Native plants · Idaho

Native plants of Benewah County

203 plant species are recorded as native to Idaho in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Benewah County by USDA PLANTS. 137 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

Benewah County, Idaho

Native species: 203 Typical Idaho county: 302 (median of 44 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 137 Typical Idaho county: 211
Share by type (all 203 native species): Percent of the 203 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (29)
Shrub 11% (22)
Wildflower (forb) 53% (107)
Grass or grass-like 18% (37)
Vine <1% (2)
Fern 3% (6)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (53%), 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 zone 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 137

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

Garden-ready native plants of Benewah County, Idaho
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alaska oniongrass Melica subulata	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
alderleaf buckthorn Rhamnus alnifolia	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
annual hairgrass Deschampsia danthonioides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
ballhead waterleaf Hydrophyllum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Bebb's sedge Carex bebbii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
bitter cherry Prunus emarginata	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
black hawthorn Crataegus douglasii	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
blue wildrye Elymus glaucus	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
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
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
bush penstemon Penstemon fruticosus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Cascade barberry Mahonia nervosa	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Colorado rush Juncus confusus	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Columbia brome Bromus vulgaris	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
deer fern Blechnum spicant	Fern	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
Douglas' grasswidow Olsynium douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
Drummond's willow Salix drummondiana	Shrub	12 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Engelmann spruce Picea engelmannii	Tree	120 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2a
fernleaf biscuitroot Lomatium dissectum	Wildflower (forb)	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
foothill arnica Arnica fulgens	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Geyer willow Salix geyeriana	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Geyer's sedge Carex geyeri	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
giant mountain aster Canadanthus modestus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
grand fir Abies grandis	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
green alder Alnus viridis	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
Greene's mountain ash Sorbus scopulina	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
greenleaf fescue Festuca viridula	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Henderson's sedge Carex hendersonii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
hollyleaved barberry Mahonia aquifolium	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
Idaho blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium idahoense	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
longstalk clover Trifolium longipes	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
longstalk starwort Stellaria longipes	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
MacKenzie's willow Salix prolixa	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
maiden blue eyed Mary Collinsia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
mallow ninebark Physocarpus malvaceus	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Munro's globemallow Sphaeralcea munroana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
nodding microseris Microseris nutans	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
onespike danthonia Danthonia unispicata	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Oregon checkerbloom Sidalcea oregana	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Pacific ninebark Physocarpus capitatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
paper birch Betula papyrifera	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
pinegrass Calamagrostis rubescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
pinkfairies Clarkia pulchella	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
plantainleaf buttercup Ranunculus alismifolius	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
prickly currant Ribes lacustre	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
Rainier pleated gentian Gentiana calycosa	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 8a
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
redflower currant Ribes sanguineum	Shrub	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
redstem ceanothus Ceanothus sanguineus	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
rose spirea Spiraea douglasii	Shrub	7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
roundleaf alumroot Heuchera cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
rush pussytoes Antennaria luzuloides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sagebrush buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
shiny chickweed Stellaria nitens	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12a
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
slender bulrush Schoenoplectus heterochaetus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
small camas Camassia quamash	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
snowbrush ceanothus Ceanothus velutinus	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
squashberry Viburnum edule	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
sticky currant Ribes viscosissimum	Shrub	3.5 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3b
sweetflag Acorus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swordleaf rush Juncus ensifolius	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tall trisetum Trisetum canescens	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Utah honeysuckle Lonicera utahensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
water birch Betula occidentalis	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
western fescue Festuca occidentalis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla	Tree	170 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
western larch Larix occidentalis	Tree	200 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
western mountain ash Sorbus sitchensis	Tree	15 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
western polemonium Polemonium occidentale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
western redcedar Thuja plicata	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
western sweetroot Osmorhiza occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
western water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
western white pine Pinus monticola	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
wheat sedge Carex atherodes	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Wilcox's penstemon Penstemon wilcoxii	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
woodland horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
yellow willow Salix lutea	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a

Other native species recorded here 66

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 bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
meadow sedge Carex praticola
meadow zizia Zizia aptera
narrowleaf minerslettuce Montia linearis
neckweed Veronica peregrina
northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
northern wildrice Zizania palustris
pleated gentian Gentiana affinis
purple reedgrass Calamagrostis purpurascens
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
slender bog orchid Platanthera stricta
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
twinflower Linnaea borealis
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
watershield Brasenia schreberi
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
witchgrass Panicum capillare
wood bluegrass Poa nemoralis
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
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.

American red raspberryRubus idaeus
claspleaf twistedstalkStreptopus amplexifolius
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

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, Benewah County and Idaho
Measure	Benewah County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	203	302	975
Garden-ready natives	137	211	591
Tree	29	—	65
Shrub	22	—	97
Wildflower (forb)	107	—	552
Grass or grass-like	37	—	206
Vine	2	—	14
Fern	6	—	41

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Benewah County.

Kootenai County, ID 263 garden-ready
Latah County, ID 256 garden-ready
Shoshone County, ID 215 garden-ready
Whitman County, WA 307 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: Benewah County (county FIPS 16009), Idaho. 203 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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