Black Hills Native Plants
The Black Hills is often seen as ecological crossroads, with plant communities representative of the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, northern boreal forests, and eastern deciduous forests. This wide variety of habitats in turn supports a diverse collection of plant species. The Black Hills is home to over 1500 plant species, 17 of which are regionally designated as sensitive species.
Interested in learning more about Black Hills native plants? Check out the following links for photos and habitat information for some of the common wildflowers you might find blooming at different times of the growing season.
Spring to early-summer wildflowers
Click the link(s) below to view photo(s) ---
Arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) – This plant has large arrow-shaped leaves and is locally abundant in the west and northwest Black Hills. The large yellow flowers can put on quite a show on higher elevation limestone slopes.
Darkthroat shootingstar (Dodecatheon pulchellum) – This plant has clusters downward-pointing, purple flowers have a sweet clove scent. It is common in open pine forest, meadows and clearings.
Desert biscuitroot (Lomatium foeniculaceum) – This low-growing forb has clusters of yellow flowers and dissected leaves resembling those of a carrot. It grows on dry foothills and plains.
Downy paintbrush (Castilleja sessiliflora) – This soft, hairy plant has linear leaves that are arranged spirally around the stem. Flowers occur in a loose spike and are pale yellow with tinges of pink. It grows from low to mid-elevations in mixed grass prairie.
Early cinquefoil (Potentilla concinna) – This low-growing plant has hairy compound leaves and yellow flowers. It is fairly common from mid to high elevations in mixed grass prairie, open forests and woodlands throughout the Black Hills.
Fairybells (Prosartes trachycarpa) – This moist forest plant has drooping greenish-white, bell-shaped flowers and produces flat-topped, bright orange berries in mid-summer. It grows in moist forest habitats from central to northern Black Hills. Photos in folder
Goldenpea (Thermopsis rhombifolia) – Goldenpea usually grows in wide-spread patches of many plants. It has three-parted leaves and showy yellow flowers and is common from low to high elevations in a variety of habitats throughout the Black Hills. Photo in folder
Heartleaf arnica (Arnica cordifolia) – As the name suggests, this one has heart-shaped leaves that are soft to the touch. It grows from mid to high elevations on limestone in the northern Black Hills.
Kinnikinnik (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) – Also known as bearberry, this mat-forming evergreen plant produces white to pink urn-shaped flowers and pea-sized red berries. It is a common understory species in open pine forest.
Lanceleaf bluebells (Mertensia lanceolata) – This plant has bluish-green leaves and produces clusters of drooping blue bell-shaped flowers in early spring. It grows in grasslands, open forests and rocky slopes from low to high elevations.
Longspur violet (Viola adunca) – This common violet has leafy stems, purple flowers and grows in forests, woodlands and meadows throughout the Black Hills.
Meadow deathcamas (Zigadenus venenosus) – As the name suggests, this one is poisonous! It grows in dry mixed grass prairie and open pine forest.
Oregon grape (Mahonia repens) – This low-growing, evergreen shrub has holly-like leaves with pointy margins. The sweet-smelling yellow flowers are loosely clustered. It grows on moist rocky forest slopes throughout the Black Hills.
Pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens) – The lovely pale purple, yellow-centered pasque flower is one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring, and it is the state flower of South Dakota. The whole plant is softly fuzzy and in mid-summer it produces wispy tufted fruit clusters. It is common in mixed grass prairie and open pine forest from low to high elevations.
Prairie chickweed (Cerastium arvense) – Also known as mouse-eared chickweed, this plant grows in loose mats and has white flowers with deeply notched petals. It is common throughout the Black Hills in a variety of habitats.
Richardson’s geranium (Geranium richardsonii) – This plant has lobed leaves and white flowers with 5 petals. It grows along streams and moist forests in the central and northern Black Hills.
Rocky Mountain iris (Iris missouriensis) – Large showy light-purple flowers and flattened linear leaves make the Rocky Mountain iris unmistakable. It grows in moist meadows, clearings and open forests across the Black Hills.
Star lily (Leucocrinum montanum) – This low-growing plant has tufted grass-like leaves and showy white flowers that appear at ground level. It grows from low to high elevations in prairie to open pine habitats.
Starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum) – This plant has smooth, alternate parallel-veined leaves and produces a few staggered white flowers at the tip of its stem. It grows in open forests and woodlands throughout the Black Hills.
Sulphur paintbrush (Castilleja sulphurea) – The greenish-yellow flowers of this plant occur in tufty spikes at the top of upright stems. It is common in coniferous and mixed forests from central to northern Black Hills.
Threadleaf musineon (Musineon tenuifolium) – This low-growing forb has finely dissected leaves and clusters of yellow flowers. It is found throughout the Black Hills and grows in open forests and grasslands with dry, rocky soil.
Tufted milkvetch (Astragalus spatulatus) – This plant forms low-growing, dense tufts, has silvery vegetation and produces clusters of vibrant bright purple flowers. It grows on dry hilltops, ridges and rocky slopes in grasslands and open pine forest.
Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) – You are probably familiar with this plant’s three-parted leaves, white flowers and red fleshy fruit! The fruit is just as tasty, but much smaller than the strawberries you find in the store. It is common throughout the Black Hills and grows in moist meadows and open pine and mixed forests.
Mid-summer wildflowers
Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – This plant is easy to recognize in flower, with long yellow ray petals and a dark center. It is common throughout the Black Hills in moist meadows, open forests and roadsides.
Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata) – The showy flower heads of this plant have yellow ray petals and reddish-purple tinged centers. It grows in grasslands, roadsides and open areas.
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium montanum) – Blue-eyed grass is not actually a grass, but a member of the Iris family. It grow in meadows, grasslands and open forests throughout the Black Hills.
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) – This low-growing plant appears to have a single white flower, but actually has a cluster of many flowers with 4 petal-like bracts. In late summer it produces a tight cluster of bright red fruits. It grows in rich moist aspen, birch or mixed coniferous forest at mid to high elevations.
Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – This common plant has flat-topped clusters of white flower heads and grows throughout the Black Hills in a variety of habitats.
Cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum) – This tall thick-stemmed plant has large lobed leaves and large flat-topped clusters of white flowers. It grows in moist, rich woods, usually along streams.
Field mint (Mentha arvensis) – This is a common plant along stream banks and other wet places. Its pale purple flowers are found in clusters along the square stem. Photo in folder
Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) – Harebell’s light purple, drooping bell-shaped flowers are produced on upright stems and can be found from mid-summer to early fall. It is common from low to high elevations in a variety of habitats.
Heartleaf alexanders (Zizia aptera) – Heartleaf alexanders has thick smooth leaves and flat-topped clusters of bright yellow flowers. It grows in moist forests and meadows at mid to high elevations of central to northern Black Hills.
Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) – This low-growing plant forms mat-like clumps. It has drooping purple-tinged flowers, but is most noticeable in fruit when it shows off its feathery smoke-like appearance. It grows from low to high elevations in mixed grass prairie and montane grassland habitat.
Purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) – This taprooted perennial produces distinct flower heads on tall coarsely hairy stems. Flowers have long pink ray petals and yellowish-brown prickly centers. It grows from low to mid elevations in mixed grass prairie and open pine forests. It is known for its medicinal use as an anesthetic and an immune system stimulant.
Spearleaf stonecrop (Sedum lanceolatum) –This small succulent plant has showy yellow star-shaped flowers and grows on rocky thin soils in open pine forest.
Spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) – This plant has reddish colored stems, milky sap and numerous pink bell-shaped flowers. It is common at low to mid-elevations on forest edges and openings.
Stemless four-nerve daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis) – This low-growing plant has linear leaves that grow in tufts. Its yellow flower heads occur on upright stems and bloom for much of the summer. It grows in various dry habitats from low to high elevations.
Twinflower (Linnaea borealis) – This low, trailing plant is slightly woody and produces a pair of pink, nodding, bell-shaped flowers. It grows in moist pine and spruce forests from central to northern Black Hills.
Wood lily (Lilium philadelphicum) – Wood lily’s large orange flowers are produced on upright stems with whorls of leaves. It grows in open pine forests, deciduous woodlands and meadows from central to northern Black Hills.
Late-summer to early-fall wildflowers
Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) – This low compact shrub grows up to a foot in height, has fine branches, narrow leaves and produces small flat-topped clusters of yellow flowers in late summer. It grows on dry barren sites and open woodlands at low elevations.
Curlycup gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) – This sticky, yellow-flowered plant is common in dry pastures, roadsides and disturbed areas.
Dotted gayfeather (Liatris punctata) – This plant has narrow leaves crowed along the stem and lovely pinkish-purple flowers arranged in an elongate spike. It grows from low to mid-elevations in mixed grass prairie and open pine forest habitat.
Goldenrods (Solidago) – Goldenrods are upright yellow-flowered perennials that characterize the late summer landscape. There are several goldenrod species that grow in a variety of habitats across the Black Hills.
Hairy goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) – This low-growing woody plant is common in dry grasslands, meadows and open forest habitats.
Rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) – This branched, mound-shaped shrub has gray-green stems linear leaves. In late summer to early fall it produces abundant flat-topped clusters of yellow flowers. It grows in dry grassland and foothills of the western Black Hills.
Smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) (also see photo) – Smooth blue aster produces several light-purple flower heads and has bluish-green leaves that clasp the stem. It is common in open forests and meadows.
Spotted joe-pyeweed (Eutrochium maculatum) – This late summer bloomer has showy clusters of pinkish-purple flower and grows in wetlands and near streams and springs.
Threenerve fleabane (Erigeron subtrinervis) – This plant has pretty purple flower heads with yellow centers. It grows in meadows, open pine and mixed forest from low to mid-elevations.
Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Also known as horsemint, beebalm or wild oregano, this plant has tall upright stems and grows in dense colonies. It produces round-topped clusters of purple flowers and is common from low to high elevations in a variety of habitats. Its vegetation contains a natural antiseptic compound.