Native plants · Montana

Native plants of Blaine County

131 plant species are recorded as native to Montana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Blaine County by USDA PLANTS. 78 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

Blaine County, Montana

Native species
131 Typical Montana county: 161 (median of 56 counties)
Garden-ready natives
78 Typical Montana county: 104
Share by type (all 131 native species)
Percent of the 131 native species in each growth type
Tree 8% (11)
Shrub 9% (12)
Wildflower (forb) 66% (86)
Grass or grass-like 15% (19)
Vine 2% (2)
Fern <1% (1)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (66%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (15%).

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 3b to 4b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 78

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

Garden-ready native plants of Blaine County, Montana
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade 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
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
blanketflower Gaillardia aristata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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 duckweed Lemna minor Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
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
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense Fern 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
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
green needlegrass Nassella viridula Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
Lewis flax Linum lewisii Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Lyall's angelica Angelica arguta Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun — Zone 1a
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
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 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
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4a
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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
sagebrush buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun High Zone 3a
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — Zone 1a
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
showy locoweed Oxytropis splendens Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea Tree 18 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
silver sagebrush Artemisia cana Shrub 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
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 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
squirreltail Elymus elymoides Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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
water sedge Carex aquatilis Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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 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 prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
winterfat Krascheninnikovia lanata Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 2a
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
woollypod milkvetch Astragalus purshii Wildflower (forb) 7 in Sun Low Zone 4a
yellow willow Salix lutea Tree 16 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a

Other native species recorded here 53

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 sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
  • cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
  • flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
  • Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • grand redstem Ammannia robusta
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
  • hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
  • hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
  • large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
  • Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
  • leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
  • matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
  • meadow zizia Zizia aptera
  • mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
  • northern water plantain Alisma triviale
  • plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
  • povertyweed Iva axillaris
  • prairie plantain Plantago elongata
  • prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
  • rayless alkali aster Symphyotrichum ciliatum
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
  • rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
  • scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
  • scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
  • shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
  • shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
  • silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
  • silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
  • skeletonleaf bur ragweed Ambrosia tomentosa
  • spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
  • tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
  • veiny dock Rumex venosus
  • veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
  • velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
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.

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.

Native species counts, Blaine County and Montana
MeasureBlaine CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 131 161 1,086
Garden-ready natives 78 104 606
Tree 11 — 71
Shrub 12 — 98
Wildflower (forb) 86 — 609
Grass or grass-like 19 — 246
Vine 2 — 18
Fern 1 — 44

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Blaine County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

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
Blaine County (county FIPS 30005), Montana. 131 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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