Yellowstone National Park is famous for its colorful wildflowers that light up the landscape every year. If you’ve ever wished you could grow some of that beauty at home, you’re in luck. Many of these native plants can do well in regular gardens with the right spot and a little care.
Bringing Yellowstone wildflowers into your yard adds lasting color and helps support pollinators like bees and butterflies. These tough plants are great for handling heat, drought, and poor soil once established. Here are 21 Yellowstone wildflowers you might want to try in your own garden.
1. Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata)
Arrowleaf Balsamroot is a hardy, drought-tolerant perennial with bright, sunflower-like blooms about 4 inches wide. Its silvery-green, arrow-shaped leaves can spread up to 2 feet. It does best in USDA zones 3-9 with full sun and well-drained soil.
Once settled, it grows a deep taproot that helps it handle dry conditions with little water. Golden blooms appear in late spring and last for weeks. Plant in groups on dry slopes or meadow-style areas to help control erosion, attract native bees and butterflies, and pair well with grasses like Bluebunch Wheatgrass.
2. Blue Flax (Linum lewisii)
Blue Flax brings soft color to gardens with delicate, five-petaled sky-blue flowers on slender stems. Each bloom lasts just one day, but new flowers open daily through early and mid-summer for a long-lasting display. It grows 1-2 feet tall and is well-suited for rock gardens, meadows, or naturalized areas.
Blue Flax thrives in poor, well-drained soil where many other plants struggle. It pairs nicely with Blanketflower and Yarrow for a natural meadow look. Sow seeds directly in fall or early spring in full sun. Avoid transplanting due to its sensitive taproot. Even when not in bloom, its fine, airy foliage softens edges and can reseed itself to fill gaps naturally.
3. Sticky Geranium (Geranium viscosissimum)
Sticky Geranium adds bright pink to purple cup-shaped blooms to shaded spots like woodland edges or garden borders. Its name comes from the slightly tacky resin on stems and leaves you can feel when touched. It grows best in partial shade, enjoying morning sun while escaping the hottest afternoon rays.
This perennial reaches 1-2 feet tall and wide, fitting nicely in cottage-style or native plant gardens. It works well with ferns and other native woodland plants. The bright flowers attract native pollinators in shaded borders. Its deeply lobed leaves turn rich red in fall for extra seasonal color. Plant in well-amended soil with moderate moisture in zones 3-8. Once established, it can handle some drought but will flower best with regular watering.
4. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow is known for being tough and versatile. Its flat clusters of small white flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators from early summer through fall. The feathery, aromatic foliage resists deer and rabbits, making it a good choice for challenging spots in the garden.
Yarrow grows well in zones 3-9 with little care once established. It acts as a living mulch, helping suppress weeds and improve soil over time. Plant near Lavender or Sage for a drought-tolerant bed with added color and texture. It spreads gradually through rhizomes to form a resilient groundcover in full sun. Deadhead old blooms and divide clumps every few years to keep them tidy. While native yarrow is white, many garden varieties offer pink, yellow, or red blooms.
5. Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)
Blanketflower brings rich sunset colors with its daisy-like blooms. The red-orange centers fade to yellow tips, creating a warm, vibrant look that lasts from early summer to frost. Even in winter, the bristly seed heads add interest and provide food for small birds.
It thrives in hot, dry garden spots with minimal care in zones 3-8. Blanketflower is excellent for low-water pollinator gardens and pairs well with Blue Flax and Sulfur Buckwheat for a cohesive, dry-climate planting. It grows 1-2 feet tall and wide, working well in borders or containers. For the best display, plant in poor soils and full sun. Remove old flowers to keep it blooming, and avoid overly rich soil, which can make plants floppy.
6. Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)
Prairie Smoke offers changing beauty through the seasons. In spring, it has nodding pink bell-shaped flowers above fern-like leaves. After flowering, these turn into soft, feathery seed heads that look like wisps of smoke floating in the breeze.
This low-growing perennial reaches 6-12 inches tall and does best in full sun to light shade. It works well at the front of rock gardens, complementing other low prairie plants like Little Bluestem for a natural look. Its feathery seed heads add movement and interest, especially when grouped where the wind can catch them. It prefers average to poor, well-drained soils and is hardy in zones 3-8.
7. Lewis's Monkeyflower (Erythranthe lewisii)
Lewis's Monkeyflower stands out with its pink-lavender blooms marked with spotted throats. In Yellowstone, it grows near streams and wet seeps, lighting up shaded spots. The slightly sticky leaves release a subtle minty scent when touched.
In gardens, it thrives in moist, rich soil and partial shade in zones 3-8. It’s great for rain gardens and pairs well with sedges and rushes for a natural look. This plant brightens pond edges with continuous color through the season. It needs consistently moist soil to thrive, growing 8-16 inches tall and fitting well in the middle layer of woodland gardens or naturalized damp spaces.
8. Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa)
Showy Milkweed lives up to its name with star-shaped clusters of pink-purple flowers that smell sweetly of vanilla. These blooms attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, while the plant is a vital host for monarch caterpillars. Its silvery-green foliage adds extra appeal.
Essential for Monarch butterfly gardens, it also pairs well with native grasses in prairie-style plantings. This milkweed helps support bees and other beneficial insects. It grows best in full sun with moderate moisture in zones 3-9. Once established, it tolerates drought thanks to its deep taproot. Plants can reach up to 4 feet tall and need 2-3 feet of space. Wear gloves when handling, as its milky sap can irritate skin. In fall, the fluffy seeds add more visual interest to the garden.
9. Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)
Indian Paintbrush is famous for its bright red-orange bracts that look like they've been dipped in paint. These colorful parts aren't true petals but modified leaves surrounding small flowers. This plant is challenging to grow because it's hemiparasitic; it partly depends on the roots of nearby plants for nutrients.
For success, plant it with compatible hosts like Idaho Fescue to help it establish. It fits nicely in natural meadow designs and is best for authentic native restoration gardens. Sow seeds directly in the fall, as transplanting rarely works. Once settled in sunny, well-drained spots in zones 3-9, Indian Paintbrush adds a striking, authentic western meadow touch to your garden.
10. Silky Phacelia (Phacelia sericea)
Silky Phacelia offers dramatic spikes of deep purple-blue flowers with bright yellow-tipped stamens that give a fuzzy, star-like look. Its fern-like foliage is covered in fine silver hairs that shimmer in the sun and help protect it from harsh conditions.
Best suited for rock gardens and sunny borders in zones 3-7, it works as a bold accent and pairs well with Penstemon and native grasses in dry beds. This plant needs excellent drainage and grows 8-20 inches tall. It attracts native bees and other beneficial insects, and often self-seeds to maintain its presence. Silky Phacelia also makes striking cut flowers for summer arrangements.
11. Sulfur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum)
Sulfur Buckwheat forms low, dense cushions of evergreen foliage, topped by bright sulfur-yellow flowers that age to orange, rust, and copper tones—often all at once on the same plant. Its button-like blooms rise just above spoon-shaped leaves, adding structure and color in dry, rocky spots.
This hardy perennial thrives in poor, gravelly soils in zones 3-8, making it perfect for rock gardens, dry slopes, or even challenging curbside strips. It’s excellent with Sagebrush and other dryland natives, and forms tidy mounds that work well for edging pathways. It also helps with erosion control on slopes. Plant in full sun with excellent drainage, and water sparingly once established. It pairs well with native grasses and other drought-tolerant plants for a cohesive, low-maintenance design.
12. Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)
Western Columbine offers striking red and yellow nodding blooms with long backward-pointing spurs that attract hummingbirds. The airy flowers seem to dance on slender stems above fern-like blue-green foliage, adding graceful movement to shaded garden corners.
Best grown in zones 4-8, it prefers dappled shade or morning sun with afternoon protection. It pairs well with ferns, Heuchera, or Woodland Phlox for a layered, woodland look. Western Columbine thrives in consistently moist, rich, well-drained soil. It reaches 1-2 feet tall and fits nicely into shaded borders or containers. Let it self-seed lightly to create natural-looking drifts, but keep in mind that seedlings can cross with other columbines nearby.
13. Yellow Bell (Fritillaria pudica)
Yellow Bell brings a welcome splash of color in early spring with its nodding, bell-shaped yellow flowers. At just 4-8 inches tall, it has a delicate look but is surprisingly hardy. Smooth, lance-shaped leaves appear first, followed by the downward-facing blooms that help protect pollen from spring rains.
Ideal for zones 3-8, it needs a dry summer dormancy after flowering for the best return each year. It complements early spring bulbs like Crocus and works well in alpine troughs or rockeries. Plant bulbs in fall, 3 inches deep and spaced 3-4 inches apart in well-drained soil. These bulbs naturalize nicely in rock gardens, sunny borders, or along paths where their compact size can be appreciated. Mark the spot so you don’t forget them, as their foliage disappears completely by midsummer.
14. Mountain Penstemon (Penstemon strictus)
Mountain Penstemon delivers spikes of vivid blue to violet flowers that draw hummingbirds and native bees. In Yellowstone, you’ll find it lighting up meadows and open hillsides. Its strong vertical form adds structure and color to sunny garden spots.
Hardy in zones 3-8, Mountain Penstemon prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It’s excellent for hummingbird-friendly plantings and adds vertical color in low-water borders. It combines well with Blanketflower and Silky Phacelia for a cohesive, dry garden design. It grows 1-3 feet tall and works well in dry borders or rock gardens. For best performance, avoid rich soils and excessive watering, which can shorten lifespan. Sow seeds in fall or early spring, or set out nursery plants after frost. Once established, it requires minimal care and offers reliable color year after year.
15. Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
Fireweed is known for its tall spikes lined with magenta-pink flowers that open from bottom to top over weeks, creating an eye-catching display. Its narrow leaves turn brilliant red-orange in fall, and the seeds float away on silky hairs, catching the light as they drift.
