Best Houseplants For Colorado
Well-known for its natural beauty and outdoor opportunities, Colorado has recently become a haven for everything from coffee to wine to hot sauce. But I don’t think anyone would disagree when I say that living in Colorado can be tough at times. Whether you’re a city-slicking Colorado Springs or Denver native, or rurally-based in, say, Crested Butte or Ouray, the extreme weather of both winter and summer months can be punishing, not just for us, but our houseplants, too.
Despite the roof over their leafy heads, the scorching heat, freezing cold, and unrelenting dryness of the Colorado climate can make plant survival a real struggle.
Now, this doesn’t mean all you consummate plant parents can’t deck your house out with plenty of greenery; you just have to pick plants that are as tough as you and your fellow Coloradans! So, without further ado, let’s meet these greenie meanies that are the best house plants for Colorado and get the indoor garden party started!
Best House Plants for Colorado
Try one (or all!) of these good indoor plants for Colorado, and you’re sure to start living the green life even before you venture outside.
Snake Plant
You may have already heard of the unassuming Snake Plant and not realized it, as it goes by many names, including Saint George’s Sword, Bowstring Hemp, and, rather hilariously, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (because its leaves are sharp).
While technically a species of everyone’s favorite green desktop chum, the succulent, the tiger-stripe, sword-shaped, evergreen leaves put this plant in a league entirely of its own.
One of the few species of plant capable of photosynthesis at night, Snake Plants make great little additions to a household, as they constantly improve airflow and air quality.
They also grow up rather than out, so if you’re looking to max out your plants per square foot, they’re a great choice. An added bonus is that they hate humidity, making them awesome Colorado houseplants.
But one word of warning before we move on, much like many actual snakes, they’re poisonous, so keep pets and children well away.
Golden Pothos
Not only is the Golden Pothos is an incredibly elegant plant, but it’s also one of the best houseplants for Colorado dwellers. Its lilting vines and heart-shaped leaves cascading from its pot like luscious locks of hair, but it has so much more to offer than mere beauty!
This plant is insanely adept at clearing the air of nasty pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide. In fact, it’s such an efficient air purifier, it was part of a NASA study aimed at finding natural ways of cleaning airborne contaminants in the International Space Station.
It goes by many names, one of which is the rather sinister Devil’s Ivy, due to its relative invincibility and the fact that it always retains its deep green hue, even when kept in perpetual darkness.
As an invasive species, it also earns this fiendish moniker by overtaking forest floors and ensnaring trees, causing severe ecological disruption, but it’s this ability to thrive that makes it such a great houseplant in Colorado.
Golden Pothos should be watered once every 2 weeks or so, and it really doesn’t have an opinion on humidity. It could be as dry as Colorado or as humid as Florida… it’s all the same to this leafy immortal.
Aloe Vera
Ahhh, Aloe Vera, the sizable succulent with thick serrated leaves and a heart of gold. Also known as The First Aid Plant, the extract from this fleshy vegetation is used in more skincare products than you can shake a stick at, but just because it’s capable of keeping our skin soothed and supple, doesn’t mean it’s not one tough son of an itch!
Yep, this medicinal marvel needs very little water to thrive, and, in winter, requires no moisture at all, making it one of the good houseplants for Colorado and its chill.
Succulents
Succulents win the Colorado houseplant cuteness award, no question. Small and sweet, the fleshy leaves of these plants often grow in incredibly eye-catching, geometric patterns that you can get lost in for hours.
Derived from the Latin, sucus, meaning juice/sap, Succulent is a fitting name, as these hypnotic plants are basically the camels of the plant world. The reason their leaves are so adorably chubby is that they’re packed full of moisture.
As such, these are the plant buddies you want around in a Colorado drought. They only require water between spring and autumn, rarely need all that much light, take up barely any space, and they sure do make a desktop pop!
Rubber Tree
Rubber is one of the most resilient natural materials on planet Earth, so it only makes sense that the plant from which latex, the key ingredient of rubber, is derived, is also one tough customer. I’m talking, of course, about the infamous Rubber Tree.
During winter, Rubber Trees go dormant, requiring literally zero moisture, which is perfect considering how arid the Colorado winter can be. That said, when your Rubber Tree awakens from its wintry slumber, you may need to give its leaves a spritz from time to time, as well as water it every 1–2 weeks.
Boston Fern
The Boston Fern is a lovely-looking plant with gradually arching green fronds feathered with alternate pinnae. It’s unique, it’s busy, it looks dynamite in a hanging basket… it’s the kind of plant you can’t resist touching as you walk by.
