What to Plant in Colorado in May: Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials That Thrive

What to Plant in Colorado in May: Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials That Thrive
You’ve weathered the endless tease of late frosts and surprise cold snaps, and your yard is crying out. Colorado’s extreme climate combines altitude, sun, and soil. Making early spring the ideal time to dig in and plant things. This growing season, make choices that will survive and flourish. Let’s discuss trees, shrubs, and perennials in a way that doesn’t resemble reading the back of a seed packet for growing zones 4 to 7. Take advantage of the unique landscapes and learn more about what to plant in Colorado this season.

What to Plant in Colorado in May: Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials That Thrive

Trees That Don’t Mind a Little Altitude Drama

You’re looking for trees that don’t throw a fit whenever the weather has a change of heart. Meet the Aspen. Don’t get it twisted—they’re basically Colorado’s celebrity tree. You’ll see them everywhere, but they’re worth planting.
These fast-growing trees quiver in the wind and prefer unpredictable weather. Plant in May, it’s the optimal time when the ground warms up sufficiently to invite roots in but not enough to shock them.
Don’t miss out on the limber pine. It doesn’t go haywire when it’s windy and won’t drop its needles in protest when it’s dry. Added benefit—birds adore it, so you can expect the backyard to get a bit more lively.

Shrubs that You Can Leave to Themselves

Shrubs tend to get a bad rap for being dull. You plant them, and they just mull around. Perhaps they’ll produce flowers if they’re in the mood. However, that’s only if you choose the wrong shrubs.
Get a taste of the low-drama, big-impact allure of the serviceberry. It dons a white flowering spectacle in early spring, then serves up berries in the fall that the birds quibble over. The serviceberry finishes up as a flame-hued stunner. Essentially, you get a season-spanning firework show from a single plant.
The serviceberry can thrive in well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.
Another low-key superstar—Russian sage. It has the scent of bottled-up summer, poured everywhere in your garden. This shrub has silver-green foliage and lavender-blue flowers. They are easy to grow and bloom from early summer to mid-fall.
It doesn’t stress if it’s hot or if the soil is more “grittier than a parking lot” than “fluffy potting mix”—it just grows.

What to Plant in Colorado: Perennials That Can Cope with Colorado’s Mood Swings

Perennial plants are your garden’s ride-or-die team—they return year in and year out, ready to go. May is the time to move them into the garden and settle in before the heat of the summer arrives.
Penstemon is essentially the Colorado gardener’s BFF. Drought-tolerant, it performs with a showy, wide range of colors, and drives bees and hummingbirds completely wild.
Plant it in May, and your garden will boast gorgeous fragrant blooms. They’ll make neighbors wonder if they’ve hired a professional gardener, even if this is your first-ever flowerbed.
Yarrow is a bit of a challenging one. It’s the perennial equivalent of a friend who never gripes and always brings a snack when they come over. Yarrow can grow up to three feet tall and does get a bit leggy, but not in a “call the plant cops” sense. Just enough to cover up a bit of ground and give the garden a lush feel.
Growing conditions for yarrow require full sun and well-drained soil. This plant spreads aggressively.

Unconventional Tip—Start a Garden Journal

Colorado’s microclimates are quirky. Your neighbor, who is a block away, could freeze two weeks later than you. If you write down the following, you’ll begin to see patterns:
  • What you planted
  • Where it was planted
  • How it performed
Next year, when you’re up to your knees in mulch and second-guessing everything, you’ll thank yourself for writing it down.

Don’t Forget the Vibes

A garden should have a bit of quirk—something that brings a grin when you’re out strolling in it. Perhaps it’s a gnome peering around the juniper. Maybe it’s growing hollyhocks with pink flowers because they bring back memories of your childhood.
Colorado provides enough visual spectacles—the mountains, the sunsets—so you might as well take advantage of the unique landscapes with your plants, too.
SOLMAUNA Creations & Landscaping Designs in Colorado
Our team of landscape designers brings a unique combination of landscape architecture education paired with extensive knowledge of plants to the table. Contact us today.

