Native Plants

Native Plant List – Montana and Wyoming

Last updated: January 30, 2026

This is a "starter" list of native plants for Montana and Wyoming. It is intended for residential or commercial landscapers who want to create attractive and varied native landscapes.

Montana and Wyoming Trees

Common Name	Scientific Name	Sun	Soil Moisture	Heights
Paper Birch	Betula papyrifera	F	W-A	25'-35'
Common Hackberry	Celtis occidentalis	P-F	A	15'-20'
Green Ash	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	P-F	A-D	20'-30'
Honeylocust	Gleditsia triacanthos	F	A	15'-20'
Black Cottonwood	P. balsamif. trichocarpa	F	W-A	40'-50'
Plains Cottonwood	P. deltoides - monilifera	F	W-A	40'-50'
Colorado Spruce	Picea pungens	P-F	A	16'-20'
Limber Pine	Pinus flexilis	F	A	12'-20'
Ponderosa Pine	Pinus ponderosa	F	W-A	16'-20'
Narrowleaf Cottonwood	Populus angustifolia	F	W-A	30'-40'
Quaking Aspen	Populus tremuloides	F	W-A	15'-20'
Douglas Fir	Pseudotsuga menziesii	P-F	A	12'-18'
Bur Oak	Quercus macrocarpa	F	A	18'-25'
Western Mountain Ash	Sorbus sitchensis	P-F	A	10'-15'

Montana and Wyoming Shrubs

Common Name	Scientific Name	Sun	Soil Moisture	Heights
Serviceberry	Amelanchier alnifolia	P-F	A	6'-8'
Big Sagebrush	Artemisia tridentata	F	D	3'-6'
Fourwing Saltbush	Atriplex X aptera	F	D	1'-3'
Curlleaf Mt. Mahogany	Cerocarpus ledifolius	P-F	D	4'-8'
Redosier Dogwood	Corn. sericea - servicea	P-F	H	6'-8'
Shrubby Cinquefoil	Dasiphora floribunda	P-F	A	1'-3'
Silverberry	Elaeagnus commutata	P-F	A	4'-8'
Common Juniper	Juniperus communis	F	A	3'-5'
Rocky Mountain Juniper	Juniperus scopulorum	F	D	10'-12'
Winterfat	Krascheninn. lanata	F	D	1'-3'
Lewis' Mockorange	Philadelphus lewisii	P-F	A	3'-6'
Mallow Ninebark	Physocarpus malvaceus	P-F	A	2'-3'
American Plum	Prunus americana	P-F	A	8'-10'
Western Sandcherry	Prun. pumila v. besseyi	F	A	3'-5'
Chokecherry	Prunus virginiana	P-F	A	10'-12'
Skunkbush Sumac	Rhus trilobata	P-F	D	3'-6'
Staghorn Sumac	Rhus typhina	P-F	D	8'-10'
Golden Current	Ribes aurenum	P-F	A	3'-5'
Woods' Rose	Rosa woodsii	P-F	A	4'-5'
Silver Buffaloberry	Shepherdia argentea	F	D	6'-12'
Canada Buffaloberry	Shepherdia canadensis	P-F	A	3'-5'
Common Snowberry	Symphoricarpos albus	P-F	A	1'-3'

Montana and Wyoming Ground Cover and Vines

Common Name	Scientific Name	Sun	Soil Moisture	Heights
Bearberry	Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Juniperus horizontalis	S-P-F	A	3"-6"
Horizontal Juniper	Mahonia repens	F	A	6"-18"
Oregon Grape	Pertheno. quinquefolia	P-F	A	6"-12"
Virginia Creeper	Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Juniperus horizontalis	P-F	A	—

