Native Plants in South Dakota
The native plants that belong in South Dakota gardens — grouped by sun, soil, and wildlife value.
45 native plants suit South Dakota'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 South Dakota
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
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Spotted Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium maculatum
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
For shade
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
For wet soil & rain gardens
- Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Spotted Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium maculatum
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis
For dry, drought-prone spots
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
Deer-resistant
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea
- Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum
- Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
Groundcovers
- Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca
For pollinators
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya
- Spotted Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium maculatum
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
For birds
- Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea
- Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
- Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa
- Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida
- Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
- Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum
- Blue Vervain Verbena hastata
- Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
- Big Bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum
- Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis
- Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutans
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Maximilian Sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
For hummingbirds
- Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa
- Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
- Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Wax Currant Ribes cereum
Identify South Dakota wildflowers by color
| Bloom color | Native wildflowers (typical U.S. bloom) |
|---|---|
| Blue | Aromatic Aster — Sky blue (Sep–Nov), Blue Flax — Sky blue, paper-thin petals (May–Jul), Rocky Mountain Iris — Pale blue-lavender (May–Jun) |
| Gold | Black-Eyed Susan — Golden yellow (Jun–Sep), Showy Goldenrod — Golden plumes (Sep–Oct), Stiff Goldenrod — Flat gold heads (Aug–Oct), Cup Plant — Yellow (Jul–Sep), Compass Plant — Yellow (Jul–Aug), Golden Alexanders — Chartreuse-gold (Apr–Jun), Maximilian Sunflower — Golden yellow (Aug–Oct), Prairie Coneflower — Yellow with a tall brown cone (Jun–Aug) |
| Magenta | Purple Coneflower — Rosy purple (Jun–Sep), Prairie Blazing Star — Purple-magenta (Jul–Aug), Purple Prairie Clover — Rose-purple (Jun–Jul) |
| Orange | Blanketflower — Red & gold (Jun–Sep) |
| Pink | Common Milkweed — Dusty mauve-pink (Jun–Jul), Swamp Milkweed — Rose pink (Jul–Aug), Showy Milkweed — Star-shaped pink (Jun–Jul), Spotted Joe-Pye Weed — Mauve-pink (Jul–Sep), Prairie Smoke — Dusky pink nodding bells (Apr–May) |
| Purple | Wild Bergamot — Lavender (Jun–Aug), New England Aster — Royal purple (Sep–Oct), Anise Hyssop — Lavender-blue (Jun–Sep), Blue Vervain — Violet-blue (Jul–Sep), Pasque Flower — Lavender-purple (Mar–Apr), Silky Lupine — Silvery-blue to violet spikes (May–Jul) |
| Red | Wild Columbine — Red & yellow (Apr–Jun) |
| White | Common Yarrow — White (wild form) (May–Aug), 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 45 native plants for South Dakota
| Plant | Type | Sun | Soil moisture | Height | Typical bloom (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 3–4 ft | Jul–Aug |
| 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 |
| New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 3–5 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Aromatic Aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Sep–Nov |
| Showy Goldenrod Solidago speciosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Sep–Oct |
| Stiff Goldenrod Solidago rigida | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 1–2.5 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Prairie Blazing Star Liatris pycnostachya | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–5 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Spotted Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium maculatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 4–7 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 5–8 ft | Jul–Sep |
| Compass Plant Silphium laciniatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 5–9 ft | Jul–Aug |
| Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1.5–2.5 ft | Apr–Jun |
| Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Sep |
| 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 | — |
| Prairie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–3 ft | — |
| Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutans | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 4–7 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 |
| Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2.5 ft | Jun–Sep |
| Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | May–Aug |
| Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium / Wet | 5–10 ft | May–Jun |
| 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 |
| Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | Evergreen shrub (groundcover) | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 4–8 in | Apr–May |
| Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 6–15 ft | Apr–May |
| Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun / Shade | Dry / Medium | 3–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Woodland Strawberry Fragaria vesca | Groundcover perennial | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Medium | 4–8 in | Apr–Jun |
| Blue Flax Linum lewisii | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | May–Jul |
| 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 |
| Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | May–Jun |
| 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 South Dakota natives worth asking for
The natives worth asking for in South Dakota — with the botanical name to say at the counter, so you get the plant that feeds something.
The complete Native Plants of South Dakota
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 South Dakota.