LOCAL PLANT GUIDE • BISMARCK, ND
Drought-Tolerant and Native Plants for Bismarck
The plants that survive Bismarck’s dry summers best are prairie natives from upland sites and a short list of tough garden perennials. Good picks include blanket flower, purple prairie clover, dotted blazing star, prairie coneflower, little bluestem and blue grama. For garden standbys, NDSU names Russian sage, catmint, sedum and yarrow. For shrubs, try potentilla and juniper.
You can find many of these at local garden centers. For native seed, the USDA’s Bismarck Plant Materials Center keeps vendor lists. Whatever you buy, ask where it was grown. Plants from southern seed sources may not handle a North Dakota winter.
UNDERSTANDING PLANTS
Native and Drought-Tolerant Aren’t the Same Thing
People mix these up all the time.
- Native means the plant grows wild in this region.
- Drought tolerant means it gets by with little water once it’s established.
Plenty of North Dakota natives grow in wet spots. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Prairie Wildflowers and Grasses guide lists big bluestem in lowlands, wild bergamot in moist prairie and black-eyed Susan in ditches, “especially moist sites.” Those aren’t the plants for a hot, dry south slope.
And some of the toughest drought plants aren’t native. Russian sage and catmint come from other parts of the world but handle our dry spells well.
The sweet spot is a native plant from upland prairie, the dry hilltops and slopes. Those are built for Bismarck summers.
FLOWERING THROUGH THE SEASON
Native Wildflowers by Bloom Season
The Xerces Society, which worked with the City of Bismarck and others on pollinator gardens in downtown Bismarck, recommends picking plants that bloom early, mid and late season. That way pollinators have food all season, even in dry years.
Here’s a bloom calendar built from the North Dakota Game and Fish guide:
| Plant | Blooms | Height | Where it grows wild |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasqueflower | Mid-April to mid-May | About 4 in | Undisturbed prairie |
| Prairie smoke | Early May to mid-June | 6 to 12 in | Moist prairie, hillsides and ridges |
| Blanket flower | June to early July | 8 to 24 in | Upland prairie |
| Narrow-leaved purple coneflower | Mid-June to mid-August | 12 to 24 in | Rocky prairie hillsides |
| Prairie coneflower | Mid-June to September | 12 to 26 in | Upland prairie |
| Yucca | Mid-June to late July | 1 to 4 ft | Dry, sandy or rocky slopes west of the Missouri River |
| Purple prairie clover | Early July to mid-August | 1 to 3 ft | Upland, rocky prairie and hillsides |
| Maximilian sunflower | Late June to mid-September | 3 to 8 ft | Upland prairie |
| Goldenrod | July to September | 8 to 24 in | Upland and lowland prairie |
| Dotted blazing star | August to October | 8 to 40 in | Upland prairie |
A local note on yucca: the guide places it west of the Missouri River. That’s Mandan’s side. On the Bismarck side, give it the driest, sunniest, best-drained spot you have.
PRAIRIE TEXTURES
Native Grasses
Native grasses give a bed structure, fall color and winter shelter for insects. The downtown Bismarck pollinator project used native bunchgrasses to give pollinators shelter and a place to spend the winter.
| Grass | Height | Where it grows wild |
|---|---|---|
| Blue grama | 4 to 18 in | Drier sites, short-grass prairie, rolling uplands |
| Sideoats grama | 8 to 24 in | Upland prairie, including fine-textured, limy soils |
| Prairie junegrass | 6 to 20 in | Mixed and short-grass prairie |
| Little bluestem | 1 to 3 ft | All soil textures, wide pH range |
| Western wheatgrass | 12 to 30 in | Clay to sandy soils. Salt tolerant. |
| Switchgrass | Up to 40 in | Uplands and lowlands, more common in southern counties |
| Big bluestem | 3 to 7 ft | Lowlands and tallgrass prairie |
Two Bismarck standouts:
- Little bluestem grows on all soil textures over a wide pH range, so it handles our alkaline clay. An NDSU agent noted in April 2026 that little and big bluestem turn purplish in fall and winter.
- Western wheatgrass is salt tolerant, which makes it worth a look near driveways and walks where ice melt lands.
GARDEN PERENNIALS
Tough Garden Perennials (Not All Native)
NDSU Extension horticulturist Tom Kalb says, “Xeric plants can grow with minimal watering once they are established.” His list for North Dakota:
| Plant | Native to ND? |
|---|---|
| Blanket flower | Yes |
| Coneflower | Depends. North Dakota’s native is the narrow-leaved purple coneflower. |
| Liatris (blazing star) | Yes, dotted blazing star |
| Yarrow | Common yarrow, yes |
| Daylily | No |
| Sedum | No, most garden kinds |
| Salvia | No, most garden kinds |
| Russian sage | No |
| Catmint | No |
The native column is our note, based on the Game and Fish guide and common origins. Mixing natives with a few tough non-natives is fine. Just put each where it fits.
