(Family) Grasses - Montana Field Guide
Montana Field Guide contains a wealth of information about Montana's diverse species. Sort by Common Name Sort by Scientific Name Sort by Taxonomy Search Field Guide
The species listed here were selected for their successful use in landscaping settings in the Missoula area. Consider the species found in your local environment as the best guide for what will work in your landscaping project.
Grasses of Montana (Poaceae Family) - iNaturalist
Grasses as listed by the State of Montana Initial Upload: USDA Plants database state list combined with Montana Species Snapshot Filtered from All Montana Species Montana Natural Heritage Program. Retrieved on May 27, 2018, from ...more ↓
Native Plant Landscaping - Montana Native Plant Society
Grasses. Water-Wise Grasses: Alternatives to Kentucky Bluegrass Turf A thorough analysis of species and mixes of turf grasses that may be used in Montana to reduce water demands for lawns. In 2022, the MNPS Landscaping and Revegetation Committee produced this document for anyone who wants a lawn better suited to Montana’s dryland conditions.
Montana Field Guide
Grasses typically comprise the greatest canopy cover, and western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) is usually dominant. Other species include thickspike wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus), green needlegrass (Nassella viridula), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), and needle and thread (Hesperostipa comata).
Use the Recommended Species for Native Plant Landscaping in Montana handout provided with this packet and the Creating Native Landscapes brochure to match your soil, light, and water conditions with appropriate species of grasses, wildflowers,
Montana Field Guide
In Montana and Wyoming, stands are more mesic, with more biomass of grass, and have less shrub diversity than stands farther to the west, and 50 to 90% of the occurrences are dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush with western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii).
Grass identification requires you to look at vegetative characteristics along with flowering or seed head features, all of which can be small and usually are not very showy. This publication covers basic grass anatomy, including terms commonly used for grass identification, and guides you through seven questions to ask about the species
There are commercially available native grasses that can be used for ground cover, manicured turf, individual accent/specimen plants, tall borders or backdrops, and for prairie or meadow restoration.
Montana Native Plants - Gardenia
In the prairie and grassland regions, native grasses like Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) and Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) are prevalent. Wildflowers such as Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva), Montana’s state flower, add splashes of color in spring and summer.