Native Plants in Idaho
The native plants that belong in Idaho gardens — grouped by sun, soil, and wildlife value.
44 native plants suit Idaho's ecoregions and USDA zones 4–6. Below they're grouped by how you'd use them — full sun, shade, wet soil and rain gardens, dry, drought-prone ground, deer-resistant picks, groundcovers, pollinators, birds and hummingbirds — with a species table and when to plant.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
When to plant natives in Idaho
Plant after your last spring frost — roughly April 21 in the milder south to May 12 in the colder north. Fall is often even better for perennials and shrubs — the soil is still warm and roots settle before winter, ahead of the first frost around September 28 in the north to October 17 in the south.
For full sun
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
- Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
- Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia
For shade
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum
- Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
- Deer Fern Blechnum spicant
- Western Trillium Trillium ovatum
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
For wet soil & rain gardens
- Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
- Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana
- Deer Fern Blechnum spicant
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Douglas Spirea Spiraea douglasii
- Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis
For dry, drought-prone spots
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
- Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia
- Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata
- Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
- Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata
Deer-resistant
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
- Deer Fern Blechnum spicant
- Oregon Sunshine Eriophyllum lanatum
- Syringa Philadelphus lewisii
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
Groundcovers
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum
- Deer Fern Blechnum spicant
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
For pollinators
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
- Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
For birds
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
- Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia
- Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
- Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
- Western White Pine Pinus monticola
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
- Western Larch Larix occidentalis
For hummingbirds
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Wax Currant Ribes cereum
- Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis aggregata
Identify Idaho wildflowers by color
| Bloom color | Native wildflowers (typical U.S. bloom) |
|---|---|
| Blue | Rocky Mountain Penstemon — Deep blue-purple (May–Jul), Common Camas — Deep blue-violet stars (Apr–May), Blue Flax — Sky blue, paper-thin petals (May–Jul), Rocky Mountain Iris — Pale blue-lavender (May–Jun) |
| Gold | Arrowleaf Balsamroot — Bright sunflower-gold (Apr–May), Oregon Sunshine — Bright yellow (May–Jul), Prairie Coneflower — Yellow with a tall brown cone (Jun–Aug) |
| Orange | Blanketflower — Red & gold (Jun–Sep), Munro's Globemallow — Soft apricot-orange (Jun–Aug) |
| Pink | Showy Milkweed — Star-shaped pink (Jun–Jul), Prairie Smoke — Dusky pink nodding bells (Apr–May) |
| Purple | Douglas Aster — Violet-blue (Aug–Oct), Chocolate Lily — Brownish-purple, mottled (Mar–May), Broadleaf Lupine — Blue-violet spikes (Jun–Jul), Silky Lupine — Silvery-blue to violet spikes (May–Jul) |
| Red | Firecracker Penstemon — Scarlet tubes (Mar–May), Western Columbine — Red & gold (Apr–Jul), Scarlet Gilia — Trumpet-shaped scarlet (Jun–Aug) |
| White | Common Yarrow — White (wild form) (May–Aug), Western Trillium — White, aging to rose-pink (Mar–May), Woodland Strawberry — Small white, five-petaled (Apr–Jun) |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
All 44 native plants for Idaho
| Plant | Type | Sun | Soil moisture | Height | Typical bloom (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 6–16 in | Apr–May |
| Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | May–Jul |
| Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–3 ft | Mar–May |
| Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2.5 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Apr–Jul |
| Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | May–Aug |
| Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 6–9 ft | May–Jun |
| Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–6 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium | Evergreen shrub | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–6 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Evergreen shrub (groundcover) | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 4–8 in | Apr–May |
| Western Swordfern Polystichum munitum | Fern | Part sun / Shade | Medium / Wet | 2–4 ft | — |
| Common Camas Camassia quamash | Perennial bulb | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | Apr–May |
| Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 3–6 ft | May–Jun |
| Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 5–15 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 6–15 ft | Apr–May |
| Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2 ft | Apr–May |
| Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 3–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Deer Fern Blechnum spicant | Evergreen fern | Shade / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | — |
| Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 4–8 ft | May–Jul |
| Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii | Evergreen conifer | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 40–80 ft | Apr–May |
| Western Trillium Trillium ovatum | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 8–16 in | Mar–May |
| Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata | Evergreen shrub | Full sun | Dry | 2–6.7 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Oregon Sunshine Eriophyllum lanatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 8–16 in | May–Jul |
| Douglas Spirea Spiraea douglasii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 4–6 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca | Groundcover perennial | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Medium | 4–8 in | Apr–Jun |
| Chocolate Lily Fritillaria affinis | Perennial bulb | Part sun / Full sun | Medium / Dry | 1–2 ft | Mar–May |
| Broadleaf Lupine Lupinus latifolius | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Syringa Philadelphus lewisii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 4–10 ft | May–Jun |
| Western White Pine Pinus monticola | Evergreen conifer | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 50–100 ft | May–Jun |
| Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis | Ornamental grass | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 0.8–2 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Western Larch Larix occidentalis | Deciduous conifer | Full sun | Medium | 40–80 ft | Apr–May |
| Blue Flax Linum lewisii | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Antelope Bitterbrush Purshia tridentata | Shrub | Full sun | Dry | 2–6 ft | Apr–May |
| Silky Lupine Lupinus sericeus | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Wood's Rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnifera | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Wax Currant Ribes cereum | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–5 ft | Apr–May |
| Munro's Globemallow Sphaeralcea munroana | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis aggregata | Biennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1–3 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | May–Jun |
| Sulphur Buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum | Perennial subshrub | Full sun | Dry | 6–12 in | Jun–Jul |
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 10–20 ft | May–Jun |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
Confirm any plant is native to your county with your state Native Plant Society before planting.
The Idaho natives worth asking for
The natives worth asking for in Idaho — with the botanical name to say at the counter, so you get the plant that feeds something.
The complete Native Plants of Idaho
The native plants that belong in your yard — what to plant for pollinators, by zone, with bloom timing and a species table.
Want it on paper? See the printable Native Plants of Idaho.