Native plants · Montana

Native plants of Madison County

275 plant species are recorded as native to Montana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Madison County by USDA PLANTS. 175 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

Madison County, Montana

Native species: 275 Typical Montana county: 161 (median of 56 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 175 Typical Montana county: 104
Share by type (all 275 native species): Percent of the 275 native species in each growth type

Tree 8% (21)
Shrub 13% (36)
Wildflower (forb) 71% (195)
Grass or grass-like 7% (18)
Vine 2% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (71%), followed by shrubs (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 4b to 5a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 175

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

Garden-ready native plants of Madison County, Montana
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alpine leafybract aster Symphyotrichum foliaceum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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 black currant Ribes americanum	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 2b
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
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
analogue sedge Carex simulata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera	Tree	80 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
beaked sedge Carex rostrata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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
bluntseed sweetroot Osmorhiza depauperata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
Colorado rush Juncus confusus	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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 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
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
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
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
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Douglas' sedge Carex douglasii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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
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
fringed grass of Parnassus Parnassia fimbriata	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
granite prickly phlox Linanthus pungens	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
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
high northern buttercup Ranunculus hyperboreus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
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
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
limber pine Pinus flexilis	Tree	66 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
little green sedge Carex viridula	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
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
mallow ninebark Physocarpus malvaceus	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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 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
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
northern water-starwort Callitriche hermaphroditica	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
northwestern Indian paintbrush Castilleja angustifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	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
old man's whiskers Geum triflorum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	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
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
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
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
Raynolds' sedge Carex raynoldsii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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 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
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper	Wildflower (forb)	2.1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
roundleaf alumroot Heuchera cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
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
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
sea milkwort Glaux maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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
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 cottongrass Eriophorum gracile	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
smallwing sedge Carex microptera	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
spiny hopsage Grayia spinosa	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
spreading phlox Phlox diffusa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
sticky currant Ribes viscosissimum	Shrub	3.5 ft	Sun	—	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
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
tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
tall cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
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
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
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
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 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 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
white marsh marigold Caltha leptosepala	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	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
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 rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 100

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 bugseed Corispermum americanum
Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
ballhead ipomopsis Ipomopsis congesta
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
beautiful sandwort Minuartia rubella
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
Canadian gooseberry Ribes oxyacanthoides
carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
elkweed Frasera speciosa
erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh violet Viola palustris
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
moss campion Silene acaulis
mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
nodding onion Allium cernuum
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
pleated gentian Gentiana affinis
povertyweed Iva axillaris
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
shortseed waterwort Elatine brachysperma
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
single delight Moneses uniflora
slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
spiny milkvetch Astragalus kentrophyta
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water minerslettuce Montia chamissoi
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
woodland draba Draba nemorosa
woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana
yellow avens Geum aleppicum
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida

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, Madison County and Montana
Measure	Madison County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	275	161	1,086
Garden-ready natives	175	104	606
Tree	21	—	71
Shrub	36	—	98
Wildflower (forb)	195	—	609
Grass or grass-like	18	—	246
Vine	5	—	18
Fern	0	—	44

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Madison County.

Beaverhead County, MT 194 garden-ready
Gallatin County, MT 301 garden-ready
Jefferson County, MT 104 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: Madison County (county FIPS 30057), Montana. 275 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

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.