Plant communities and geologically significant plants of the Four Corners area
— Joseph C. Cepeda and Pamela S. Allison

Plant communities on the Colorado Plateau include Desert Scrub, a vegetational type of the Lower Sonoran Life Zone; Desert Grassland and Juniper Savanna, both components of the Upper Sonoran Life Zone; Coniferous and Mixed Woodland of the Transition Zone; and Montane Coniferous Forest of the Canadian Zone. Riparian zones also act as narrow corridors supporting floral diversity in this mostly arid landscape. Botanical prospecting for uranium in the Colorado Plateau has involved two methods, indicator plant and plant analysis prospecting. The best indicator plants for uranium are species of the genus Astragalus that thrive in selenium-rich soils. The most commonly used plants for plant analysis prospecting are small trees, typically junipers, which have roots that may extend to depths of more than 30 ft. The indicator-plant prospecting method is limited by the fact that many of the best indicator plants are components of the desert scrub community and do not occur at higher elevations of the plateau.