Native to tropical regions the world over, dry seasons are ingrained into this plant’s DNA, meaning it can shrug off the dry Colorado climate without even flinching. Having said that, it does appreciate mild humidity, so a good misting from time to time won’t go amiss.
It’s also completely non-toxic, so, although I don’t exactly recommend using it in your salad, it’s not going to harm you or your furry children — hooray!
Peace Lily
If you’re looking to make a statement with your houseplant, there’s little out there more striking than the Peace Lily. The contrast of the deep, earthy green of the leaves against the moon-white spathe and butter-yellow flowers of the spadix is truly arresting.
They require very little sunlight, couldn’t care less about humidity, and, in winter, only need water on a fortnightly basis, so even in the face of the challenging Colorado climate, your Peace Lily won’t end up a Rest in Peace Lily — woo!
However, despite its charmingly disarming name, it is quite toxic, so keeping it elevated, away from small children and pets is a must.
Cactus
This spiky plant species needs no introduction. We all had a cactus at some point growing up, and that’s because they’re so remarkably low maintenance that even children can be trusted to keep them alive.
Cacti are filled with moisture and simply don’t know the meaning of the word, drought. These spiny bad boys thrive in some of the aridest places on the planet, including the Atacama Desert in Chile, which is literally the world’s second-driest place.
Adapted for living in deserts that cycle between blazing heat in the day and knee-knocking chill at night, cacti are more than capable of surviving a Colorado windowsill, January to January.
ZZ Plant
The ZZ Plant, or Zanzibar Gem Plant, as some call it, is a low-light, low maintenance, drought-tolerant masterpiece of a plant, and remember that NASA clean air study I mentioned earlier? Well, the ZZ Plant was another top contender!
The long stalks decorated with deep green, reflective leaves look like something out of an ancient Celtic wood carving, their soft arches creating the illusion of graceful motion.
Yep, they’re beautiful, alright, but bear in mind, every part of the plant is poisonous, so keep it far away from curious kids and inquisitive animals.
Pilea
With lily pad-esque leaves bobbling on the ends of thin, light-green stalks, the Pilea really is a visual curveball, one that makes you smile like an idiot every single time you see it this member of the best houseplants for Colorado club.
Just looking at this winsome life form, you’d never guess it could roll with the punches in a Colorado homestead, but the plant’s innocent aesthetic belies the rugged will to survive embedded deep in its core.
It requires only indirect light, about one watering session per week, has an almost 30° temperature sweet spot, and best of all, they sprout little “pups”, so you can take cuttings and share the joy of the Pilea with all your friends and neighbors.
Where to Buy Good Houseplants for Colorado
Before we go our separate ways, I’d just like to run through some of the favorite stores in the Centennial state to pick up the best indoor plants for Colorado, as well as their outdoor cousins.
Echter’s Nursery and Garden Center — Arvada
- 70,000 square foot indoor nursery
- Expert staff
- Over 60 years in business
Rick’s Garden Center — Colorado Springs
- Vast selection of tools, pots, plant labels, watering devices, and tree wraps
- Community-based
- Sells fruits and veggies if you’re feeling peckish
Tagawa Gardens — Centennial
- Over 30 years in the plant game
- Massive 110,000 square foot inside space
- Offers workshops and hosts events
O’Toole’s Garden Centers — Littleton, Lakewood, and Westminster
- Excellent seasonal knowledge and stock
- Over 40 years in business
- So successful, it’s become a chain
Nick’s Garden Center and Farm Market — Aurora
- Awesome selection year-round
- 25 years in the game
- Homegrown fruits and veggies available
Fort Collins Nursery — Fort Collins
- Selling plants since 1932
- Huge variety of plant life to peruse
- 17,000 square feet of inside space
Visit Fort Collins Nursery’s website
Phelan Gardens — Colorado Springs
- Great selection of indoor plants
- Over 40 years in business
- Knowledgeable staff
The Flower Bin — Longmont
- 46,000 square feet of greenhouse goodness
- All plants grown on-site
- Over 45 years of experience
Visit The Flower Bin’s website
Enjoy the Best Indoor Plants for Colorado
There you have it, my fellow Coloradan green thumbs. There’s no need to say goodbye to your leafy friends when the weather gets extreme. With some of the best houseplants for Colorado we’ve spoken of here today, you can connect with nature year-round!