Montana and Wyoming Wildflowers

Common Name	Scientific Name	Sun	Soil Moisture	Heights
Common Yarrow	Achillea millefolium	P-F	D	1'-2'
Pearlyeverlasting	Anaphalis margaritacea	P-F	D	1'-2'
Little Pussytoes	Antennaria microphylla	F	A	1'
White Prarieclover	Dalea candida	F	A	1'-3'
Purple Prarieclover	Dalea purpurea	P-F	A	1'-2'
Echinacea	Echinacea angustifolia	F	A	2'-3'
Sulphur Buckwheat	Erigonum umbellatum	F	D	1'
Blanket Flower	Gaillardia aristata	F	D	3'
Sticky Geranium	Gerani. viscosissimum	P-F	A	2'-3'
Boreale Sweetvetch	Hedysarum boreale	F	A	1'-2'
Maximilian Sunflower	Helianthus maximiliani	F	A	4'-6'
Showy Goldeneye	Heliomeris multiflora	F	A	3'
Dotted Gayfeather	Liatris punctata	F	D	1'-2'
Lewis Flax	Linum lewisii	P-F	D	1'-2'
Lupine	Lupinus	S-P-F	A	1'-2'
Wildbergamot Beebalm	Monardo fistulosa	P-F	A	2'-4'
Plains Pricklypear	Opuntia polyacantha	F	D	—
Beardtongue	Penstemon	S-P-F	D	1'-4'
Silverleaf Phacelia	Phacelia hastata	F	D	1'-2'
Spiny Phlox	Phlox hoodii	F	D	—
Woolly Cinquefoil	Potentilla hippiana	F	A	1'-2'
Prarie Coneflower	Ratibida columnifera	F	D	1'-3'
Scarlet Globemallow	Sphaeralcea coccinea	F	D	1'
Smooth Blue Aster	Symphyotrichum laeve	P-F	A	2'-3'
Prarie Thermopsis	Thermopsis rhombifolia	F	D	1'-2'
American Vetch	Vicia americana	F	D	1'
Soapweed Yucca	Yucca glauca	F	D	1'-2'

Montana and Wyoming Grasses—Ground Cover and Lawns

Common Name	Scientific Name	Drought Toler.	Trample Resist.	Mowing Toler.	Comments
Streamb. Wheatgrass	Elymus lanceolatus	Good	Fair	Fair	Similar to Thickspike, good seedling vigor
Thickspike Wheatgrass	Elymus lanceolatus	Good	Fair	Fair	Finer than W. Wheatgrass, good vigor
Green Needlegrass	Nassella viridula	Mod.	Fair	Fair	Best in a mix w/ other cool-season grasses
Westerm Wheatgrass	Pascopyrum	Mod.	Good	Good	Forms open sod, bluish in color
Buffalograss	Bouchloe dactyloides	Good	Excel.	Good	Short stature; infrequent mowing
Sideoats Grama	Bouteloua curtipendula	Mod.	Fair	Poor	Short stature; infrequent mowing
Blue Grama	Bouteloua gracilis	Excel.	Excel.	Good	Tallest of grama grasses

Montana and Wyoming Grasses - Landscape Accent

Common Name	Scientific Name	Height	Fall Color	Comments
Indian Ricegrass	Achn. hymenoides	1'-2'	Yellow	Bunchgrass; seeds used by birds & mammals
Basin Wildrye	Leymus cinereus	5'-8'	Tan	Bunchgrass; tall stature-good background plant
Bluebunch Wheatgrass	Pseudoro. spicata	1'-2'	Yellow	Bunchgrass; MT state grass; attractive plant
Prairie Junegrass	Koeleria macrantha	6"-18"	Yellow	Bunchgrass; small stature; blue-green leaves
Big Bluestem	Andropogon gerardii	5'-7'	Red-blue	Bunchgrass; tall stature; good border plant
Little Bluestem	Schizachyr. scoparium	2'-3'	Reddish	Bunchgrass; shorter bunches with red fall color
Switchgrass	Panicum virgatum	3'-5'	Gold	Bunchgrass; seeds used by birds & mammals
Indiangrass	Sorghastrum nutans	4'-6'	Bronze	Bunchgrass; tall stature; good border plant
Sideoats Grama	Bouteloua curtipendula	1'-2'	Yellow	Bunchgrass; unique seed head
Blue Grama	Bouteloua gracilis	6"-12"	Yellow	Bunchgrass; excellent drought tolerance
Prairie Sandreed	Calamovilfa longifolia	5'-7'	Yellow	Rhizomatous; prefers sandy soil

Sun Exposure	Soil Moisture	Drought Tolerance
F = Full Sun	W = Wet	E = Excellent
P = Part Sun	A = Average	G = Good
S = Shade	D = Dry	M = Moderate
		P = Poor

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2 thoughts on “Native Plant List – Montana and Wyoming”

Nick says:

February 21, 2026 at 3:03 am

Interesting. My experience has been a little different but every garden is unique I guess.

1. admin says:
  
  February 21, 2026 at 3:03 am
  
  Appreciate the honest feedback, Nick. Gardening is definitely more nuanced than any single article can cover. Local conditions play a huge role. -Plant Native Team

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