E. Alpine only the hardiest plants live here, very short growing season, cold and altitude unfavorable for most plants. F. Pinon-Juniper Woodlands much like foothills, plenty of snow melt, moderate growing season. Not only lakes and ponds, but streams, rivers, and bogs. Wetlands are found in all Eco-climate zones, however each zones wetlands differ according to altitude and growing season. The height of the Rocky Mountains split Colorado into a western and an eastern slope.
Soils range from nutrient laden adobe and loams to sandy to rock and pebble scree.
Few forests grow except in the mountainous regions between Alpine and flat land zones. One exception being the Black Forest northeast of Colorado Springs. In most of the Great Plains and semi-desert zones trees are only found along rivers and intermittent streams. On the Great Plains the Cottonwood has the predominant adaptation, and are only found where surface or subterranean waters are present. In the more arid lands like the south and southwest regions, sagebrush with deep penetrating taproots able to reach subterranean waters at great depths, and extensive lateral network of shallow roots, which take advantage of short-term moisture supplies in the upper soil layers.