Native plants · South Dakota
Native plants of Corson County
192 plant species are recorded as native to South Dakota in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Corson County by USDA PLANTS. 95 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Corson County, South Dakota
- Native species
- 192 Typical South Dakota county: 110 (median of 65 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 95 Typical South Dakota county: 59
- Share by type (all 192 native species)
-
Percent of the 192 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 95
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 bittersweet Celastrus scandens | Vine | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 vetch Vicia americana | Vine | 1.3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| big bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Grass or grass-like | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2b |
| blue grama Bouteloua gracilis | Grass or grass-like | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| boxelder Acer negundo | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| broadbeard beardtongue Penstemon angustifolius | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| broom sedge Carex scoparia | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae | Shrub | 1.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common duckweed Lemna minor | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12a |
| 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 |
| field horsetail Equisetum arvense | Fern | 11 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| green needlegrass Nassella viridula | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| inland rush Juncus interior | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| leadplant Amorpha canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| littleseed ricegrass Piptatheropsis micrantha | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| needle and thread Hesperostipa comata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis | Grass or grass-like | 8 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| nodding beggartick Bidens cernua | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| Nuttall's alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana | Grass or grass-like | 10 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata | Grass or grass-like | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata | Grass or grass-like | 8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| prairie sandreed Calamovilfa longifolia | Grass or grass-like | 4.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii | Wildflower (forb) | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| pussy willow Salix discolor | Tree | 40 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| quaking aspen Populus tremuloides | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1a |
| redosier dogwood Cornus sericea | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 11a |
| reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| riverbank grape Vitis riparia | Vine | 45 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| saltgrass Distichlis spicata | Grass or grass-like | 1.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| sandcherry Prunus pumila | Shrub | 6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Tree | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 1a |
| sawsepal penstemon Penstemon glaber | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea | Tree | 18 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| silver sagebrush Artemisia cana | Shrub | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 2a |
| slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | 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 |
| smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum | Fern | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| soapweed yucca Yucca glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | Grass or grass-like | 9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 |
| threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi | Grass or grass-like | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera | Wildflower (forb) | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| water knotweed Polygonum amphibium | Wildflower (forb) | 1 in | Sun | High | Zone 5a |
| water sedge Carex aquatilis | Grass or grass-like | 2.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| white prairie clover Dalea candida | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| Woods' rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| woolly plantain Plantago patagonica | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 97
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 lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
- aridland goosefoot Chenopodium desiccatum
- aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- beggarslice Hackelia virginiana
- bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
- blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
- clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
- foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
- Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
- hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
- large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
- large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
- Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
- leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
- lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
- lilac penstemon Penstemon gracilis
- Lindley's aster Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
- longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
- low serviceberry Amelanchier humilis
- Macoun's barley ×Elyhordeum macounii
- marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
- matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
- Missouri gooseberry Ribes missouriense
- Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- northern water plantain Alisma triviale
- oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
- Oregon cliff fern Woodsia oregana
- Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
- pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
- plains bluegrass Poa arida
- povertyweed Iva axillaris
- prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
- prairie rose Rosa arkansana
- prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
- purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
- Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
- rayless alkali aster Symphyotrichum ciliatum
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
- Rocky Mountain woodsia Woodsia scopulina
- rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
- scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
- shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
- shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
- shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
- showy ticktrefoil Desmodium canadense
- shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
- silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
- silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
- slimleaf panicgrass Dichanthelium linearifolium
- slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
- smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
- spiny milkvetch Astragalus kentrophyta
- spinystar Escobaria vivipara
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
- stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
- tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
- tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
- tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
- velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
- Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
- warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
- wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
- whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
- whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
- whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
- wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
- woolly sedge Carex pellita
- yellow avens Geum aleppicum
Also listed as native and introduced here 1
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.
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
Compared with South Dakota
The typical county is the median of the 65 South Dakota 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 | Corson County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 192 | 110 | 1,092 |
| Garden-ready natives | 95 | 59 | 473 |
| Tree | 12 | — | 61 |
| Shrub | 17 | — | 69 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 109 | — | 640 |
| Grass or grass-like | 44 | — | 243 |
| Vine | 6 | — | 34 |
| Fern | 4 | — | 45 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Corson County.
- Grant County, ND 161 garden-ready
- Sioux County, ND 101 garden-ready
- Dewey County, SD 59 garden-ready
- Perkins County, SD 49 garden-ready
- Ziebach County, SD 36 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
- Corson County (county FIPS 46031), South Dakota. 192 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