. |