CSU Extension

"In a world that often feels increasingly divided, transactional, or technology-driven, I want people to know there is still tremendous value in curiosity, collaboration, mentorship, creativity, and community-centered leadership." - Mary Anderson, Director of Elbert County Extension.

Mary's career began in culinary arts and nutrition, moved into education and curriculum design, and led to building STEM/maker programs and even partnerships with NASA! 🧑‍🚀🌌 Mary says, "My path has never been linear, but I have come to see that as an advantage rather than a liability. The through-line has always been curiosity, relationship-building, and a deep belief that meaningful innovation happens when you bring together people, industries, and ideas that do not traditionally share the same table."

Mary was recently featured in Voyage Denver's Hidden Gems series! Read more here: https://voyagedenver.com/interview/hidden-gems-meet-mary-anderson-of-colorado-state-university/

Extension intern season is here!! 🙌 🎉 Throughout the summer, our students will be applying their education through hands-on projects across Colorado. Here's a glimpse into the first few weeks of their internships!👇

🧪 Grace Faulk (left) collects vials of macro invertebrates. Grace's internship focuses on fisheries restoration in a flow-regulated river on a private ranch. Warner College of Natural Resources
🪶 Avian health interns Grace Hufford and Daniela Montalvan Villatoro (left and second from left) with mentors Ben Amerman and Dr. Heather Reider. CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
🍎 Gráinne McCready (left) at Big B's apple orchard in Paonia. Gráinne is an entomology intern in Western Colorado. Warner College of Natural Resources
🪵 Saira Hafeez (far right) in the field for a community chipping day. Saira is focusing on wildfire preparedness in Grand County. CSU College of Liberal Arts
🐥 Daniela Montalvan Villatoro, avian health intern, draws blood from a chicken. Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences
🌲 Isabelle Wasserman (second from right) visits Borden Memorial Forest to evaluate potential locations for interpretive signage to enhance visitor understanding and engagement. Isabelle has an Applied Forest Science Communications internship. CSU College of Liberal Arts

Wrapping up our "Plants that thrive in Colorado" series with some stunners! ⬇️

🍫 Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata). Height: 1-2'. Spread: 1-2'. Full sun. Regular, well-drained soil. Good tolerance for heat and drought.

🌬️ Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum). Height: 6-18". Spread: 6-12". Full sun. Dry to medium, well-drained soils. Deer resistant.

✂️ Cutleaf daisy (Erigeron compositus). Height: 6". Spread: 8-10". Full sun to part shade. Well-drained soil. Outstanding in low borders or rock gardens.

🕓 Colorado four o'clock (Mirabilis multiflora). Height: 3'. Spread: 3'. Sun and part shade. Dry, rocky soils. Drought tolerant and useful as ground cover. Pollinator friendly.

🌼 Sulpher-flower buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum). Height: 6-12". Spread: 1-3'. Full sun. Dry to medium, well-drained soils. Drought tolerant. Pollinator friendly.

🏋️ Leadplant (Amorpha canescens). Height: 2-3'. Spread: 2-2.5'. Sun, Part Shade. Well-drained, sandy or rocky soils. Pollinator friendly.

🐰 Rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa). Height: 4-7'. Spread: 4-7'. Full sun. Dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Best grown in groups or massed in areas where colonial spread is not a concern.

🥛 Two-grooved milkvetch (Astragalus bisulcatus). Height: 6-32". Spread: 12-18". Full Sun. Clay, Loam, Rocky, Variable soil type. Drought and deer tolerant. Pollinator friendly.

Photos from Allisa Zurbuchen, El Paso County- Colorado State University Extension

Celebrate Colorado State University's Aggie roots on Sept. 12 for our annual Nutrien Ag Day BBQ, where the state’s agricultural growers and producers serve up premium local fare to support scholarships for AgSci students. Then head to Canvas Stadium to cheer on the Rams as they take on the Southern Utah University Thunderbirds! Everyone is welcome to come celebrate tradition, community, and Colorado agriculture at Ag Day 🏈🍗🧡

Live, Laugh, Love: Plant Edition 🌱✨ Here are even MORE plants that thrive in Colorado! 👇

🌀 Solitary clematis (Clematis intergrifolia). Height 18-36", spread 24-36". Blooms May-September, full sun to part shade.

