Native plants for Lewis and Clark County, Montana

413 native plants recorded in Lewis and Clark County, Montana

The USDA plant database has 724 plants recorded growing wild in Lewis and Clark County. 413 of them are native to the lower 48, and 156 are introduced species that this page leaves out.

By type: 278 wildflowers and herbs, 10 grasses and sedges, 31 shrubs, 65 low woody plants, 22 trees, 7 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 166 of them (40%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Biennial wormwood (Artemisia biennis), Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and 14 more are also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Lewis and Clark County

Sun all day in Lewis and Clark County: 166 rated natives

84 wildflowers and herbs, 27 shrubs, 23 low woody plants, 20 trees, 8 grasses and sedges, 4 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American alpine speedwell (Veronica wormskjoldii) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
2. American bistort (Polygonum bistortoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
3. American speedwell (Veronica americana) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
4. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Ballhead waterleaf (Hydrophyllum capitatum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
7. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Bush penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Half shade in Lewis and Clark County: 136 rated natives

66 wildflowers and herbs, 22 low woody plants, 21 shrubs, 19 trees, 5 grasses and sedges, 3 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American bistort (Polygonum bistortoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
2. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
3. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
4. Bush penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
5. Cutleaf daisy (Erigeron compositus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
6. Fiddleleaf hawksbeard (Crepis runcinata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
7. Giant mountain aster (Canadanthus modestus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
8. Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance

Under trees in Lewis and Clark County: 70 rated natives

33 wildflowers and herbs, 12 shrubs, 11 low woody plants, 9 trees, 4 grasses and sedges, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American bistort (Polygonum bistortoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
2. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
3. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
4. Bush penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Cutleaf daisy (Erigeron compositus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
6. Fiddleleaf hawksbeard (Crepis runcinata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Giant mountain aster (Canadanthus modestus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Heavy clay in Lewis and Clark County: 88 rated natives

46 wildflowers and herbs, 12 trees, 10 shrubs, 9 low woody plants, 8 grasses and sedges, 3 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
2. Cutleaf daisy (Erigeron compositus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
3. Heartleaf arnica (Arnica cordifolia) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
4. Largeflower hawksbeard (Crepis occidentalis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Longstalk clover (Trifolium longipes) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
6. Longstalk starwort (Stellaria longipes) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Orange agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
8. Pale agoseris (Agoseris glauca) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Lewis and Clark County: 109 rated natives

50 wildflowers and herbs, 20 shrubs, 17 low woody plants, 17 trees, 3 vines, 2 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American bistort (Polygonum bistortoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
2. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
3. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
4. Bush penstemon (Penstemon fruticosus) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
5. Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
6. Cutleaf daisy (Erigeron compositus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
7. Douglas' dustymaiden (Chaenactis douglasii) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
8. Grouse whortleberry (Vaccinium scoparium) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Never watered in Lewis and Clark County: 86 rated natives

36 wildflowers and herbs, 20 shrubs, 17 low woody plants, 10 trees, 2 vines, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
2. Arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
3. Cutleaf daisy (Erigeron compositus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
4. Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
5. Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
6. Old man's whiskers (Geum triflorum) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
7. Oneflower helianthella (Helianthella uniflora) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
8. Plains pricklypear (Opuntia polyacantha) shrubs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance

Stays soggy in Lewis and Clark County: 55 rated natives

32 wildflowers and herbs, 10 trees, 6 grasses and sedges, 4 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

1. Broadleaf arnica (Arnica latifolia) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
2. Cursed buttercup (Ranunculus sceleratus) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
3. Sea milkwort (Glaux maritima) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
4. Silvery primrose (Primula incana) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
5. Arrowleaf ragwort (Senecio triangularis) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
6. Lyall's angelica (Angelica arguta) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
7. Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) low woody plants
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
8. American bistort (Polygonum bistortoides) wildflowers and herbs
   USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Natives Lewis and Clark County has that most of Montana does not

16 natives here are on file in no more than 3 of Montana's 56 counties. A few of them:

• Lesser rushy milkvetch (Astragalus convallarius): only here
• Kerry's Indian paintbrush (Castilleja kerryana): only here
• Fremont County twinpod (Physaria saximontana): only here
• Wedgescale saltbush (Atriplex truncata): 2 counties
• Oneflower kelseya (Kelseya uniflora): 2 counties
• Snowline wintergreen (Pyrola minor): 2 counties
• Lanceleaf sage (Salvia reflexa): 2 counties
• Little western bittercress (Cardamine oligosperma): 3 counties
• Cascade azalea (Rhododendron albiflorum): 3 counties
• Narrow-wing water-starwort (Callitriche stenoptera): 3 counties

Where to start in Lewis and Clark County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Lewis and Clark County gives you the most rated choice (166 plants), and American alpine speedwell (Veronica wormskjoldii) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 55 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 247 unrated natives too.