What to Plant in Colorado in May: Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials That Thrive

What to Plant in Colorado in May: Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials That Thrive
You’ve weathered the endless tease of late frosts and surprise cold snaps, and your yard is crying out. Colorado’s extreme climate combines altitude, sun, and soil. Making early spring the ideal time to dig in and plant things. This growing season, make choices that will survive and flourish. Let’s discuss trees, shrubs, and perennials in a way that doesn’t resemble reading the back of a seed packet for growing zones 4 to 7. Take advantage of the unique landscapes and learn more about what to plant in Colorado this season.

What to Plant in Colorado in May: Trees, Shrubs, and Perennials That Thrive

Trees That Don’t Mind a Little Altitude Drama

You’re looking for trees that don’t throw a fit whenever the weather has a change of heart. Meet the Aspen. Don’t get it twisted—they’re basically Colorado’s celebrity tree. You’ll see them everywhere, but they’re worth planting.
These fast-growing trees quiver in the wind and prefer unpredictable weather. Plant in May, it’s the optimal time when the ground warms up sufficiently to invite roots in but not enough to shock them.
Don’t miss out on the limber pine. It doesn’t go haywire when it’s windy and won’t drop its needles in protest when it’s dry. Added benefit—birds adore it, so you can expect the backyard to get a bit more lively.

Shrubs that You Can Leave to Themselves

Shrubs tend to get a bad rap for being dull. You plant them, and they just mull around. Perhaps they’ll produce flowers if they’re in the mood. However, that’s only if you choose the wrong shrubs.
Get a taste of the low-drama, big-impact allure of the serviceberry. It dons a white flowering spectacle in early spring, then serves up berries in the fall that the birds quibble over. The serviceberry finishes up as a flame-hued stunner. Essentially, you get a season-spanning firework show from a single plant.
The serviceberry can thrive in well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade.
Another low-key superstar—Russian sage. It has the scent of bottled-up summer, poured everywhere in your garden. This shrub has silver-green foliage and lavender-blue flowers. They are easy to grow and bloom from early summer to mid-fall.
It doesn’t stress if it’s hot or if the soil is more “grittier than a parking lot” than “fluffy potting mix”—it just grows.

What to Plant in Colorado: Perennials That Can Cope with Colorado’s Mood Swings

Perennial plants are your garden’s ride-or-die team—they return year in and year out, ready to go. May is the time to move them into the garden and settle in before the heat of the summer arrives.
Penstemon is essentially the Colorado gardener’s BFF. Drought-tolerant, it performs with a showy, wide range of colors, and drives bees and hummingbirds completely wild.
Plant it in May, and your garden will boast gorgeous fragrant blooms. They’ll make neighbors wonder if they’ve hired a professional gardener, even if this is your first-ever flowerbed.
Yarrow is a bit of a challenging one. It’s the perennial equivalent of a friend who never gripes and always brings a snack when they come over. Yarrow can grow up to three feet tall and does get a bit leggy, but not in a “call the plant cops” sense. Just enough to cover up a bit of ground and give the garden a lush feel.
Growing conditions for yarrow require full sun and well-drained soil. This plant spreads aggressively.

Unconventional Tip—Start a Garden Journal

Colorado’s microclimates are quirky. Your neighbor, who is a block away, could freeze two weeks later than you. If you write down the following, you’ll begin to see patterns:
  • What you planted
  • Where it was planted
  • How it performed
Next year, when you’re up to your knees in mulch and second-guessing everything, you’ll thank yourself for writing it down.

Don’t Forget the Vibes

A garden should have a bit of quirk—something that brings a grin when you’re out strolling in it. Perhaps it’s a gnome peering around the juniper. Maybe it’s growing hollyhocks with pink flowers because they bring back memories of your childhood.
Colorado provides enough visual spectacles—the mountains, the sunsets—so you might as well take advantage of the unique landscapes with your plants, too.
SOLMAUNA Creations & Landscaping Designs in Colorado
Our team of landscape designers brings a unique combination of landscape architecture education paired with extensive knowledge of plants to the table. Contact us today.