Native plants · Montana

Native plants of Stillwater County

304 plant species are recorded as native to Montana in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Stillwater County by USDA PLANTS. 193 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

Stillwater County, Montana

Native species: 304 Typical Montana county: 161 (median of 56 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 193 Typical Montana county: 104
Share by type (all 304 native species): Percent of the 304 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (28)
Shrub 11% (33)
Wildflower (forb) 68% (208)
Grass or grass-like 10% (29)
Vine 2% (6)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (68%), followed by shrubs (11%).

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 193

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

Garden-ready native plants of Stillwater 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 leafybract aster Symphyotrichum foliaceum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	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 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
antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera	Tree	80 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
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
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 milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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 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
creeping juniper Juniperus horizontalis	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
largeflower triteleia Triteleia grandiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
limber pine Pinus flexilis	Tree	66 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
longstalk clover Trifolium longipes	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
longstyle rush Juncus longistylis	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
low pussytoes Antennaria dimorpha	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
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
Mertens' rush Juncus mertensianus	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	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
mountain hemlock Tsuga mertensiana	Tree	125 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
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
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
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
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
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa	Tree	223 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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
roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
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
Ross' sedge Carex rossii	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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 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
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
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
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
Utah serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
wax currant Ribes cereum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	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 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 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
woollypod milkvetch Astragalus purshii	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
yellow evening primrose Oenothera flava	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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 rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 111

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 yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
balsam groundsel Packera paupercula
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
Canadian gooseberry Ribes oxyacanthoides
candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
Crawe's sedge Carex crawei
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
elkweed Frasera speciosa
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
Gmelin's buttercup Ranunculus gmelinii
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
lesser wirelettuce Stephanomeria minor
Lindley's aster Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
narrowleaf cowwheat Melampyrum lineare
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
Paradox cinquefoil Potentilla paradoxa
Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
povertyweed Iva axillaris
prairie false dandelion Nothocalais cuspidata
prairie plantain Plantago elongata
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
spiny milkvetch Astragalus kentrophyta
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
spreading fleabane Erigeron divergens
Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tobacco root Valeriana edulis
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
woodland draba Draba nemorosa
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
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.

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, Stillwater County and Montana
Measure	Stillwater County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	304	161	1,086
Garden-ready natives	193	104	606
Tree	28	—	71
Shrub	33	—	98
Wildflower (forb)	208	—	609
Grass or grass-like	29	—	246
Vine	6	—	18
Fern	0	—	44

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Stillwater County.

Carbon County, MT 170 garden-ready
Golden Valley County, MT 56 garden-ready
Sweet Grass County, MT 106 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: Stillwater County (county FIPS 30095), Montana. 304 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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