Native plants · Montana

Native plants of Cascade County

329 plant species are recorded as native to Montana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cascade County by USDA PLANTS. 191 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 6 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Cascade County, Montana

Native species: 329 Typical Montana county: 161 (median of 56 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 191 Typical Montana county: 104
Share by type (all 329 native species): Percent of the 329 native species in each growth type

Tree 7% (23)
Shrub 10% (34)
Wildflower (forb) 72% (238)
Grass or grass-like 8% (27)
Vine 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (72%), followed by shrubs (10%).

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 4a to 4b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 191

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

Garden-ready native plants of Cascade County, Montana
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alberta beardtongue Penstemon albertinus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10a
alderleaf buckthorn Rhamnus alnifolia	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
American black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
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 speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	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
Anderson's larkspur Delphinium andersonii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
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
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
beaked spikerush Eleocharis rostellata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
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
bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 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
cous biscuitroot Lomatium cous	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
creeping barberry Mahonia repens	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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 mountain-avens Dryas drummondii	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
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 spruce Picea engelmannii	Tree	120 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2a
Eschscholtz's buttercup Ranunculus eschscholtzii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
fiddleleaf hawksbeard Crepis runcinata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
giant mountain aster Canadanthus modestus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
gooseberry currant Ribes montigenum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
greater creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
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
hair-like sedge Carex capillaris	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	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
high northern buttercup Ranunculus hyperboreus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Shrub	6 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
knotted rush Juncus nodosus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
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
Lyall's angelica Angelica arguta	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
MacKenzie's willow Salix prolixa	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
maiden blue eyed Mary Collinsia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Mertens' rush Juncus mertensianus	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
narrowleaf cottonwood Populus angustifolia	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	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 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
northern water-starwort Callitriche hermaphroditica	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	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
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
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
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa	Tree	223 ft	Sun	Medium	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
purple avens Geum rivale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
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
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 beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
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' sedge Carex rossii	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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
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
silverberry Elaeagnus commutata	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	Low	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
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
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
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
star duckweed Lemna trisulca	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
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
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
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
thinleaved owl's-clover Orthocarpus tenuifolius	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 12b
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
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
tufted evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Utah honeysuckle Lonicera utahensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
wax currant Ribes cereum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
western Labrador tea Ledum glandulosum	Shrub	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
western stoneseed Lithospermum ruderale	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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 clematis Clematis ligusticifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
wheat sedge Carex atherodes	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
white hawkweed Hieracium albiflorum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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 penstemon Penstemon confertus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 138

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 yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
beautiful sandwort Minuartia rubella
biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
Canadian gooseberry Ribes oxyacanthoides
carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
Carolina draba Draba reptans
chaffweed Anagallis minima
cheerful sunflower Helianthus ×laetiflorus
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
elkweed Frasera speciosa
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
Gmelin's buttercup Ranunculus gmelinii
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
lesser wirelettuce Stephanomeria minor
Lindley's aster Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh willowherb Epilobium palustre
matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
meadow zizia Zizia aptera
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
northern bog sedge Carex gynocrates
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
pleated gentian Gentiana affinis
povertyweed Iva axillaris
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie plantain Plantago elongata
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
rayless alkali aster Symphyotrichum ciliatum
redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shortray fleabane Erigeron lonchophyllus
shortseed waterwort Elatine brachysperma
silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
single delight Moneses uniflora
slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
twinflower Linnaea borealis
Vasey's rush Juncus vaseyi
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water mudwort Limosella aquatica
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
woodland draba Draba nemorosa
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana
woolly sedge Carex pellita
woollyfruit sedge Carex lasiocarpa
Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
yellow sedge Carex flava

Also listed as native and introduced here 6

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
annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
biennial wormwoodArtemisia biennis
claspleaf twistedstalkStreptopus amplexifolius
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, Cascade County and Montana
Measure	Cascade County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	329	161	1,086
Garden-ready natives	191	104	606
Tree	23	—	71
Shrub	34	—	98
Wildflower (forb)	238	—	609
Grass or grass-like	27	—	246
Vine	7	—	18
Fern	0	—	44

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Cascade County.

Chouteau County, MT 92 garden-ready
Judith Basin County, MT 89 garden-ready
Lewis and Clark County, MT 161 garden-ready
Teton County, MT 101 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: Cascade County (county FIPS 30013), Montana. 329 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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