Native plants · Montana
Native plants of Roosevelt County
152 plant species are recorded as native to Montana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Roosevelt County by USDA PLANTS. 87 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
Roosevelt County, Montana
- Native species
- 152 Typical Montana county: 161 (median of 56 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 87 Typical Montana county: 104
- Share by type (all 152 native species)
-
Percent of the 152 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (64%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (13%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 87
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 juniper Juniperus communis | Tree | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| common spikerush Eleocharis palustris | Grass or grass-like | 1.3 ft | Sun | 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 |
| 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 |
| eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides | Tree | 190 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| fineleaf pondweed Stuckenia filiformis | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| fowl bluegrass Poa palustris | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Lewis flax Linum lewisii | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| narrowleaf water plantain Alisma gramineum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| narrowleaf willow Salix exigua | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| needle and thread Hesperostipa comata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| northern bedstraw Galium boreale | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Nuttall's alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana | Grass or grass-like | 10 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 cordgrass Spartina pectinata | Grass or grass-like | 8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 prairie clover Dalea purpurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| redosier dogwood Cornus sericea | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum | Tree | 50 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| saltgrass Distichlis spicata | Grass or grass-like | 1.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda | Grass or grass-like | 1.4 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5b |
| showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea | Tree | 18 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| silver sagebrush Artemisia cana | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| soapweed yucca Yucca glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | 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 |
| thrift mock goldenweed Stenotus armerioides | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| water knotweed Polygonum amphibium | Wildflower (forb) | 1 in | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 willow Salix lutea | Tree | 16 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 65
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.
- American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
- annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
- Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
- bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
- bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
- desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
- desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
- Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
- foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
- hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
- hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
- large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
- Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
- leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- Macoun's barley ×Elyhordeum macounii
- manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
- Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
- matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
- Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
- mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- northern water plantain Alisma triviale
- Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
- plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
- povertyweed Iva axillaris
- prairie rose Rosa arkansana
- prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
- scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
- shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
- shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
- silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
- small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
- spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
- stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
- stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
- tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
- tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
- veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
- velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
- water whorlgrass Catabrosa aquatica
- wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
- western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
- woolly sedge Carex pellita
- 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.
- annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- biennial wormwoodArtemisia biennis
- 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 | Roosevelt County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 152 | 161 | 1,086 |
| Garden-ready natives | 87 | 104 | 606 |
| Tree | 14 | — | 71 |
| Shrub | 17 | — | 98 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 97 | — | 609 |
| Grass or grass-like | 19 | — | 246 |
| Vine | 5 | — | 18 |
| Fern | 0 | — | 44 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Roosevelt County.
- Daniels County, MT 90 garden-ready
- McCone County, MT 86 garden-ready
- Richland County, MT 92 garden-ready
- Sheridan County, MT 113 garden-ready
- Valley County, MT 185 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
- Roosevelt County (county FIPS 30085), Montana. 152 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