Thriving in zones 3-7, Fireweed is best paired with native grasses for meadow restoration projects. It grows 3-6 feet tall, making a dramatic background or seasonal privacy screen. Keep in mind that it spreads aggressively, so consider planting in containers or managing seedlings early in small gardens. Historically, young shoots were eaten like asparagus.
16. Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax)
Beargrass, despite its name, is a member of the lily family that creates striking garden features. It forms a base of narrow, grass-like evergreen leaves. From this fountain of foliage rises a 3-5-foot-tall flower spike covered in thousands of tiny, star-shaped white blooms that glows when backlit.
Best for zones 4-8, Beargrass prefers partial shade and acidic, well-drained soil. It pairs well with native heathers or ferns in partial shade and offers bold texture in naturalized beds. It’s also a good choice for low-maintenance landscaping. Plant them 2-3 feet apart to allow their base rosettes to spread up to 3 feet wide. Historically used in basket-making, its tough leaves also resist deer browsing.
17. Elephant's Head (Pedicularis groenlandica)
Elephant’s Head is one of Yellowstone’s most distinctive wildflowers, with dense spikes of pink-purple blooms shaped like tiny elephant heads, complete with trunks and ears. This playful plant is a conversation starter and a delight for children.
It grows 1-2 feet tall and needs partial shade and consistent moisture, making it ideal for rain gardens and boggy areas in zones 3-7. It grows well with sedges and benefits from planting near native grasses. Its finely divided, fern-like foliage adds texture even when not in bloom. Partial shade is best in warmer regions to help keep the soil moist.
18. Western Pasqueflower (Anemone occidentalis)
Western Pasqueflower offers interest across seasons. In late spring, fuzzy stems hold white, cup-shaped flowers with yellow centers. As summer progresses, these become distinctive feathery seed heads that persist into fall, moving with the breeze for added garden charm.
It grows 6-12 inches tall in bloom and up to 18 inches in seed. Best for zones 4-7, Western Pasqueflower likes well-drained, gritty soil and full sun to light shade. It combines well with other alpine plants and is great for trough gardens and rocky slopes. Its fluffy seed heads offer extended interest long after flowering. Avoid disturbing roots once established, as they don’t transplant well.
19. Yellow Monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata)
Yellow Monkeyflower brings bright, snapdragon-like flowers with red-spotted throats to wet garden spots from mid-summer through fall. Each bloom has two "lips" that help guide pollinators like bumblebees. The plant’s succulent, green leaves stay fresh-looking even in the heat.
Growing 8-24 inches tall, it’s ideal for wet borders and rain gardens in zones 3-8. It pairs nicely with Blue Flag Iris near ponds for a natural, layered look. Yellow Monkeyflower can handle periodic flooding and stays fairly compact without becoming aggressive. It prefers at least half-day sun for best blooming, and its hollow stems make it well-suited for spots that may flood occasionally.
20. Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Wild Bergamot lights up summer gardens with clusters of lavender pom-pom flowers above fragrant foliage that releases a minty scent after rain or when brushed. It’s loved by hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees, making it a pollinator favorite.
This hardy perennial grows 2-4 feet tall and thrives in zones 3-9. It performs well in average to poor soils in full sun and suits native borders or naturalized plantings. If you garden in windy spots, you might also enjoy 15 Hardy Perennials That Withstand Windy, Exposed Gardens for other tough choices. Provide good air circulation to help prevent powdery mildew. Cutting it back by one-third in early summer can encourage bushier growth and delay flowering for a longer season.
21. Rocky Mountain Iris (Iris missouriensis)
Rocky Mountain Iris offers elegant lavender-blue blooms in late spring. The classic iris form features three upright petals and three cascading falls, often marked with white and yellow to guide pollinators. Even out of bloom, its narrow, sword-like leaves add structure.
It thrives in zones 3-9, especially in meadow gardens that get spring moisture followed by drier summers. It pairs well with native grasses in meadow designs and is suitable for garden wet-to-dry transition zones. Growing 1-2 feet tall adds formal structure to naturalistic plantings. Unlike some irises, it doesn’t need frequent dividing and will slowly spread through rhizomes to create attractive drifts over time.
Creating Your Yellowstone-Inspired Garden
Bringing Yellowstone wildflowers into your own garden offers more than beautiful blooms; it supports native pollinators and ties your landscape to the region’s ecology. Start small, choosing plants that match your conditions, and group those with similar water and light needs for easier care and greater impact.
If you're looking for extra ideas on making your space pollinator-friendly, check out 17 Ways to Attract More Pollinators to Your Garden This Spring.
If you can, visit Yellowstone during peak wildflower season (usually June through August) to see these species in their native settings. Take notes on how they grow and interact. When buying plants, look for reputable native nurseries that use ethically collected seeds. With the right choices and patience, your garden can reflect the natural beauty that makes Yellowstone so special.