15 Native Wildflowers for Montana Gardens

Montana holds an awe-inspiring tableau of varying landscapes, from the Rocky Mountains to foothills, valleys, badlands, and flat grasslands. From alpine and subalpine forests to canyons and prairies, the diversity of plant communities teems with life. In the warm season, native Montana wildflowers spring up and attract pollinating insects to continue the cycle of growing and reproducing in a single season.

Native wildflowers bring their ecosystem services to the home garden with essential food and shelter sources for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, as well as other pollinators. They enrich soils and help with erosion control, while their ornamental appeal makes them display-worthy in the border or naturalized planting. Natives also adapt to localized conditions and don’t require intensive management or resources to bloom.

Wildflower arrangements make effortless compositions that reward with seasons of color and textural interest. Native Montana wildflowers are worthy of adding to the collection en masse for the greatest benefit and show as the weather warms.

Bitterroot

	botanical name Lewisia rediviva
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-3”
	hardiness zones 3-8

We kick off our list of Montana native wildflowers with the state flower, the bitterroot, designated in 1895. Collected by Merriweather Lewis in 1806 on his Westward expedition, indigenous tribes used the plant for generations as part of their diet and for trade. It since lends its name to a river, forest, and mountains.

Bitterroot grows in the high country on exposed slopes in rocky soils. In May and June, petals in deep to light pink rise on short stems and surround numerous white stamens. The two-inch blooms, rising out of gravel, appear almost magically as spring ephemerals do. The low basal leaves emerge first and wither as the flowers develop. 

Bitterroot in cultivation needs excellent drainage. The best placement may be rock gardens, where it receives moisture during emergence and flowering, followed by dry conditions after seeding.

Paintbrush

	botanical name Castilleja miniata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8-32”
	hardiness zones 4-8

With a diverse habitat of moist meadows, prairies, sagebrush thickets, and open forests, paintbrush has a showy scarlet bloom from July through September. The divided bracts create a bright, brushy look to stem ends. The red-tinged, tubular petals are full of nectar and attract hummingbirds for pollination.

The adaptable biennial produces flowers and seeds in its second year. It reseeds naturally in optimal conditions and needs cold stratification to germinate. Interestingly, these Montana native wildflowers are hemiparasitic, absorbing partial nutrients and moisture from the roots of other plants like sage and perennial grasses.

Gaillardia

	botanical name Gaillardia aristata
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 30”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Gaillardia, or blanketflower, casts a sunny glow with lobed ray flowers in gold, orange, red, or bi-color. Brown central discs punctuate the bright blooms. Gaillardia boasts a long bloom season from early summer through frost. It readily self-seeds and is drought and heat-tolerant. 

Gaillardia aristata has showy yellow, red, and purple tones. It is also a butterfly favorite. The Montana native wildflower dots dry, open grasslands and the slopes of mountains and foothills.

Blanketlfower is a carefree performer and grows in poor, sandy soils. Seeds need no special treatment before direct sowing. To prolong bloom time, provide additional water during dry spells or heat waves. Early to flower and late to fade, blanketflower’s whirling blooms bring lasting vibrance to the arrangement.

Little Larkspur

	botanical name Delphinium bicolor
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-16”
	hardiness zones 3-7

Larkspur is elegant, with deep blue bell blooms on tall stems. Sixty species are native to the United States, and they are superb in the garden, if a little finicky. The striking bloom spikes make it well worth a try. 

Little larkspur features blue-purple blooms with up to 15 per stem. The lower petals are deep blue, while the upper are lighter with purple markings. Single bloom spikes rise from basal leaves, palmate and few in number. 

Delphinium needs moist and very well-drained soils for the best health. They’re susceptible to powdery mildew and crown rot if conditions are too damp, and growing in full sunlight helps stave these off.

Dark Throat Shooting Star

	botanical name Dodecatheon pulchellum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10-12”
	hardiness zones 4-7

D. pulchellum is a westerly species of the native North American Dodecatheon genus. The Montana native wildflower produces slender stems of clustered, nodding blooms in late spring and early summer, with up to 20 per plant. They occur naturally in moist areas like streambanks, forests, and grassy lowlands.

The petals are upswept and gently trail from a central, downfacing point like stars descending. In bright magenta, blooms have a white collar and golden base. The flowers resemble cyclamen (in the same family, Primulaceae), and they, too, enter summer dormancy during hot or dry spells.

Dark throat shooting star received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit for its show and performance. Shooting star gradually forms colonies in optimal growing conditions, particularly given regular moisture.

Wild Strawberry

	botanical name Fragaria virginiana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-9”
	hardiness zones 4-9

These wild strawberries are vigorous spreaders with the sweetest edible fruits among the wild species. The low-growers have running stolons from basal rosettes of fresh green, toothed leaves.

Bright white blooms appear in summer to brighten the understory. Their nectar and pollen-rich centers, in bright yellow, attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficials. They’re also a host plant for larvae of the grizzled skipper and gray hairstreak butterflies. 

The petite red berries are everbearing and intensely sweet and flavorful. Wild strawberries thrive in evenly moist, organically rich soils with good drainage.

