Native Plants

Our Native Plants consist of native trees and shrubs that are mostly native to Montana, although some fall a little outside of the state. Most of these are very well adapted to Montana's harsh, dry climate.

More about our native trees and shrubs

A lot of these feed people as well as birds. Chokecherry scored 9/10 for jams and jellies and for juice, and Les McCartney says sand cherry syrup puts chokecherry syrup to shame. Huckleberry scored 8/10 for fresh eating, pies and jam, but it needs soil that isn't alkaline. Serviceberry, buffaloberry, golden currant and Montana black currant are all hardy to zone 2.

For shade and shelter, cottonwood scored 8/10 for shade, and we sell males only, so there's no fuzzy cotton. Bur oak is Montana's only native oak. Ponderosa pine handles dry, poor ground, and Rocky Mountain juniper scored 9/10 for windbreaks. Aspen is the hardiest thing here, rated to zone 1. More options are under windbreaks and hedgerows.

American linden flowers into late July in Missoula, later than any other tree we know of, and scored 9/10 for pollinators. Peach leaf willow covers the other end of the season, with early catkins that feed bees. See pollinator friendly plants for the rest.

Several of these come as separate male and female plants: aspen, buffaloberry, Rocky Mountain juniper, peach leaf willow and staghorn sumac. Plant the whole bundle together for better odds. If deer are a problem, buffaloberry, golden currant, hawthorn and ponderosa pine are seldom badly damaged. Our deer resistant plants page has more.

Questions we get

What native fruit can I grow in Montana?

Chokecherry, serviceberry, huckleberry, buffaloberry, golden currant, Montana black currant and sand cherry are all in this group. Most are hardy to zone 2.

What native trees do well in dry Montana soil?

Ponderosa pine handles dry, poor ground, and cottonwood takes drought and alkali better than hybrid poplars. Serviceberry is drought tolerant and thrives in every part of Montana.