Native plants · Montana
Native plants of Big Horn County
216 plant species are recorded as native to Montana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Big Horn County by USDA PLANTS. 121 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Big Horn County, Montana
- Native species
- 216 Typical Montana county: 161 (median of 56 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 121 Typical Montana county: 104
- Share by type (all 216 native species)
-
Percent of the 216 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (71%), followed by shrubs (11%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 121
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 plum Prunus americana | Tree | 24 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| American vetch Vicia americana | Vine | 1.3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| big bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Grass or grass-like | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2b |
| big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata | Tree | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Blue Mountain buckwheat Eriogonum strictum | Wildflower (forb) | 2.2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| boxelder Acer negundo | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae | Shrub | 1.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common spikerush Eleocharis palustris | Grass or grass-like | 1.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| creeping juniper Juniperus horizontalis | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| curl-leaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 2b |
| cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 12b |
| dotted blazing star Liatris punctata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora | Wildflower (forb) | 1.3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides | Tree | 190 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| Eschscholtz's buttercup Ranunculus eschscholtzii | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| fireweed Chamerion angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 5.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| fowl bluegrass Poa palustris | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Gardner's saltbush Atriplex gardneri | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | Low | 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 |
| greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| little sagebrush Artemisia arbuscula | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| Lyall's angelica Angelica arguta | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5b |
| Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| nettleleaf giant hyssop Agastache urticifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| northern bedstraw Galium boreale | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 12a |
| old man's whiskers Geum triflorum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| pale agoseris Agoseris glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa | Tree | 223 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata | Grass or grass-like | 8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| prickly rose Rosa acicularis | Shrub | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii | Wildflower (forb) | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| purple milkvetch Astragalus agrestis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| redosier dogwood Cornus sericea | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| riverbank grape Vitis riparia | Vine | 45 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum | Tree | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| rough bugleweed Lycopus asper | Wildflower (forb) | 2.1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| shadscale saltbush Atriplex confertifolia | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 |
| sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| silky lupine Lupinus sericeus | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea | Tree | 18 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| silver sagebrush Artemisia cana | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| silverberry Elaeagnus commutata | Shrub | 12 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 2a |
| 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 |
| softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | Grass or grass-like | 9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 9a |
| spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| sulphur-flower buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 8a |
| tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| tapertip hawksbeard Crepis acuminata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| tenpetal blazingstar Mentzelia decapetala | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| textile onion Allium textile | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia | Grass or grass-like | 1.2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| toad rush Juncus bufonius | Grass or grass-like | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12a |
| Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi | Grass or grass-like | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera | Wildflower (forb) | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| water sedge Carex aquatilis | Grass or grass-like | 2.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| wax currant Ribes cereum | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| western stoneseed Lithospermum ruderale | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | 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 |
| white marsh marigold Caltha leptosepala | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| white prairie clover Dalea candida | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 owl's-clover Orthocarpus luteus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 95
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
- Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
- Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
- ballhead ipomopsis Ipomopsis congesta
- bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
- big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
- bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
- bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- Carolina draba Draba reptans
- clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
- desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
- desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
- Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
- Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
- elkweed Frasera speciosa
- fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
- foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
- groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
- hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
- hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
- hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
- hoary verbena Verbena stricta
- ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
- lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
- lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
- large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
- Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
- leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
- long-stolon sedge Carex inops
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
- marsh arrowgrass Triglochin palustris
- matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
- meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
- Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
- mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
- narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- nodding onion Allium cernuum
- Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
- northern water plantain Alisma triviale
- pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
- plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
- povertyweed Iva axillaris
- prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
- prairie plantain Plantago elongata
- prairie rose Rosa arkansana
- prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
- prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
- Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
- redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
- rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
- seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
- shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
- shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
- shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
- silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
- silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
- slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
- slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
- slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
- small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
- spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
- spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
- stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
- strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
- swamp verbena Verbena hastata
- tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
- tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
- tower rockcress Arabis glabra
- veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
- velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
- velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
- warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
- wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
- whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
- woodland draba Draba nemorosa
Also listed as native and introduced here 4
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
- common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
- white sagebrushArtemisia ludoviciana
Compared with Montana
The typical county is the median of the 56 Montana 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.
| Measure | Big Horn County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 216 | 161 | 1,086 |
| Garden-ready natives | 121 | 104 | 606 |
| Tree | 12 | — | 71 |
| Shrub | 24 | — | 98 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 154 | — | 609 |
| Grass or grass-like | 23 | — | 246 |
| Vine | 3 | — | 18 |
| Fern | 0 | — | 44 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Big Horn County.
- Rosebud County, MT 121 garden-ready
- Treasure County, MT 76 garden-ready
- Yellowstone County, MT 114 garden-ready
- Sheridan County, WY 311 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
- Big Horn County (county FIPS 30003), Montana. 216 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