Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Lights up in autumn, rose-magenta, for a long late-season show, rose-magenta flowers and reaching 20–30 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Wyoming · Zones 3–5
Native Plants for Fall Color in Wyoming
Native trees, shrubs, and grasses that set the autumn garden alight with red, orange, copper, and gold. Every species here is genuinely native to Wyoming and the wider flora of the Mountain West and hardy through zones 3–5 — proven performers for Wyoming's cold, semi-arid, high elevation climate across Rocky Mountain montane & sagebrush steppe, not a generic list. Local standouts include Eastern Redbud and Serviceberry. The natives behind New England's famous foliage will do the same work in your yard, and the show lasts far longer than the flowers did. Sugars trapped in the leaves on cool, sunny fall days drive the brightest color, so plant these in full sun for the most intense display. Pair fiery shrubs with the copper and amber of warm-season grasses for a season finale that rivals any flower bed.
The plants
10 native species for Wyoming
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–5 · see this collection in other states.
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Fall color that lasts — white spring lace, white spring lace flowers and spreading 10–20 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Sets the autumn garden alight — inconspicuous green — spreading 10–20 ft and inconspicuous green flowers.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Sets the autumn garden alight — white to pink — spreading 5–10 ft and white to pink flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Lights up in autumn, yellow catkins, for a long late-season show, reaching 2–6 ft and cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Fall color that lasts — airy pink-gold panicles, spreading 2–3 ft and cold-hardy to zone 4.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Turns blue-green to copper in fall, long after the flowers are gone; good through zone 9 and spreading 1.5–2 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Sets the autumn garden alight — fine emerald to amber — spreading 2–3 ft and happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Turns bronze-gold plumes in fall, long after the flowers are gone; 2–3 ft wide and 4–7 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Lights up in autumn, bronze-purple seed heads, for a long late-season show, 4–7 ft tall and for sand, clay, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Wyoming
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.