RECOMMENDED SPECIES For Native Plant Landscaping In Montana The species listed here were selected for their successful use in landscaping settings in the Missoula area. Consider the species found in your local environment as the best guide for what will work in your landscaping project. © 2008 Montana Native Plant Society, Clark Fork Chapter Grasses Ground Covers Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis Avens, Mountain Dryas octopetala Bluegrass, Alpine Poa alpina Buckwheat, Sulfur Eriogonum umbellatum Bluegrass, Canby's Poa canbyi Bunchberry Cornus canadensis Bluegrass, Sandberg's Poa sandbergii Juniper, Creeping Juniperus horizontalis Brome, Mountain Bromus carinatus Kinnickinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Fescue, Idaho Festuca idahoensis Oregon Grape Mahonia (Berberis) repens Fescue, Rough Festuca scabrella Pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata Hairgrass, Tufted Deschampsia caespitosa Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum Junegrass, Prairie Koeleria cristata Pussytoes, Rosy Antennaria microphylla Mannagrass, Northern Glyceria borealis Pussytoes, Umber Antennaria umbrinella Needle and Thread Stipa comata Sagewort, White Artemisia ludoviciana Needlegrass, Green Stipa viridula Sedge, Elk Carex geyerii Needlegrass, Achnatherum (stipa) richardsonii Strawberry, Wood's Fragaria virginiana Richardson's Twinflower Linnaea borealis Pinegrass Calamagrostis rubescens Whortleberry, Grouse Vaccinium scoparium Reedgrass, Bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis Achnatherum (Oryzopsis) Ricegrass, Indian hymenoides Squirreltail, Bottlebrush Elymus elymoides (Sitanion hystrix) Tickle Grass Agrostis scabra Timothy, Mountain Phleum alpinum Pseudoroegneria (Agropyron) Wheatgrass, Bluebunch spicatum Wheatgrass, Slender Elymus trachycaulus Wildrye, Blue Elymus glaucus Wildrye, Canada Elymus canadensis Wildrye, Great Basin Leymus (Elymus) cinereus Shrubs Willow, Bebb Salix bebbiana Alder, Mountain Alnus incana Willow, Geyer Salix geyeriana Ash, Cascade Mountain Sorbus scopulina Willow, Peachleaf Salix amygdaloides Bitterbrush, Antelope Purshia tridentata Cherry, Bitter Prunus emarginata Trees Cherry, Pin Prunus pensylvanica Aspen, Quaking Populus tremuloides Black Twinberry Lonicera involucrate Birch, River Betula occidentalis Buckbrush, Snowbrush Ceanothus velutinus Cottonwood, Black Populus trichocarpa Buffaloberry, Russet Shepherdia canadensis Cottonwood, Lanceleaf Populus acuminata Buffaloberry, Silver Shepherdia argentea Cottonwood, Narrowleaf Populus angustifolia Chokecherry, Common Prunus virginiana Fir, Douglas Pseudotsuga menziesii Cinquefoil, Shrubby Potentilla fruticosa Hawthorn, Douglas Crataegus douglasii Currant, Golden Ribes aureum Juniper, Rocky Mountain Juniperus scopulorum Currant, Wax Ribes cereum Larch, Western Larix occidentalis Dogwood, Red-Osier Cornus stolonifera Pine, Limber Pinus flexilis Elderberry, Black Sambucus racemosa Pine, Lodgepole Pinus contorta Elderberry, Blue Sambucus cerulea Pine, Ponderosa Pinus ponderosa Grouse Whortleberry Vaccinium scoparium Pine, Whitebark Pinus albicaulis Hawthorn, River Crataegus douglasii Spruce, Engelmann Picea engelmannii Mahogany, Mountain Cercocarpus ledifolius Maple, Rocky Mountain Acer glabrum Vines Mockorange, Lewis' Philadelphus lewisii Clematis, Rock Clematis columbiana Mountain Boxwood Pachystima myrsinites Honeysuckle, Western Lonicera ciliosa Ninebark, Mallow Physocarpus malvaceus Trumpet Ocean Spray Holodiscus discolor White Virgin's Bower Clematis ligusticifolia Penstemon, Shrubby Penstemon fruticosus Rabbitbrush, Green Chysothamnus viscidiflorus Rabbitbrush, Rubber Chrysothamnus nauseosus Raspberry, Red Rubus idaeus Rose, Woods Rosa woodsii Sagebrush, Mountain Big Artemisia tridentata Serviceberry, Western Amelanchier alnifolia Snowberry, Common Symphoricarpos albus Spiraea, Pink Spirea douglasii Spiraea, Rosy Spiraea densiflora (Subalpine) Spiraea, White Spiraea betulifolia Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus Willow, Sandbar Salix exigua Wetland Arrow-leaf Groundsel Senecio triangularis Blue-eyed Grass Sisrynchium montanum Bulrush, Hardstem Scirpus acutus Bulrush, Softstem Scirpus validus Cottongrass, Russett Eriophorum chamissonis Dogwood, Red-Osier Cornus stolonifera Honeysuckle, Twinberry Lonicera involucrata Iris, Rocky Mountain Iris missouriensis Mannagrass, Fowl Glyceria striata Mannagrass, Northern Glyceria borealis Monkeyflower, Yellow Mimulus guttatus Rush, Baltic Juncus balticus Rush, Colorado Juncus confusus Rush, Parry's Juncus parryi Rush, Slender Juncus tenuis Rush, Torrey's Juncus torreyi Rush, Tuberous Juncus nodosus Sedge, Kellog's Carex lenticularis Sedge, Beaked Carex utriculata Sedge, Clustered Carex arcta Sedge, Cusick's Carex cusickii Sedge, Mertens' Carex mertensii Sedge, Nebraska Carex nebrascensis Sedge, Sawbeak Carex stipata Sedge, Water Carex aquatilis Sedge, Wooly Carex lanuginosa Shooting