Native plants · Idaho

Native plants of Bear Lake County

264 plant species are recorded as native to Idaho in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Bear Lake County by USDA PLANTS. 184 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Bear Lake County, Idaho

Native species: 264 Typical Idaho county: 302 (median of 44 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 184 Typical Idaho county: 211
Share by type (all 264 native species): Percent of the 264 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (25)
Shrub 12% (32)
Wildflower (forb) 57% (151)
Grass or grass-like 18% (48)
Vine <1% (1)
Fern 3% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (18%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zones 5a to 5b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 184

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Bear Lake County, Idaho
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alkali cordgrass Spartina gracilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
alpine timothy Phleum alpinum	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
American speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
bigtooth maple Acer grandidentatum	Tree	38 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
black hawthorn Crataegus douglasii	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
black sagebrush Artemisia nova	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
bluebunch wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
bluntseed sweetroot Osmorhiza depauperata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Booth's willow Salix boothii	Shrub	24 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arnica Arnica latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
bushy bird's beak Cordylanthus ramosus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
clasping arnica Arnica amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
common reed Phragmites australis	Shrub	13 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common rivergrass Scolochloa festucacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
creeping barberry Mahonia repens	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
curl-leaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2b
cutleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza macrophylla	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
desert centaury Centaurium exaltatum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Douglas' sedge Carex douglasii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Drummond's willow Salix drummondiana	Shrub	12 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Eaton's fleabane Erigeron eatonii	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
elephanthead lousewort Pedicularis groenlandica	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
fiddleleaf hawksbeard Crepis runcinata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
foothill deathcamas Zigadenus paniculatus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
freckled milkvetch Astragalus lentiginosus	Shrub	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Gardner's saltbush Atriplex gardneri	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Geyer willow Salix geyeriana	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
golden sedge Carex aurea	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gooseberry currant Ribes montigenum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
gray aster Eurybia glauca	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Great Basin calicoflower Downingia laeta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	High	Zone 12b
Greene's mountain ash Sorbus scopulina	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
grouse whortleberry Vaccinium scoparium	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Hooker's balsamroot Balsamorhiza hookeri	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
Idaho blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium idahoense	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Idaho fescue Festuca idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
knotted rush Juncus nodosus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
largeflower hawksbeard Crepis occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
largeflower triteleia Triteleia grandiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Letterman's needlegrass Achnatherum lettermanii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Lewis flax Linum lewisii	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
limber pine Pinus flexilis	Tree	66 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
little sagebrush Artemisia arbuscula	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
longstyle rush Juncus longistylis	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
low pussytoes Antennaria dimorpha	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Modoc hawksbeard Crepis modocensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
mountain brome Bromus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
mule-ears Wyethia amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Munro's globemallow Sphaeralcea munroana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
muttongrass Poa fendleriana	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
narrowleaf cottonwood Populus angustifolia	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Nebraska sedge Carex nebrascensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
needle and thread Hesperostipa comata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nineleaf biscuitroot Lomatium triternatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Nootka rose Rosa nutkana	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern black currant Ribes hudsonianum	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Nuttall's alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
oneflower helianthella Helianthella uniflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
oniongrass Melica bulbosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Oregon checkerbloom Sidalcea oregana	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Parry's rush Juncus parryi	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
purple milkvetch Astragalus agrestis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
purple oniongrass Melica spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
Raynolds' sedge Carex raynoldsii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
red goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 12b
red swampfire Salicornia rubra	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Richardson's geranium Geranium richardsonii	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
Rocky Mountain goldenrod Solidago multiradiata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Rocky Mountain iris Iris missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Ross' sedge Carex rossii	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
sagebrush mariposa lily Calochortus macrocarpus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
scarlet gilia Ipomopsis aggregata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
Scouler's woollyweed Hieracium scouleri	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
sea milkwort Glaux maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
silky lupine Lupinus sericeus	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
silverleaf phacelia Phacelia hastata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
slender cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
small camas Camassia quamash	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
spearleaf arnica Arnica longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
sticky purple geranium Geranium viscosissimum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
streambank wild hollyhock Iliamna rivularis	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpa	Tree	90 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2a
sulphur-flower buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8a
swordleaf rush Juncus ensifolius	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tall fringed bluebells Mertensia ciliata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
tall trisetum Trisetum canescens	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
tapertip hawksbeard Crepis acuminata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
tapertip onion Allium acuminatum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
thickspike wheatgrass Elymus lanceolatus	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
thickstem aster Eurybia integrifolia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
thinleaf huckleberry Vaccinium membranaceum	Shrub	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
threetip sagebrush Artemisia tripartita	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
tufted evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
Utah serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
Wasatch beardtongue Penstemon cyananthus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
water birch Betula occidentalis	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
wavyleaf Indian paintbrush Castilleja applegatei	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
wax currant Ribes cereum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
western stoneseed Lithospermum ruderale	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
western sweetroot Osmorhiza occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
western valerian Valeriana occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
western water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
wheat sedge Carex atherodes	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Whipple's penstemon Penstemon whippleanus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white hawkweed Hieracium albiflorum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
woolly groundsel Packera cana	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
woollypod milkvetch Astragalus purshii	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
yellow owl's-clover Orthocarpus luteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 12b
yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
yellow willow Salix lutea	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a

Other native species recorded here 80

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
box knotweed Polygonum buxiforme
brightgreen spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes-ramosum
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
Canadian gooseberry Ribes oxyacanthoides
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
flatleaf bladderwort Utricularia intermedia
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
Gmelin's buttercup Ranunculus gmelinii
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
manybranched pepperweed Lepidium ramosissimum
manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
narrowleaf goosefoot Chenopodium leptophyllum
nodding buckwheat Eriogonum cernuum
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern hollyfern Polystichum lonchitis
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pleated gentian Gentiana affinis
povertyweed Iva axillaris
Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
rayless alkali aster Symphyotrichum ciliatum
redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
resin birch Betula glandulosa
Rocky Mountain woodsia Woodsia scopulina
roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
shortray fleabane Erigeron lonchophyllus
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
spearleaf stonecrop Sedum lanceolatum
spiny milkvetch Astragalus kentrophyta
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
spotted fritillary Fritillaria atropurpurea
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
threenerve goldenrod Solidago velutina
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
turion duckweed Lemna turionifera
water whorlgrass Catabrosa aquatica
wood bluegrass Poa nemoralis
woodland draba Draba nemorosa
woolly sedge Carex pellita
yellow water buttercup Ranunculus flabellaris

Also listed as native and introduced here 3

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
white sagebrushArtemisia ludoviciana

Compared with Idaho

The typical county is the median of the 44 Idaho counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Bear Lake County and Idaho
Measure	Bear Lake County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	264	302	975
Garden-ready natives	184	211	591
Tree	25	—	65
Shrub	32	—	97
Wildflower (forb)	151	—	552
Grass or grass-like	48	—	206
Vine	1	—	14
Fern	7	—	41

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Bear Lake County.

Caribou County, ID 202 garden-ready

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: Bear Lake County (county FIPS 16007), Idaho. 264 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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