Colorado is known for its natural beauty—but creating an attractive landscape in our dry climate can be challenging. Traditional turfgrass often requires frequent watering, mowing, fertilization, and ongoing maintenance. Fortunately, Colorado native grasses offer a beautiful and practical alternative.
Native grasses are naturally adapted to Colorado’s intense sunlight, changing temperatures, limited rainfall, and periods of drought. Once established, they can require significantly less water than traditional lawns, helping property owners conserve water and lower monthly utility bills.
Here are five of the best native grasses for Colorado landscapes.
1. Blue Grama
Blue grama is Colorado’s official state grass and one of the best choices for a low-water landscape. This warm-season grass is recognized by its curved, eyelash-shaped seed heads.
Blue grama can be used as a low-growing lawn alternative or left taller to create a more natural prairie appearance. It is drought-tolerant, requires minimal mowing, and provides attractive texture throughout the summer.
Best for: Low-water lawns, native areas, open spaces and sunny properties.
2. Buffalograss
Buffalograss is an excellent Colorado native grass and is an alternative to high-water Kentucky bluegrass. It spreads to form a soft, dense lawn but grows slowly and stays relatively short.
Once established, buffalograss generally requires much less irrigation and mowing than a traditional lawn. It performs best in sunny areas and naturally turns tan during the winter before greening up again when warm weather returns.
Best for: Commercial lawns, large turf areas, municipalities, HOAs and sunny landscapes.
3. Little Bluestem
Little bluestem is a beautiful ornamental grass that provides interest throughout the year. Its blue-green summer foliage changes to shades of copper, red and bronze in the fall.
Its upright form and fluffy seed heads remain attractive into winter, adding movement and structure to landscapes when many other plants are dormant. Little bluestem looks especially impressive when planted in clusters.
Best for: Pollinator gardens, landscape beds, mass plantings and seasonal color.
4. Sideoats Grama
Sideoats grama is a low-water native grass with distinctive seeds that hang along one side of its stems. It typically grows between two and three feet tall and adds a soft, natural appearance to the landscape.
This grass pairs well with Colorado native wildflowers and can help create habitat for birds and beneficial insects. It is also useful in naturalized areas and erosion-control projects.
Best for: Native meadows, slopes, erosion control, pollinator areas and transitional spaces.
5. Arizona Fescue
Arizona fescue is a cool-season native grass with fine, blue-green foliage. Unlike many warm-season grasses, it begins growing earlier in the spring and can tolerate some light shade.
Its graceful, clumping form adds softness and color to ornamental beds. Although it is not intended for areas with heavy foot traffic, it is an attractive choice for lower-use spaces.
Best for: Ornamental beds, lightly shaded areas, mountain properties and naturalized landscapes.
Save Water Without Sacrificing Beauty
Water conservation does not mean covering a property with rock or giving up on attractive landscaping. Colorado native grasses can provide rich color, texture, movement and seasonal interest while creating a landscape that looks like it belongs in Colorado.
Converting high-water turf to native grasses may help property owners:
- Reduce irrigation demands
- Lower monthly water bills
- Decrease mowing and fuel costs
- Reduce fertilizer and chemical use
- Improve drought resilience
- Support birds, pollinators and beneficial insects
- Create a distinctive Colorado appearance
Native grasses require consistent watering while their root systems become established. Once established, however, many can survive with considerably less supplemental irrigation than conventional turfgrass.
Native grasses offer a beautiful, resilient way to conserve water, lower utility costs, and create landscapes that truly reflect Colorado’s natural character. Vargas Property Services can help you select, install, and maintain the right native grasses for a sustainable landscape that thrives. Contact us today to get started.