Pasque Flower

	botanical name Pulsatilla nuttalliana
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-12”
	hardiness zones 3-5

Pasque flower is one of spring’s first to bloom, popping up through melting snow. The early-season nectar attracts native bees. Native to alpine, subalpine, and foothills, the crocus-like flower appears from April through July. 

Pale purple-blue cups with yellow centers rise on short stems above silvery green leaves. After flowering, the seeds open in fuzzy, silky plumes that drift in the wind. 

Among about 30 species in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), the American pasque flower is less common than the European species P. vulgaris in deep purple, white, and crimson varieties.

Fireweed

	botanical name Epilobium angustifolium
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-8’
	hardiness zones 2-8

Fireweed creates a mass of pink blooms across the landscape. In cool climates, it’s one of the first species to colonize disturbed areas (like those in a post-fire state). Fireweed grows in open fields in masses, with deep pink blooms atop upright stems and willowy leaves. 

Fireweed blossoms are nectar-rich and a valuable food source for pollinators. They produce an abundance of fluffy seeds and are also spread by rhizomes. Weed out volunteers and deadhead to control the spread if space is an issue. 

Fireweed blooms from June to September with dense spikes of rose-pink flowers. They’re cold-hardy, easy to grow, and the leaves and flowers are edible. Pair them with bluebells as a pretty garnish.

Fuzzy-Tongued Penstemon

	botanical name Penstemon eriantherus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5-25”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Many species of penstemon, or beardtongue, are native to the U.S., with bell blooms packed along tall stems above dark green foliage. Fuzzy-tongued penstemon has delicate, lavender-violet tubular blooms around a hairy, ridged yellow throat (hence its great name). Two upper lobes and three lower lobes envelop the throat. The bloom is also ornamental and appears from late May to early September.

Penstemon is cold hardy and drought-tolerant once established. They do best in dry, light, and well-drained soils.

Blue-Eyed Grass

	botanical name Sisyrinchium montanum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6-24″
	hardiness zones 4-9

Blue-eyed grass, a member of the Iris family, is a blooming perennial with a wide range across the state. Its upright blades lend a grassy texture, giving a nice foliar contrast to other leaf types. Blue, star-shaped blooms provide a soft look to the plant’s stiff foliage.

Sisyrinchium species are numerous and native to North and South America. Sisyrinchium montanum, strict blue-eyed grass, is a winter-hardy species naturally found in midwestern prairies and widespread across the U.S. It has slightly broader leaves than other species and prominent one-inch violet blooms.

Silky Lupine

	botanical name Lupinus sericeus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8-32”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Lupine charms the spring and summer landscape with lovely bell-shaped blooms in blues, purples, pinks, whites, yellows, and bicolors. The graceful flowers are rugged performers and withstand various site and soil conditions. The short-lived perennials are also legumes that fix nitrogen in the soil and improve the surrounding nutrition.

Silky lupine grows across a range of elevations and habitats, including grasslands, sagebrush meadows, forests, and steep slopes. Flowers are rich purple—a sweet pea bloom with attractive gray-green palmate leaves. Leaves have fine hairs that make them appear silky.

Meadow lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) is one of the showiest species and another Montana native wildflower. It has dense violet bloom spikes and a cushion of blue-green leaves. At three to five feet tall, it’s vigorous and also plays a vital role in ecosystem management regarding erosion control, soil improvement, and pollinator food sources.

Prairie Coneflower

	botanical name Ratibida columnifera
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Prairie coneflower is a colorful, long-blooming, easy-care perennial that provides nectar for pollinators and seeds for birds and small mammals in the fall and winter. Tall flowers in bold yellows and deep reds continue from spring until frost.

Upright prairie coneflower (or Mexican hat) holds the hallmark coloration of the genus in red, yellow, or dark purple-red ray petals with bright gold edges. Petals droop below a central gold-brown disc on tall stems.

Prairie coneflower is fast-growing, drought-tolerant, and can withstand competition from other plants. However, it can be aggressive in optimal growing conditions and may overtake weaker growers.

Plains Coreopsis

	botanical name Coreopsis tinctoria
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-4‘
	hardiness zones 3-8

Plains coreopsis brings masses of sunny blooms and reseeds readily for successional seasons of color. Often one of the first to spring up and last to fade in fall, plains coreopsis features variations in color. Vibrant yellow ray petals with deep red highlights and brown button central discs bring multicolor appeal. Though considered an annual, a single plant may flower for two to three years.

Coreopsis is a favorite nectar and pollen source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Songbirds forage on the seeds in fall and winter. While it grows and flowers best with regular moisture in well-draining soils, the durable species tolerates dry conditions and varying soil types.

Blue Flax

	botanical name Linum lewisii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Blue flax grows across high and low elevations (from subalpine to plains) with sky-blue flowers in summer. The flowers open in the morning and close or drop in the bright afternoon sun (with one right behind it to open the next morning). Native bees and honeybees pollinate each five-petaled blossom.

L. lewisii is named for explorer Meriwether Lewis who collected plants on his westward journey. The low-maintenance perennials thrive in dry, disturbed sites and work well on slopes and as erosion control. The blooms appear in May and go through August in Montana.

Achillea

	botanical name Achillea millefolium
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 3-9

We know and love yarrow for its massive flowerheads, feathery foliage, ease of growth, and heat tolerance. A. millefolium features white bloom clusters with yellow centers on tall stems from June to September.