Star, Jeffrey's Dodecatheon jeffreyi Spikerush, Common Eleocharis palustris Spikerush, Needle Eleocharis acicularis Yellow Violet Viola glabella Wildflowers Golden-pea Thermopsis montana Alumroot, Roundleaf Heuchera cylindrica Goldenrod Solidago missouriensis Arnica, Heartleaf Arnica cordifolia Groundsel, Silvery Senecio canus Arnica, Twin Arnica sororia Hairy Golden Aster Chrysopsis (Heterotheca) villosa Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamhoriza sagitatta Harebell,Common Campanula rotundiflora Aster, Showy Aster conspicuus Horsemint, Nettle-leafed Agastache urticifolia Aster, Smooth Blue Aster laevis Iris, Rocky Mountain Iris missouriensis Ballhead Waterleaf Hydrophyllum capitatum Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Polemonium pulcherrimum Baneberry Actaea rubra Larkspur, Little Delphinium bicolor Beargrass Xerophyllum tenax Lomatium, Fern-leaf Lomatium dissectum Beebalm Monarda fistulosa Lupine, Silvery Lupine argenteus Beeplant, Rocky Meadowrue, Western Thalictrum occidentale Cleome serrulata Mountain Mint, Field Mentha arvensis Bitterroot Lewisia rediviva Monkeyflower, Lewis' Mimulus lewisii Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata Monkeyflower, Yellow Mimulus guttatus Bluebells, Leafy Mertensia oblongifolia Onion, Nodding Allium cernuum Blue-eyed Grass Sisyrinchium montanum Oregon Sunshine Eriophyllum lanatum Bog Orchid, White Habenaria (Platanthera) dilatata Pasqueflower Anemone patens Brittle Prickly-Pear Opuntia fragilis Pearly Everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea Buckwheat, Cushion Eriogonum ovalifolium Penstemon, Small- Penstemon procerus Buckwheat, Sulfur Eriogonum umbellatum flowered Buttercup, Sagebrush Ranunculus glabberimus Penstemon, Albert’s Penstemon albertinus Clarkia Clarkia pulchella Penstemon, Fuzzytongue Penstemon eriantherus Coneflower, Prairie Ratibida columnifera Penstemon, Lyall's Penstemon lyallii Daisy, Cutleaf Erigeron compositus Penstemon, Wilcox’s Penstemon wilcoxii Dogbane, Spreading Apocynum androsaemifolium Phacelia, Franklin’s Phacelia franklinii Douglasia, Rocky Phacelia, Narrowleaved Phacelia linearis Douglasia montana Mountain Phlox, Kelsey's Phlox kelseyi Evening Primrose, Tufted Oenethera caespitosa Pussytoes, Rosy Antennaria microphylla Evening Primrose, Yellow Oenothera flava White Sagewort Artemisia ludoviciana Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium Sandwort, Mountain Arenaria capillaris Flax, Blue Linum lewisii Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis (Gilia) aggregata Fleabane, Shaggy Erigeron pumilus Scarlet Globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea Fleabane, Showy Erigeron speciosus Shooting Star Dodecatheon sp. Fleabane, Spreading Erigeron divergens Stonecrop, Lance-leaved Sedum lanceolatum Fringecup Mitella stauropetala Sweet Cecily, Western Osmorhiza occidentalis Fringed Sagewort Artemisia frigida Violet, Western Viola adunca Gentian, Explorer's Gentiana calycosa Violet, Yellow Viola glabella Geranium, Sticky Geranium viscosissimum Yarrow Achillea millefolium GRASSES Comments Sun Height Height Season Soil Type Common Name Scientific Name Bunch/Sod Soil Moisture drought greens up late; great for summer lawns & erosion Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis sod former 12 in sandy - clay Warm Full Sun tolerant control; known as "eyebrow" grass 18-20 loam with short grass with 12" purplish seedhead; high Bluegrass, Alpine Poa alpina dry Full Sun Bunchgrass in humus Cool elevation restoration species not Bluegrass, Canby's Poa canbyi 2 ft dry Full Sun fills spaces between taller grasses Bunchgrass particular Cool sandy - drought needs well-drained spot; fills spaces between taller Bluegrass, Sandberg's Poa sandbergii 1 ft Full Sun Bunchgrass loam tolerant Cool grasses Brome, Mountain Bromus carinatus Bunchgrass 3 ft loam moist Cool Full Sun tall grass; good for high elevations blue-green foliage - blue color deepens with Fescue, Idaho Festuca idahoensis 1-2 ft sandy - clay dry Full Sun Bunchgrass Cool drought sandy - Fescue, Rough Festuca scabrella 2-3 ft dry Full Sun forms large draping bunches Bunchgrass loam Cool good in irrigated areas; bronze colored ornamental Hairgrass, Tufted Deschampsia caespitosa 3 ft loam - clay moist to wet Full Sun Bunchgrass Cool seedhead 10-18 sandy - dry; drought early to green up in spring; ornamental; prefers Junegrass, Prairie Koeleria cristata Full Sun Bunchgrass in loam tolerant Cool disturbed sites Mannagrass, Northern Glyceria borealis sod former 4-5 ft sandy - clay moist to wet Cool Full Sun grows in shallow water sandy - drought seeds are troublesome to animals and get stuck in Needle and Thread Stipa comata 3-4 ft Full Sun Bunchgrass loam tolerant Cool socks dry; mod. works well in well-drained irrigated gardens; good Needlegrass, Green Stipa viridula 3 ft loam - clay drought Full Sun for range seeding and revegetation Bunchgrass tolerant Cool dry; mod. Needlegrass, sandy