Native Plants in Montana
The native plants that belong in Montana gardens — grouped by sun, soil, and wildlife value.
49 native plants suit Montana's ecoregions and USDA zones 3–5. 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 Montana
Plant after your last spring frost — roughly May 5 in the milder south to May 22 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 18 in the north to October 5 in the south.
For full sun
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Pasque Flower Pulsatilla patens
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
For shade
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
- Western Trillium Trillium ovatum
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
For wet soil & rain gardens
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
- Nootka Rose Rosa nutkana
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Douglas Spirea Spiraea douglasii
- Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis
For dry, drought-prone spots
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Pasque Flower Pulsatilla patens
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
Deer-resistant
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Pasque Flower Pulsatilla patens
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
Groundcovers
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
For pollinators
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Pasque Flower Pulsatilla patens
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata
- Douglas Aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
For birds
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- 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
For hummingbirds
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Wax Currant Ribes cereum
- Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis aggregata
Identify Montana wildflowers by color
| Bloom color | Native wildflowers (typical U.S. bloom) |
|---|---|
| Blue | Aromatic Aster — Sky blue (Sep–Nov), 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 | Stiff Goldenrod — Flat gold heads (Aug–Oct), Maximilian Sunflower — Golden yellow (Aug–Oct), Arrowleaf Balsamroot — Bright sunflower-gold (Apr–May), Oregon Sunshine — Bright yellow (May–Jul), Prairie Coneflower — Yellow with a tall brown cone (Jun–Aug) |
| Magenta | Purple Prairie Clover — Rose-purple (Jun–Jul) |
| Orange | Blanketflower — Red & gold (Jun–Sep) |
| Pink | Showy Milkweed — Star-shaped pink (Jun–Jul), Prairie Smoke — Dusky pink nodding bells (Apr–May) |
| Purple | Wild Bergamot — Lavender (Jun–Aug), Blue Vervain — Violet-blue (Jul–Sep), Pasque Flower — Lavender-purple (Mar–Apr), Douglas Aster — Violet-blue (Aug–Oct), Silky Lupine — Silvery-blue to violet spikes (May–Jul) |
| Red | 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 49 native plants for Montana
| 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 |
| Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Sep–Nov |
| Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–3 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Blue Vervain Verbena hastata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | — |
| Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 4–7 ft | — |
| Switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Ornamental grass | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 3–6 ft | — |
| Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 8–20 in | Jun–Aug |
| Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 5–8 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 6–16 in | Apr–May |
| Pasque Flower Pulsatilla patens | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 6–12 in | Mar–Apr |
| Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | May–Jul |
| Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2.5 ft | Jun–Sep |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Montana natives worth asking for
The natives worth asking for in Montana — with the botanical name to say at the counter, so you get the plant that feeds something.
The complete Native Plants of Montana
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 Montana.