Native plants · Idaho

Native plants of Franklin County

204 plant species are recorded as native to Idaho in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Franklin County by USDA PLANTS. 142 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Franklin County, Idaho

Native species: 204 Typical Idaho county: 302 (median of 44 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 142 Typical Idaho county: 211
Share by type (all 204 native species): Percent of the 204 native species in each growth type

Tree 13% (26)
Shrub 10% (21)
Wildflower (forb) 64% (130)
Grass or grass-like 11% (23)
Vine 1% (3)
Fern <1% (1)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (64%), followed by trees (13%).

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 6a to 6b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 142

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

Garden-ready native plants of Franklin County, Idaho
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alpine leafybract aster Symphyotrichum foliaceum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna	Wildflower (forb)	1 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
American vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
ballhead waterleaf Hydrophyllum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
beardless wildrye Leymus triticoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
Booth's willow Salix boothii	Shrub	24 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadleaf arnica Arnica latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
California amaranth Amaranthus californicus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Columbian monkshood Aconitum columbianum	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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
Engelmann's aster Eucephalus engelmannii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
Gardner's saltbush Atriplex gardneri	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Geyer willow Salix geyeriana	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
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
Great Basin calicoflower Downingia laeta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	High	Zone 12b
Great Basin lupine Lupinus ×alpestris	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Greene's mountain ash Sorbus scopulina	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
hairy arnica Arnica mollis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
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
little sagebrush Artemisia arbuscula	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
mallow ninebark Physocarpus malvaceus	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
mountain sedge Carex scopulorum	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
mule-ears Wyethia amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
narrowleaf cottonwood Populus angustifolia	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
narrowleaf water plantain Alisma gramineum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Nuttall's sunflower Helianthus nuttallii	Wildflower (forb)	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
oneflower helianthella Helianthella uniflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
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
pale evening primrose Oenothera pallida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Parry's rush Juncus parryi	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
plantainleaf buttercup Ranunculus alismifolius	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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 juniper Juniperus scopulorum	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
rush pussytoes Antennaria luzuloides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sagebrush mariposa lily Calochortus macrocarpus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	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 globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
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
silver sagebrush Artemisia cana	Shrub	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
silverleaf phacelia Phacelia hastata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
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
smallwing sedge Carex microptera	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
snowbrush ceanothus Ceanothus velutinus	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
tailcup lupine Lupinus caudatus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
tall fringed bluebells Mertensia ciliata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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
tarweed fiddleneck Amsinckia lycopsoides	Wildflower (forb)	3 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
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
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
tufted evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
undergreen willow Salix commutata	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 3b
Utah juniper Juniperus osteosperma	Tree	26 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Utah serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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
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
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b
woollypod milkvetch Astragalus purshii	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
yellow fritillary Fritillaria pudica	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
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 62

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.

alpine milkvetch Astragalus alpinus
American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
box knotweed Polygonum buxiforme
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
Drummond's campion Silene drummondii
entireleaved thelypody Thelypodium integrifolium
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
Oregon cliff fern Woodsia oregana
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
pinyon goosefoot Chenopodium atrovirens
povertyweed Iva axillaris
Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
sanddune cryptantha Cryptantha fendleri
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
spreading fleabane Erigeron divergens
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
threenerve goldenrod Solidago velutina
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca

Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
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, Franklin County and Idaho
Measure	Franklin County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	204	302	975
Garden-ready natives	142	211	591
Tree	26	—	65
Shrub	21	—	97
Wildflower (forb)	130	—	552
Grass or grass-like	23	—	206
Vine	3	—	14
Fern	1	—	41

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Franklin 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: Franklin County (county FIPS 16041), Idaho. 204 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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