Plants and Trees of CO Identification Page

Colorado Life Zones Info

Information about Plants and Trees
Colorado Life Zone Map

Many different types of plants and trees live in Colorado. Below is a pictures of some of the common plants and trees of Colorado. Click on the name of the tree and it will bring you to a website that gives more information about them.

In order to survive plants have adapted (changed) so that they can live in different life zones.  Decidious plants like aspens and cottonwood trees grow lots of leaves in the spring and summer, collect lots of sunlight, food and energy, then decide to lose their leaves in the fall to save energy over the winter. Coniferous plants like pine trees (pine cones) have adapted by growing skinny needles to collect light energy and stay on the tree all year.  Succulent plants like the prickly pear cactus have adapted to its hot environment by having a thick wax like surface on it to stop all the water from evaporating from it. Also, cactuses have adapted to animals by growing sharp spine like needles to keep animals away. Still other plants like the Rocky Mountain Columbine grow quickly in the short mountain summer, put off lots flowers and seeds, die off, and wait for next summer to grow.

Desert (Southwest CO)

Plains

Foothills Life Zone

Montane Life Zone

Subalpine Life Zone

Alpine Life Zone

Riparian Life Zone
Plants and Trees of CO
 
 
 
Plants and Trees of CO
Prickly Pear Cactus (Desert SW) Mountain Bluebells (Subalpine flower)

Barrel Cactus (Desert SW) Indian Paintbrush (Subalpine flower)
Sage Brush (Desert SW) Rocky Mountain Columbine (Subalpine flower)
Juniper Tree (Desert SW-Foothills) Utah Juniper    Photograph by Sandra Bray Subalpine Fir (Subalpine)

Pinyon Tree (Desert SW - Foothills) Engelmann Spruce (Subalpine)
Cottonwood Trees (Riparian) Bristlecone Pine (Subalpine)
Gambel Oak or Scrub Oak (Foothills)    
Aspen Trees (Montane)    
Ponderosa Pine (Montane) Tamarisk or salt cedar (non-native problem plant along the riparian life zones)
Lodgepole Pine (Montane) Russian Olive (non-native problem plant along the riparian life zones)
Douglas Fir  (Montane)    
Colorado Blue Spruce (Montane)