Native plants · Montana

Native plants of Carbon County

260 plant species are recorded as native to Montana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Carbon County by USDA PLANTS. 170 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 5 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Carbon County, Montana

Native species: 260 Typical Montana county: 161 (median of 56 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 170 Typical Montana county: 104
Share by type (all 260 native species): Percent of the 260 native species in each growth type

Tree 7% (18)
Shrub 15% (38)
Wildflower (forb) 72% (186)
Grass or grass-like 5% (14)
Vine 2% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (72%), followed by shrubs (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 zone 5a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 170

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

Garden-ready native plants of Carbon County, Montana
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alpine bistort Polygonum viviparum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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 vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
arctic pearlwort Sagina saginoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera	Tree	80 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
black hawthorn Crataegus douglasii	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
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
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
Brewer's bittercress Cardamine breweri	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
bud sagebrush Picrothamnus desertorum	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
Chamisso arnica Arnica chamissonis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
cous biscuitroot Lomatium cous	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
creeping barberry Mahonia repens	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	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
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
desert yellow fleabane Erigeron linearis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Drummond's rush Juncus drummondii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
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
foothill arnica Arnica fulgens	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fringed grass of Parnassus Parnassia fimbriata	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
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
grayleaf willow Salix glauca	Tree	4 ft	—	—	Zone 9b
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
hairy arnica Arnica mollis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Shrub	6 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
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
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
little sagebrush Artemisia arbuscula	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	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
longstyle rush Juncus longistylis	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
mallow ninebark Physocarpus malvaceus	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
marsh grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Modoc hawksbeard Crepis modocensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	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
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
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 povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
Nuttall's sunflower Helianthus nuttallii	Wildflower (forb)	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
old man's whiskers Geum triflorum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Pacific anemone Anemone multifida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
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
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
prickly currant Ribes lacustre	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
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
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
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
Richardson's geranium Geranium richardsonii	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain goldenrod Solidago multiradiata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Ross' avens Geum rossii	Wildflower (forb)	5 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 10a
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sagebrush buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 3a
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
scabland penstemon Penstemon deustus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
shadscale saltbush Atriplex confertifolia	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
shortspine horsebrush Tetradymia spinosa	Shrub	3.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
silvery primrose Primula incana	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
slenderbeak sedge Carex athrostachya	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
smallwing sedge Carex microptera	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spearleaf arnica Arnica longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spreading phlox Phlox diffusa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
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
streambank wild hollyhock Iliamna rivularis	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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 cinquefoil Potentilla arguta	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
tall fringed bluebells Mertensia ciliata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tufted evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
umbrella starwort Stellaria umbellata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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 birch Betula occidentalis	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
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 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 white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
white hawkweed Hieracium albiflorum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
white marsh marigold Caltha leptosepala	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
white spruce Picea glauca	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
white sweetvetch Hedysarum sulphurescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
winterfat Krascheninnikovia lanata	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
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

Other native species recorded here 90

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 lewisia Lewisia pygmaea
alpine milkvetch Astragalus alpinus
American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
Canadian gooseberry Ribes oxyacanthoides
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
elkweed Frasera speciosa
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
moss campion Silene acaulis
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
nodding onion Allium cernuum
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
povertyweed Iva axillaris
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
single delight Moneses uniflora
small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
twinflower Linnaea borealis
velvetleaf huckleberry Vaccinium myrtilloides
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
woodland draba Draba nemorosa
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
yellow avens Geum aleppicum

Also listed as native and introduced here 5

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
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.

Native species counts, Carbon County and Montana
Measure	Carbon County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	260	161	1,086
Garden-ready natives	170	104	606
Tree	18	—	71
Shrub	38	—	98
Wildflower (forb)	186	—	609
Grass or grass-like	14	—	246
Vine	4	—	18
Fern	0	—	44

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Carbon County.

Stillwater County, MT 193 garden-ready
Yellowstone County, MT 114 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: Carbon County (county FIPS 30009), Montana. 260 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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