🧔‍♂️ Red Jupiter's Beard (Centranthus ruber). Height 18-36", spread 12-24". Blooms in May. Full sun to part shade.

🍊Totally Tangerine Geum (Geum chiloense). Height 18-30", spread 12-18". Blooms May-July. Full sun or part sun.

🏙️ Salvia 'Mystic Spires.' Height 24-30", spread 24-30". Blooms May-October. Full sun to part shade.

😻 Catmint (Nepeta species). Height 12-24", spread 24-48". Blooms May-September. Full sun to part shade.

❣️ Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis). Height 24-36", spread 18-30". Blooms May-June. Shade.

🌺 Peony (Paeonia species). Height 30-36", spread 24-36". Blooms May-June. Full sun.

Do you have any of these plants in your garden? Let us know in the comments!

Plants that thrive in Colorado pt. 2! ⬇️

🟣 Allium (pictured: Allium giganteum (giant ornamental onion)). Blooms in the summer and produces softball size clusters of bright lilac flowers, with stalks up to 5’ tall. Fall is the best time to plant these bulbs. Plant 2-4" deep in a well-drained soil. https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/annuals-perennials/1006-bulbs-alliums/

💛 Angelina sedum (Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'). Drought-tolerant groundcover. Bright yellow star-like flowers bloom in summer and foliage turns golden-orange in autumn. A great pick for rock gardens, dry borders, and large expanses of ground that need planting. https://www.highcountrygardens.com/products/perennial-sedum-angelina?srsltid=AfmBOooC2-TWzIxEXyckqZuXwJoSHjtjiTUEP7aGq7O4xWUwV3QsvAH1

🌳 Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii). Hardiness Zones 4-6. Full sun tree that is somewhat tolerant of alkaline soils (only a handful of oaks will tolerate Colorado’s clay alkaline soils). https://www.coloradotrees.org/find/oakchinkapin

⚒️ Ironwort (Sideritis syriaca). Full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil. Hardiness Zone 6. Great for nutrient poor, dry areas, alpine gardens. https://plants.theflowerbin.net/12120039/Plant/34518/Ironwort/

🐦 Partridge feather (Tanacetum densum ssp. Amani). 4-6" tall x 18-24" wide. Sun, Part Sun. Moderate to xeric. Hardiness Zones 4-9. Loam, Sandy soil. Deer Resistant. https://plantselect.org/plant/tanacetum-densum-ssp-amani/

🕯️ Golden Candles Themopsis (Thermopsis lanceolata). 24-36" tall x 20-30" wide. Sun, Part Sun. Moderate to xeric. Hardiness Zones 3-8. Clay, Loam, Sandy soil types. Good for pollinators. https://plantselect.org/plant/thermopsis-lanceolata-syn-thermopsis-lupinoides/

Need some garden inspo? Check out these PlantSelect choices that thrive in Colorado!

❤️ Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora). Full sun, 3-4' tall x 3-4' wide. Zones 5-10 (5800'). Blooms June through autumn. Thrives in dry conditions, xeric once established.

👻 KINTZLEY'S GHOST® honeysuckle (Lonicera reticulata). Requires full sun to part shade. 6'-12' tall x 5' wide. Zones 4-8. Fragrant flower, long-blooming, produces berries. Drought-tolerant. Attracts bees and butterflies.

🥇 DENVER GOLD® columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha). Flowers May to frost. Remove spent flowers in June. 30-36" tall x 16-20" wide. Zones 3-8. Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade, and Full Shade, clay loam or sandy soil. Moderate to moist soil. Tolerates dry shade.

🍊 CHEYENNE® mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii 'PWY01S'). Full sun to part shade, 6-9' tall x 5-8' wide. Zones 3-9, clay, loam, or sandy soil, great pollinator, deer resistant.

Find more info about these plants (and others!) at https://plantselect.org

Photos by Linda Langelo, Eastern Area Extension Specialist and Plant Select Board Member. Garden The Plains