The Best Greens for Your Green Roof

The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Colorado State has indentified five particular species of plant that work well in semi-arid climates for green roofs.

1 minute read

January 21, 2011, 6:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


Energy Daily reports that "Previous research on species that can survive and thrive on extensive green roofs has shown that succulents outperform most non-succulents."

Blue grama and hardy ice plant weathered the test best, outperforming other succulents.

The study is being conducted on the roof of the Colorado headquarters for the Environmental Protection Agency, a LEED-certified office building.

From the EPA's website:

"While installing green roofs has been gaining in popularity in temperate areas marked by relatively ample rainfall such as Europe (green roofs are particularly popular in Germany) and the Northeastern U.S., developers, architects, and building managers have much less experience installing them in places with low rainfall and the solar extremes presented by high altitudes. EPA's green roof is the first of its kind in the state of Colorado."

Thursday, January 20, 2011 in Energy Daily

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight