165 plants that actually grow in Montana

Native and adapted non-native species, every one of them checked against MSU Extension, the USDA and NRCS guidance for this state. Tell it your town and it will show you only what survives there — then narrow by type, water use, deer pressure, or whether it is available in our yard planner.

Where are you gardening?TypeWaterDeer Montana native only In the yard planner

165 plants

Plant	Type	Zones	Sun	Water	Mature size	Deer	Montana note
Bur OakQuercus macrocarpaIn the plannerMontana native	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun	Low	60–80 ft × 60–80 ft	Browsed heavily	Montana's only native oak, from the southeast corner. Drought- and alkaline-tolerant with thick corky bark that resists fire. Deep taproot — plant small stock.
Greenspire LindenTilia cordata 'Greenspire'In the planner	Deciduous trees	4–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	40–50 ft × 35–40 ft	Browsed heavily	Tolerates alkaline soil and drought — one of the best shade trees for Montana's high-pH soils. Watch aphids and linden borer.
Imperial HoneylocustGleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Imperial'In the planner	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun	Low	30–40 ft × 25–35 ft	Sometimes browsed	Thornless and nearly seedless. Strong heat, drought and alkaline tolerance. Weak-wooded, so it can shed limbs under ice.
Canada Red ChokecherryPrunus virginiana 'Canada Red'In the planner	Deciduous trees	2–7	Full sun–part shade	Low	20–30 ft × 15–20 ft	Browsed heavily	Black knot is the catch — a common Prunus disease in Montana. Suckers aggressively, so give it room. The straight species is native; this purple-leaf form is a cultivar.
Quaking AspenPopulus tremuloidesIn the plannerMontana native	Deciduous trees	1–6	Full sun	Medium	20–50 ft × 10–30 ft	Browsed heavily	Aspen decline is real. Clones die back at low, warm, dry valley elevations. Best on cool, moist, higher-elevation or irrigated sites.
Brandon ElmUlmus americana 'Brandon'In the planner	Deciduous trees	3–6	Full sun–part shade	Medium	50–65 ft × 30–35 ft	Browsed heavily	A Bozeman street-tree staple, but documented as highly susceptible to Dutch elm disease. It survives where DED is largely absent.
Helena MapleAcer platanoides 'Helena'In the planner	Deciduous trees	4–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	30–40 ft	Browsed heavily	A Norway maple selected from a surviving tree in Helena. Develops iron chlorosis on alkaline soils — a real risk across most of Montana.
Common HackberryCeltis occidentalis	Deciduous trees	2–9	Full sun–part shade	Low	40–60 ft × 40–60 ft	Browsed heavily	The best all-round alkaline, drought and wind shade tree for Montana. Takes clay and urban sites. Nipple gall is cosmetic. USDA lists it as native to Montana, though other sources treat it as undetermined.
Kentucky CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun	Low	60–80 ft × 40–55 ft	Browsed heavily	Essentially pest-free with excellent alkaline and drought tolerance. Slow to leaf out in spring and drops large pods.
GinkgoGinkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold'	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun	Medium	40–50 ft × 25–30 ft	Browsed heavily	One of very few trees explicitly rated tolerant of both alkaline and acidic soils. Plant male clones only — female trees produce foul fruit.
Ivory Silk Tree LilacSyringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk'	Deciduous trees	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	20–25 ft × 15–20 ft	Browsed heavily	Creamy June bloom without the powdery mildew of common lilac. Prefers slightly acidic soil, so it is not a first choice on lime.
Amur MaackiaMaackia amurensis	Deciduous trees	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	20–30 ft × 20–30 ft	Browsed heavily	A nitrogen-fixing legume tree with clean foliage and July bloom. Very tough once established.
Chinkapin OakQuercus muehlenbergii	Deciduous trees	3–7	Full sun	Low	40–60 ft × 50–70 ft	Usually left alone	Confirmed alkaline specialist — rated for soils up to pH 8 and tagged deer-resistant. An excellent lime-tolerant oak.
Cockspur HawthornCrataegus crus-galli	Deciduous trees	3–7	Full sun	Low	25–35 ft × 25–35 ft	Browsed heavily	One of the most lime-tolerant ornamentals, rated for alkaline soils above pH 8. Long thorns; rust and fireblight possible.
Autumn Brilliance ServiceberryAmelanchier × grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance'	Deciduous trees	4–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	15–25 ft × 15–25 ft	Sometimes browsed	Small ornamental with good fall colour. Rated mildly deer-resistant. Prefers acid soil, so site it accordingly.
Paper BirchBetula papyriferaMontana native	Deciduous trees	2–6	Full sun	High	40–50 ft × 25–30 ft	Browsed heavily	Native to northwest Montana. Suffers iron chlorosis on high-pH soil and is attacked by bronze birch borer — not for calcareous sites.
Water BirchBetula occidentalisMontana native	Deciduous trees	2–6	Full sun	High	20–25 ft × 15–20 ft	Browsed heavily	The alkaline-tolerant birch. Native across western Montana on calcareous streambanks — use this instead of paper birch on lime soils.
Plains CottonwoodPopulus deltoidesMontana native	Deciduous trees	3–9	Full sun	Medium–high	60–100 ft × 40–60 ft	Browsed heavily	A native phreatophyte — it only thrives with groundwater or irrigation, so it will not perform on a dry residential lot. Aggressive roots and a 60–80 year lifespan. Not a small-yard tree.
Narrowleaf CottonwoodPopulus angustifoliaMontana native	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun	High	40–60 ft × 30–40 ft	Browsed heavily	Streamside native. Suckers freely and needs steady moisture — give it room and water.
Balsam PoplarPopulus balsamiferaMontana native	Deciduous trees	2–7	Full sun	High	50–75 ft × 30–40 ft	Browsed heavily	Fragrant resinous buds. Needs moisture, is short-lived and breaks in wind.
Black HawthornCrataegus douglasiiMontana native	Deciduous trees	4–8	Full sun	Medium	15–25 ft × 15–20 ft	Browsed heavily	Thorny and thicket-forming with excellent bird cover. In the rose family, so fireblight is a risk.
American PlumPrunus americanaMontana native	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun	Medium	15–25 ft × 15–20 ft	Browsed heavily	Suckers into a thicket — good for shelterbelts and wildlife, wrong for a tidy lawn. Fireblight-susceptible.
Saskatoon ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliaMontana native	Deciduous trees	2–7	Full sun–part shade	Low	10–20 ft × 8–15 ft	Browsed heavily	Edible fruit and high drought tolerance. Often multi-stemmed, so it trains to tree form slowly.
Rocky Mountain MapleAcer glabrumMontana native	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	10–20 ft × 10–15 ft	Browsed heavily	A small understory native with good fall colour and real shade tolerance.
BoxelderAcer negundoMontana native	Deciduous trees	2–9	Full sun–part shade	Low	35–50 ft × 30–40 ft	Browsed heavily	Native but weak-wooded, short-lived and a boxelder-bug host. A tough-site tree, not a specimen.
Silver BuffaloberryShepherdia argenteaMontana native	Deciduous trees	2–7	Full sun	Medium	10–20 ft × 8–15 ft	Browsed heavily	Small tree or tall shrub, nitrogen-fixing and suited to limy soils. Dioecious — you need both sexes for fruit.
Autumn Blaze MapleAcer × freemanii 'Autumn Blaze'	Deciduous trees	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	40–55 ft × 30–40 ft	Browsed heavily	Fast growth and reliable red fall colour, but it is a red/silver maple hybrid — expect iron chlorosis on calcareous Montana soils.
Turkish HazelCorylus colurna	Deciduous trees	4–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	40–80 ft × 30–50 ft	Browsed heavily	A non-suckering hazel with good structure and few pests. Alkaline tolerance is unproven here.
Amur ChokecherryPrunus maackii	Deciduous trees	2–6	Full sun–part shade	Medium	20–30 ft × 18–25 ft	Browsed heavily	Cinnamon exfoliating bark and extreme cold hardiness. Short-lived, and it can suffer iron chlorosis on high-pH soil.
Rocky Mountain JuniperJuniperus scopulorumMontana native	Evergreen trees	3–7	Full sun	Low	15–20 ft × 5–8 ft	Sometimes browsed	Tolerates wind, drought and alkaline clay. Junipers are classed highly flammable — keep them out of the first 5 ft of defensible space.
Wichita Blue JuniperJuniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue'In the planner	Evergreen trees	3–7	Full sun	Medium	10–15 ft × 4–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	A bluer, denser selection of the native juniper. Same fire caution as the species.
Norway SprucePicea abiesIn the planner	Evergreen trees	2–7	Full sun	Medium	40–60 ft × 25–30 ft	Sometimes browsed	MSU reports it is more susceptible to spider mites than other spruces. Slow in heavy clay or soil above pH 8.
Colorado Blue SprucePicea pungensIn the plannerMontana native	Evergreen trees	2–7	Full sun	Medium	30–60 ft × 10–20 ft	Usually left alone	Native to north-central Montana. Very prone to Cytospora canker and Rhizosphaera needle cast where springs are wet.
Mugo PinePinus mugoIn the planner	Evergreen trees	2–7	Full sun	Medium	15–20 ft × 25–30 ft	Sometimes browsed	The dwarf-versus-standard confusion is real: most nursery stock is the shrubby form, but unselected plants become full-size trees.
Austrian PinePinus nigraIn the planner	Evergreen trees	4–7	Full sun	Medium	40–60 ft × 20–40 ft	Sometimes browsed	A solid windbreak conifer, and sold by the Montana DNRC Conservation Seedling Nursery. Main risks are tip blight and needle blight.
Ponderosa PinePinus ponderosaIn the plannerMontana native	Evergreen trees	3–7	Full sun	Medium	60–125 ft × 25–30 ft	Sometimes browsed	Montana's state tree, but too large for most residential lots and a real fire-risk species — keep it clear of structures and limb it up.
Arborvitae (American)Thuja occidentalisIn the planner	Evergreen trees	2–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	20–40 ft × 10–15 ft	Browsed heavily	Cold-hardy on paper, but winter-burns badly on dry, windy, chinook-exposed sites and is heavily deer-browsed. Not a reliable eastern-Montana screen.
Western RedcedarThuja plicataMontana native	Evergreen trees	5–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	50–70 ft × 15–25 ft	Browsed heavily	The regional native arborvitae — better than American arborvitae on moist, sheltered western-Montana sites.
Rocky Mountain Douglas-firPseudotsuga menziesii var. glaucaMontana native	Evergreen trees	4–7	Full sun	Medium	40–80 ft × 12–20 ft	Sometimes browsed	Thick corky bark makes it one of the more fire-tolerant conifers. It is not a high-pH tree, though.
Western LarchLarix occidentalisMontana native	Evergreen trees	4–6	Full sun	High	70–100 ft × 20–30 ft	Usually left alone	A deciduous conifer and the best conifer here for defensible space — thick bark and it drops its needles. Needs deep, moist soil.
Limber PinePinus flexilisMontana native	Evergreen trees	4–7	Full sun	Low	40–60 ft × 25–40 ft	Sometimes browsed	One of the few conifers suited to limy soils, and drought-tough. Watch for white pine blister rust.
Engelmann SprucePicea engelmanniiMontana native	Evergreen trees	2–5	Full sun	High	70–100 ft × 10–15 ft	Sometimes browsed	MSU names it thin-barked and fire-killed — poor for defensible space. Wants moist, slightly acid soil, so it is not an alkaline-site spruce.
Black Hills SprucePicea glauca var. densata	Evergreen trees	3–6	Full sun	Medium	20–40 ft × 10–15 ft	Usually left alone	The classic northern-Plains shelterbelt spruce: dense, compact and wind-firm. The densata form is a Black Hills selection, not a Montana one.
Eastern RedcedarJuniperus virginiana	Evergreen trees	2–9	Full sun	Low	30–65 ft × 8–25 ft	Sometimes browsed	A windbreak workhorse, but thin fibrous bark and volatile oils make it a poor choice near structures. It is also the main host of cedar-apple rust — do not plant it upwind of apples, hawthorns or serviceberry.
Dwarf Alberta SprucePicea glauca 'Conica'In the planner	Evergreen shrubs	3–6	Full sun	Medium	10–13 ft × 7–10 ft	Sometimes browsed	Retail "3–4 ft" tags are a ten-year figure, not mature size. A chronic spider-mite host, and it burns on exposed sites.
Honeycrisp AppleMalus domestica 'Honeycrisp'In the planner	Fruit trees	3–6	Full sun	Medium	8–20 ft	Browsed heavily	Not self-fruitful — needs a second cultivar plus a crabapple polliniser. Realistic in Zone 4 valleys. Expect bitter pit.
McIntosh AppleMalus domestica 'McIntosh'In the planner	Fruit trees	4–7	Full sun	Medium	6–20 ft	Browsed heavily	Not self-fertile. One of the more reliable cold-climate apples and well suited to cool summers.
Parker PearPyrus communis 'Parker'In the planner	Fruit trees	4–8	Full sun	Medium	15–20 ft × 15 ft	Browsed heavily	High-risk here: rated very susceptible to fireblight, and Montana has had severe fireblight years. Also chlorotic on alkaline soil.
Contender PeachPrunus persica 'Contender'In the planner	Fruit trees	4–9	Full sun	Medium	12–15 ft	Browsed heavily	Self-fruitful and late-blooming with frost-tolerant buds — the key trait here. The most realistic Zone 4 peach, but short-lived. Give it the warmest, most protected site.
Meteor Pie CherryPrunus cerasus 'Meteor'In the planner	Fruit trees	4–8	Full sun	Medium	8–10 ft × 8–10 ft	Browsed heavily	Self-pollinating and hardy to about −40°F. Sour cherries suit Montana's short season far better than sweet ones.
Eubank Sweet CherryPrunus 'Eubank'In the planner	Fruit trees	4–7	Full sun	Medium	15 ft × 12 ft	Browsed heavily	Self-pollinating, but an early bloomer so it is exposed to spring frost. Zone 4 only, on a protected site.
Mount Royal PlumPrunus domestica 'Mount Royal'In the planner	Fruit trees	3–5	Full sun	Medium	8–20 ft	Browsed heavily	Self-fertile — a single tree sets fruit. If its Zone 3 rating holds it is arguably the most Montana-realistic stone fruit. Confirm the zone with your supplier.
Reliance PeachPrunus persica 'Reliance'	Fruit trees	4–8	Full sun	Medium	12–15 ft	Browsed heavily	Cold-hardy flower buds, but it blooms with the main season — it does not dodge frost the way Contender does. Bloom-time frost, not winter cold, is the binding constraint.
North Star CherryPrunus cerasus 'North Star'	Fruit trees	4–7	Full sun	Medium	8–12 ft	Browsed heavily	A genetic dwarf sour cherry, self-fruitful and very cold-hardy. Well suited to a small Montana yard.
NinebarkPhysocarpus opulifoliusIn the planner	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	4–8 ft	Sometimes browsed	Tolerates alkaline soil, clay, drought and short seasons. Exfoliating bark gives winter interest. Pick cultivar by mature size, not species name.
Potentilla (Shrubby Cinquefoil)Dasiphora fruticosaIn the plannerMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	2–4 ft × 3–5 ft	Usually left alone	Among the most reliable long-blooming shrubs for short-season, alkaline, windswept sites — flowers all summer. Do not confuse it with sulfur cinquefoil, which is a Montana noxious weed.
Red-Osier DogwoodCornus sericeaIn the plannerMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium–wet	6–9 ft × 7–10 ft	Sometimes browsed	Spreads aggressively by stolons — excellent for erosion and wet spots, but it will colonise. Best red winter stems on new wood.
SpireaSpiraea japonicaIn the planner	Deciduous shrubs	4–8	Full sun	Medium	3–4 ft	Browsed heavily	A workhorse low hedge that blooms on new wood, so it flowers reliably after tip dieback. Size varies widely by cultivar.
Common LilacSyringa vulgarisIn the planner	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun	Medium	8–12 ft	Sometimes browsed	Hardy and widely planted. Tolerates pH 6.5–8.5 but needs drainage, and protect it from cold winds that kill flower buds.
Preston LilacSyringa × prestoniae	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun	Medium	6–10 ft	Sometimes browsed	Blooms about a week later than common lilac — valuable where May frosts freeze early bloom.
Hydrangea (Panicle)Hydrangea paniculataIn the planner	Deciduous shrubs	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	6–8 ft	Browsed heavily	Blooms on new wood, so it flowers reliably even after winter dieback — that is why it works here. Bigleaf hydrangea does not; it leafs out and never blooms.
Smooth HydrangeaHydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'	Deciduous shrubs	3–9	Part shade	Medium	3–5 ft	Browsed heavily	Same new-wood advantage as panicle hydrangea. Best in part shade with steady moisture.
Peking CotoneasterCotoneaster acutifoliusIn the planner	Deciduous shrubs	4–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	6–10 ft	Browsed heavily	Wind- and salt-tolerant and pH-adaptable — a good hedge. Prone to fireblight and spider mites.
SmokebushCotinus coggygriaIn the planner	Deciduous shrubs	4–8	Full sun	Medium	10–15 ft	Browsed heavily	Borderline in Montana. Commonly winter-dies to the ground in Zone 3 and at elevation, where it will not reach listed size.
American Cranberrybush ViburnumViburnum opulus var. americanum	Deciduous shrubs	2–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	6–12 ft	Sometimes browsed	Good fall colour and persistent fruit. The americanum variety is native to northern North America and is recorded in Montana; the European variety is not. Alkaline chlorosis is a risk.
Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatum	Deciduous shrubs	2–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	6–10 ft	Sometimes browsed	Reliable and adaptable, though it prefers slightly acid soil and can yellow on high pH.
Nannyberry ViburnumViburnum lentago	Deciduous shrubs	2–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	10–18 ft	Sometimes browsed	A bigger screening shrub with edible blue fruit in fall. Same alkaline caution.
Alpine CurrantRibes alpinum 'Green Mound'	Deciduous shrubs	2–7	Full sun–shade	Medium	3–5 ft	Sometimes browsed	The shade-tolerant hedging currant — no fruit, no fall colour, just reliable. A white-pine blister rust host.
Haskap (Honeyberry)Lonicera caerulea	Deciduous shrubs	2–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	4–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	Not the invasive Tartarian honeysuckle. The species is circumboreal and native to northern North America; the fruiting cultivars are Eurasian selections. Very early blueberry-like fruit; needs two cultivars for pollination.
Rugosa RoseRosa rugosa 'Hansa'	Deciduous shrubs	2–7	Full sun	Low–medium	3–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	The best rose for alkaline prairie soil. Bristly canes and big hips. Can sucker and spread.
Black ChokeberryAronia melanocarpa 'Autumn Magic'	Deciduous shrubs	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	3–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	Outstanding red fall colour and astringent fruit. Prefers acid soil, so chlorosis is possible on high pH.
Staghorn SumacRhus typhina	Deciduous shrubs	3–8	Full sun	Low	10–20 ft	Sometimes browsed	Aggressive root suckering — it will colonise. Good for tough banks, wrong for a small yard.
Gro-Low SumacRhus aromatica 'Gro-Low'	Deciduous shrubs	3–9	Full sun	Low	1.5–2 ft × 6–8 ft	Usually left alone	Spreads by suckers — use as a mass cover, not an isolated specimen. Excellent for hot curb strips.
Meadowlark ForsythiaForsythia × 'Meadowlark'	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun	Medium	6–8 ft	Browsed heavily	The hardiest forsythia; flower buds survive to about −35°F. Deer do eat it.
Mock OrangePhiladelphus coronarius	Deciduous shrubs	4–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	6–8 ft	Sometimes browsed	Fragrant white bloom. Zone 4 — fine for most Montana valleys, risky in the coldest pockets. Prune after bloom only.
Western Sand CherryPrunus pumila var. besseyiMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	2–8	Full sun	Low	2–4 ft × 3–5 ft	Browsed heavily	A good low prairie shrub with jam fruit. Suckers and spreads, and it is browsed hard.
Golden CurrantRibes aureumMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	4–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	Clove-scented yellow bloom and edible fruit. A white-pine blister rust alternate host — check before planting near pines.
SnowberrySymphoricarpos albusMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun–shade	Low–medium	3–5 ft	Sometimes browsed	Colonises aggressively by rhizome — the classic Montana surprise. Good for erosion, bad next to lawn.
Woods' RoseRosa woodsiiMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Full sun	Low–medium	3–5 ft	Browsed heavily	Native and drought-tolerant but an aggressive rhizomatous spreader. Thorns deter deer somewhat.
Skunkbush SumacRhus trilobataMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	4–8	Full sun	Low	3–6 ft × 4–8 ft	Sometimes browsed	Excellent on hot, dry, south-facing slopes, and forms colonies by suckers. Browsed by deer — best where that does not matter.
Saskatoon (shrub form)Amelanchier alnifolia 'Regent'Montana native	Deciduous shrubs	2–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	4–6 ft	Browsed heavily	Selected at Montana State for fruit size. Heavily browsed — protect it for the first two winters.
CaraganaCaragana arborescens	Deciduous shrubs	2–7	Full sun	Low	8–15 ft	Sometimes browsed	Planted widely in Montana shelterbelts, but it self-seeds prolifically and naturalises. Be ready to pull seedlings.
Red ElderberrySambucus racemosaMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	3–7	Part shade	Medium–high	6–12 ft	Browsed heavily	Not the edible elderberry — every part including the fruit is toxic, so do not eat it. Self-seeds via birds. Wants more moisture than most shrubs here.
Common JuniperJuniperus communisMontana native	Evergreen shrubs	2–6	Full sun	Low	1–5 ft × 2–6 ft	Usually left alone	The hardiest evergreen and completely wind-proof. Highly flammable — keep 5 ft from structures.
Moonglow JuniperJuniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'	Evergreen shrubs	3–7	Full sun	Low	12–15 ft × 4–6 ft	Usually left alone	A silver-blue upright selection of the native juniper. Same fire caution.
Russian CypressMicrobiota decussata	Evergreen shrubs	2–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	1–2 ft × 4–6 ft	Usually left alone	An excellent spreading evergreen groundcover that tolerates shade and alkaline soil — rare among evergreens.
KinnikinnickArctostaphylos uva-ursiMontana native	Evergreen shrubs	2–6	Full sun–part shade	Low	0.5–1 ft × 2–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	Winter desiccation is the real killer, and it chloroses badly on alkaline soil. Needs acid, gritty, well-drained ground and snow cover or winter shade.
Creeping Oregon GrapeMahonia repensMontana native	Evergreen shrubs	3–7	Part–full shade	Low–medium	0.5–1.5 ft × 1–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	More forgiving than kinnikinnick but still wants winter shade. Yellow spring bloom and blue fall fruit.
Curl-leaf Mountain MahoganyCercocarpus ledifoliusMontana native	Evergreen shrubs	4–8	Full sun	Low	6–15 ft × 5–10 ft	Browsed heavily	The realistic evergreen broadleaf for Montana: tough, alkaline-tolerant and wind-tolerant. Slow, and zone 4 is marginal in the coldest basins. Primary winter deer and elk browse — expect heavy hedging unless it is caged.
Valley Cushion Mugo PinePinus mugo 'Valley Cushion'In the planner	Evergreen shrubs	2–7	Full sun	Low–medium	under 1 ft after 10 years	Sometimes browsed	A genuine miniature mugo — under a foot after ten years. The straight species grows 20–25 ft, so the cultivar name matters.
Carpet JuniperJuniperus sabinaIn the planner	Evergreen shrubs	3–4	Full sun	Low	1–3 ft × 4–10 ft	Sometimes browsed	"Carpet Juniper" is a trade name, not a registered cultivar — sizes vary from 9 in. to 3 ft tall. Confirm the actual cultivar with the supplier.
Buffalo JuniperJuniperus sabina 'Buffalo'In the planner	Evergreen shrubs	3–8	Full sun	Low	1 ft × 8–10 ft	Sometimes browsed	A feathery, bright-green savin juniper for alkaline, well-drained ground.
Soapweed YuccaYucca glaucaIn the plannerMontana native	Evergreen shrubs	3–8	Full sun	Low	1–6 ft	Usually left alone	An eastern-Montana plains native that rots in wet clay — sharp drainage is mandatory. Rated high flammability; keep it out of the 0–5 ft ignition zone.
Paeonia (Peony)Paeonia spp.	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	2–3 ft	Usually left alone	The Montana backbone plant — 50-year lifespans. Plant the eyes only 1–2 in. deep; deeper and it will not flower.
Siberian IrisIris sibirica	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Medium–high	2–3 ft	Usually left alone	Choose this over bearded iris — it tolerates wet soil, so no crown rot. Bearded iris needs sharp drainage to survive winter.
HostaHosta spp.	Perennials	3–9	Part–full shade	Medium	12–24 in.	Browsed heavily	Grown for foliage, not flower. Rated frequently severely damaged by deer — do not sell it as deer-resistant.
Autumn Joy StonecropHylotelephium spectabile 'Autumn Joy'	Perennials	4–9	Full sun	Low	18–24 in.	Browsed heavily	Tufted seed heads hold all winter. Often oversold as deer-proof; it is not.
Walker's Low CatmintNepeta × faassenii 'Walker's Low'	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Low	12–24 in.	Usually left alone	Hardy to about −40°F — one of the tougher perennials here. Shear after the first flush for a repeat bloom.
May Night SalviaSalvia nemorosa 'May Night'	Perennials	4–8	Full sun	Low	2–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	Long bloom, and it reblooms if cut back after the first flush. Dry-tolerant.
Moonbeam CoreopsisCoreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'	Perennials	3–9	Full sun	Low	10–24 in.	Usually left alone	One of the genuinely deer-resistant perennials, with fine-textured pale-yellow bloom.
Dotted BlazingstarLiatris spicata	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Low	24–36 in.	Sometimes browsed	Tolerates clay. The corms rot in wet winter soil, so drainage matters.
Goldsturm Black-Eyed SusanRudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'	Perennials	3–9	Full sun	Low	24–36 in.	Sometimes browsed	Far longer-lived than Rudbeckia hirta, which MSU marks as short-lived. Good winter interest.
Cranesbill GeraniumGeranium spp.	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	8–20 in.	Browsed heavily	Deer resistance varies sharply by species — most are not resistant. Report it as lower.
DianthusDianthus plumarius	Perennials	3–9	Full sun	Low	6–12 in.	Sometimes browsed	Fragrant, but needs sharp drainage — winter wet kills it faster than cold.
Oriental PoppyPapaver orientale	Perennials	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Medium	24–48 in.	Sometimes browsed	Goes summer-dormant after bloom, so interplant with later perennials to fill the gap.
Creeping PhloxPhlox subulata	Perennials	3–9	Full sun	Low	3–6 in.	Browsed heavily	Rated C by Rutgers — the deer-resistant groundcover claim is unsupported. Blooms very early, which is its real value.
Basket-of-GoldAurinia saxatilis	Perennials	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Low	8–12 in.	Usually left alone	Genuinely deer-resistant and very early. Note this is not hoary alyssum, which is a Montana noxious weed.
Spike SpeedwellVeronica spicata	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Medium	12–18 in.	Sometimes browsed	Reliable, unfussy and long-blooming.
Russian SageSalvia yangiiIn the planner	Perennials	5–9	Full sun	Low	2–4 ft	Usually left alone	Needs sharp drainage and will fail in heavy clay. Zone 5 — marginal for cold Montana valleys despite being sold as Zone 4.
YarrowAchillea millefoliumIn the planner	Perennials	3–9	Full sun	Low	1–3 ft	Usually left alone	Excellent drought tolerance. The failure mode is powdery mildew in over-irrigated plantings — use lean soil and full sun.
DaylilyHemerocallis spp.In the planner	Perennials	3–9	Full sun–part shade	Medium	1–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	Reliable in short seasons and cold, but the orange roadside daylily spreads by underground offsets. Not a true lily.
Shasta DaisyLeucanthemum × superbumIn the planner	Perennials	5–9	Full sun–part shade	Medium	2–4 ft	Sometimes browsed	Short-lived — plan to divide or replace every few years. Zone 5 makes it marginal for cold eastern-Montana gardens. Do not confuse it with oxeye daisy, which is a Montana noxious weed.
Nodding OnionAllium cernuumMontana native	Perennials	4–8	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	12–18 in.	Usually left alone	One of the few natives blooming mid-season. The bulb sits at or above the soil line, so mulch against frost heave.
Rocky Mountain PenstemonPenstemon strictusMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Low	12–30 in.	Browsed heavily	Long-lived and reliable for a penstemon. Needs sharp drainage.
Silvery LupineLupinus argenteusMontana native	Perennials	4–9	Full sun	Low–medium	18–30 in.	Sometimes browsed	Fixes nitrogen and excels on disturbed, gravelly ground. Foliage is toxic to livestock.
Prairie ConeflowerRatibida columnifera	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Low	18–30 in.	Browsed heavily	A pollinator plant MSU features in its own guidance. Self-seeds freely — deadhead to control.
Missouri GoldenrodSolidago missouriensisMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Low–medium	12–30 in.	Sometimes browsed	Clump-forming, unlike Canada goldenrod, which runs. That distinction is the whole reason to choose it.
Smooth Blue AsterSymphyotrichum laeveMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	24–36 in.	Sometimes browsed	Late nectar for native bees, but in the shortest-season valleys an early frost can cut it mid-bloom.
BlanketflowerGaillardia aristataMontana native	Perennials	3–10	Full sun	Low	12–24 in.	Sometimes browsed	A workhorse native for hot, dry sites with a very long bloom window.
Purple ConeflowerEchinacea angustifoliaMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Low	12–24 in.	Sometimes browsed	The narrowleaf prairie coneflower — tougher and more drought-tolerant than the garden E. purpurea.
Wild BergamotMonarda fistulosaMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	2–4 ft	Sometimes browsed	A bee and hummingbird magnet. Mildew is the catch in humid plantings — give it air.
Showy MilkweedAsclepias speciosaMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Low–medium	2–3 ft	Browsed heavily	A monarch host. Spreads by rhizome, so give it room. Late to emerge in spring — mark the spot.
Blue Giant HyssopAgastache foeniculumMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	2–4 ft	Sometimes browsed	Long-blooming and fragrant. Short-lived but self-seeds readily.
PasqueflowerPulsatilla patensMontana native	Perennials	4–7	Full sun	Low–medium	6–12 in.	Sometimes browsed	The first real bloom of the Montana spring, often in April. Needs sharp drainage.
Lewis FlaxLinum lewisiiMontana native	Perennials	3–9	Full sun	Low	12–24 in.	Browsed heavily	A short-lived native perennial that self-seeds to persist. Brilliant blue flowers in early summer.
Prairie SmokeGeum triflorumMontana native	Perennials	3–7	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	6–12 in.	Sometimes browsed	The nodding seed heads are the reason to grow it. Wants decent drainage.
Sulphur BuckwheatEriogonum umbellatumMontana native	Perennials	4–8	Full sun	Low	8–12 in.	Browsed heavily	The best late-season pollinator plant here. Demands sharp drainage — add grit.
Purple Prairie CloverDalea purpureaMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun	Low	18–24 in.	Browsed heavily	A nitrogen-fixer with a deep taproot — buy plugs, never bare-root, and expect slow establishment.
Showy FleabaneErigeron speciosusMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	12–24 in.	Browsed heavily	MSU rates it Zone 3–8 even though some southern sources say 5. Trumpet the Montana source.
Sticky GeraniumGeranium viscosissimumMontana native	Perennials	3–8	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	12–24 in.	Browsed heavily	A montane western native that thrives in Montana meadows. Treat deer resistance as lower.
Colorado Blue ColumbineAquilegia coeruleaMontana native	Perennials	4–8	Part shade	Medium	12–24 in.	Sometimes browsed	Short-lived, so let it self-sow. Wants shade and consistent moisture.
Karl Foerster Feather Reed GrassCalamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'In the planner	Ornamental grasses	5–9	Full sun	Medium	3–5 ft	Sometimes browsed	Holds upright structure through Montana winter and does not self-seed — it is a sterile hybrid. Zone 5, and it wants irrigation here.
Blue FescueFestuca glaucaIn the planner	Ornamental grasses	4–8	Full sun	Low–medium	14–18 in.	Sometimes browsed	Short-lived and it dies out in wet soils or heavy clay. Divide every two to three years. Treat it as an accent, not a permanent planting.
Idaho FescueFestuca idahoensisIn the plannerMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–8	Full sun	Low	8–16 in. × 12–24 in.	Browsed heavily	A genuine Montana native bunchgrass — the classic fine-leaved, low-water, fire-wise component for dry slopes. Not the same plant as blue fescue.
Sioux Blue IndiangrassSorghastrum nutans 'Sioux Blue'In the planner	Ornamental grasses	4–9	Full sun	Low–medium	3–5 ft	Browsed heavily	A warm-season grass needing summer heat to ripen seed — marginal in Montana's short cool season. Best on warm valley sites.
Blue Oat GrassHelictotrichon sempervirensIn the planner	Ornamental grasses	4–8	Full sun	Low–medium	about 3 ft	Usually left alone	Evergreen steel-blue foliage is the asset, but it rots at the crown in wet or heavy soil and is heat-intolerant.
Switchgrass NorthwindPanicum virgatum 'Northwind'	Ornamental grasses	5–9	Full sun	Low	4–6 ft × 2–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	The best warm-season grass for Montana, but it needs real summer heat to flower — hot valley sites only. Stiff stems stand through snow.
Tufted Hairgrass GoldtauDeschampsia cespitosa 'Goldtau'Montana native	Ornamental grasses	4–9	Part shade–sun	Medium	2–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	Native to Montana wet meadows and one of the few grasses here that reliably flowers. Wants afternoon shade or steady moisture.
Purple Moor GrassMolinia caerulea 'Heidebraut'	Ornamental grasses	4–9	Sun–part shade	Medium	2–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	One of few cool-season grasses that blooms before Montana frost. Airy seed heads hold into winter.
Canada WildryeElymus canadensisMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–8	Full sun	Low	3–4 ft	Browsed heavily	Useful for meadow and revegetation, but short-lived, freely reseeding, and the seed heads shatter by mid-winter.
Great Basin WildryeLeymus cinereusMontana native	Ornamental grasses	4–9	Full sun	Low	4–7 ft × 3–4 ft	Browsed heavily	A native valley grass with strong structure through snow and wind. Very large — screening scale, not a bed plant.
Indian RicegrassAchnatherum hymenoidesMontana native	Ornamental grasses	4–8	Full sun	Low	1–2 ft	Browsed heavily	Native to sandy and gravelly Montana sites. Wants sharp drainage or it rots.
Little BluestemSchizachyrium scopariumMontana native	Ornamental grasses	4–10	Full sun	Low	2–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	Native prairie grass with good fall colour. Needs a warm site to colour well before frost.
Blue GramaBouteloua gracilisMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–10	Full sun	Low	12–18 in.	Browsed heavily	The signature short-grass prairie species — the most drought-tough grass here, and a good lawn alternative.
Big BluestemAndropogon gerardiiMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–8	Full sun	Low–medium	4–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	Tall native warm-season grass. Wants a long, warm season to flower well.
Prairie DropseedSporobolus heterolepisMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–8	Full sun	Low	2–3 ft	Sometimes browsed	Fine-textured and fragrant. Slow to establish but very long-lived once it is.
Sideoats GramaBouteloua curtipendulaMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–9	Full sun	Low	18–30 in.	Browsed heavily	A native bunchgrass with distinctive one-sided seed heads. Excellent on dry slopes.
Prairie JunegrassKoeleria macranthaMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–9	Full sun	Low	12–24 in.	Browsed heavily	A short native bunchgrass for dry, sunny sites. Very early to green up in spring.
Bluebunch WheatgrassPseudoroegneria spicataMontana native	Ornamental grasses	3–7	Full sun	Low	1–3 ft	Browsed heavily	Montana's quintessential native bunchgrass — the backbone of the state's rangeland and a good low-water landscape grass.
PussytoesAntennaria roseaMontana native	Groundcovers	3–9	Full sun	Low	2–6 in. × 12–18 in.	Browsed heavily	One of the few groundcovers that genuinely thrives on poor, dry, windy sites. Needs sharp drainage or it melts out.
Blue Chip JuniperJuniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip'Montana native	Groundcovers	3–9	Full sun	Low	6–12 in. × 6–8 ft	Browsed heavily	The most reliable evergreen groundcover for Montana — wind, drought and alkaline soils. Slow, so water it for two full seasons.
DaffodilNarcissus spp.	Bulbs	4–8	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	12–18 in.	Usually left alone	Foliage and bulb are toxic, so deer genuinely leave them alone. Let the foliage ripen six weeks after bloom.
CrocusCrocus vernus	Bulbs	3–8	Full sun	Low	3–6 in.	Sometimes browsed	The first bee forage of the year in Montana. Plant it where snow melts first.
Purple Sensation AlliumAllium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation'	Bulbs	4–9	Full sun	Low	24–36 in.	Usually left alone	Genuinely deer-resistant. The seed heads dry in place and hold their shape into winter.
CamasCamassia quamashMontana native	Bulbs	4–8	Full sun–part shade	Medium	18–24 in.	Sometimes browsed	A Montana native garden bulb — west of the Divide. Wants spring moisture then summer drying, and naturalises in lawn edges.
Grape HyacinthMuscari armeniacum	Bulbs	4–8	Full sun–part shade	Low–medium	6–8 in.	Sometimes browsed	Naturalises aggressively by seed and offsets. Fine in a meadow, a nuisance in a tight border.
TulipTulipa spp.	Bulbs	3–8	Full sun	Low–medium	8–24 in.	Browsed heavily	Reliable in Montana, but deer and voles both eat them, and bulbs decline after a year or two. Treat as an annual for best display.
Wild StrawberryFragaria virginianaMontana native	Groundcovers	3–8	Sun–part shade	Medium	4–8 in. × 12–24 in.	Browsed heavily	Edible fruit and red fall colour, but it runs into lawn and beds — edge it. Deer browse the foliage.
Red Creeping ThymeThymus praecox 'Coccineus'	Groundcovers	4–9	Full sun	Low	2–4 in. × 12–18 in.	Sometimes browsed	Aromatic and semi-evergreen. Needs sharp drainage and a warm microclimate — it winter-burns on exposed windy sites.
Dragon's Blood StonecropPhedimus spurius 'Dragon's Blood'	Groundcovers	3–9	Full sun	Low	3–6 in. × 12–24 in.	Sometimes browsed	Near-bulletproof in Montana sun, and it colonises gravel beds and lawn edges. Plan for the spread.
Woolly ThymeThymus pseudolanuginosus	Groundcovers	4–7	Full sun	Low	1–2 in. × 12–18 in.	Sometimes browsed	A very low silver-grey mat for between pavers. Same drainage requirement as the rest of the thymes.
Kinnikinnick (groundcover form)Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Massachusetts'Montana native	Groundcovers	2–6	Full sun–part shade	Low	6–12 in. × 2–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	Winter desiccation and alkaline chlorosis are the two ways this fails in Montana. Give it acid, gritty ground and snow cover or winter shade.
Big SagebrushArtemisia tridentataMontana native	Evergreen shrubs	3–8	Full sun	Low	3–6 ft × 3–5 ft	Browsed heavily	The defining shrub of the eastern Montana plains, and important winter deer browse — it will be eaten. High flammability, so keep it out of the defensible space.
Fourwing SaltbushAtriplex canescensMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	2–10	Full sun	Low	3–6 ft × 3–6 ft	Sometimes browsed	The most salt- and drought-tolerant native shrub in the state, made for alkaline, lean ground. Dioecious, so you need both sexes for seed.
WinterfatKrascheninnikovia lanataMontana native	Deciduous shrubs	3–8	Full sun	Low	1–3 ft × 1–2 ft	Sometimes browsed	A silver-leaved plains native that holds up to wind and lime, and a valuable winter browse plant. Wants sharp drainage.

Plant hardiness from the 2023 USDA map and MSU Extension MontGuides. Deer ratings follow MSU’s Minimizing Deer Damage in Residential Settings, and are deliberately conservative — MSU stresses that “deer-resistant” never means “deer-proof.” Nothing listed here appears on Montana’s noxious weed list.

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