SHRUBS AND TREES
Shrubs and Trees for Dry Spots
Shrubs. From NDSU Extension’s tough-shrub picks:
- Potentilla: native. NDSU says it “thrives in our harsh climate.”
- Juniper: NDSU calls it drought tolerant and able to handle salty soil.
- Rugosa rose: not native, but NDSU says it can “tolerate heat, drought, salt and wind.”
The USDA Bismarck Plant Materials Center, right here on University Drive, has released conservation shrubs selected for the northern plains. Its publication list includes silver buffaloberry (‘Sakakawea’), black chokeberry (‘McKenzie’), American black currant (‘Riverview’), western sandcherry and skunkbush sumac.
Trees.
- Bur oak: native. The City of Bismarck’s street tree guide calls it very drought resistant.
- Hackberry: native. The Plant Materials Center released an ‘Oahe’ selection.
- Rocky Mountain juniper: NDSU calls it “very drought resistant and long-lived.”
RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE
Match the Plant to the Spot
| Spot | Try |
|---|---|
| Hot, dry south or west slope | Blue grama, blanket flower, purple prairie clover, dotted blazing star, yucca |
| Average sunny bed | Coneflowers, little bluestem, prairie smoke, liatris, potentilla, Russian sage |
| Low spot that stays damp | Big bluestem, wild bergamot, black-eyed Susan |
| Along a salty driveway or walk | Western wheatgrass, juniper, rugosa rose |
| Big back corner you don’t want to water | Little bluestem, sideoats grama, Maximilian sunflower |
For wet spots, see fixing drainage on clay soil.
STARTER PLANTING PLAN
A Simple Starter Bed for a Sunny, Dry Spot
Here’s one way to lay out a native bed about 10 by 15 feet in full sun. Heights come from the Game and Fish guide, so tall plants go in back and short ones up front.
- Back row: little bluestem, with a few Maximilian sunflowers at the far back. The sunflowers can reach 8 feet, so give them room.
- Middle: narrow-leaved purple coneflower, purple prairie clover, dotted blazing star and prairie coneflower, planted in groups of three to five of each.
- Front: blanket flower and prairie smoke.
- Edge: a strip of blue grama, the shortest grass on the list.
That mix covers bloom from May into October, handles dry upland conditions and gives you grass texture all winter.
WHAT TO AVOID
Mistakes That Kill Native Plantings
- Putting moist-prairie plants on a dry slope. Wild bergamot and big bluestem want more water than a hot hillside gives them.
- Buying southern-grown stock. A plant from a warmer state may not be hardy here. Ask.
- Skipping water the first summer. Even the toughest plants need help until roots grow in.
- Laying rock around them. It heats the soil and adds drought stress, per NDSU.
- Planting too tall up front. A 7-foot big bluestem in front of a 6-inch prairie smoke hides it.
- Expecting a full bed in year one. Give it a couple of seasons to fill in.
BUYING LOCALLY
Where to Buy Native Plants in Bismarck
- Local garden centers carry many of the tough perennials above and some natives. Ask whether a plant is the straight native species or a garden cultivar, and where it was grown.
- Ask about the seed source. NDSU warns that buffalograss varieties “of southern origin (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas) lack winter hardiness” here. The same caution makes sense for other prairie plants.
- Native seed for bigger areas. The Bismarck Plant Materials Center publishes vendor lists for native seed. Its publications are available online, or call 701-250-4330 for hard copies.
- Plant sales and local groups. The Burleigh County Soil Conservation District and Bismarck Parks and Recreation District both took part in the downtown pollinator project. Watch for spring plant sales and native planting events in town.
- Don’t dig from roadsides or pastures. That land usually belongs to someone else.
- Boulevard trees are different. You need a city Forestry permit, and the Partners in Planting program pays back 50%, up to $100 per tree. See boulevard tree permits.
PLANTING AND CARE
How to Plant Them So They Make It
- Plant in spring. NDSU says spring is usually best for trees, and it gives perennials a full season to root.
- Water the first season. “Minimal watering once they are established” is the key part. Water new plants regularly the first summer, then cut back.
- Use shredded bark, not rock. NDSU calls rock mulch “a heat trap,” and says exposed soil “can lose twice as much moisture as mulched soil.” See rock vs mulch.
- Skip fabric under bark. An NDSU agent wrote in July 2026 that fabric isn’t a long-term weed fix.
- Work compost into clay, never sand. NDSU says sand in clay turns it “similar to cement.”
- Weed early. Pull weeds while they’re small so they don’t crowd out young plants.
Questions
Native Plant FAQ
Answers to common questions about native, drought-tolerant planting in Bismarck.
Planning a native planting bed?
Call us to discuss a low-water planting plan for your yard.
What plants survive dry summers in Bismarck?
Upland prairie natives like blanket flower, purple prairie clover, dotted blazing star, prairie coneflower, blue grama and little bluestem. NDSU also names Russian sage, catmint, sedum, salvia, daylily and yarrow. For shrubs, potentilla and juniper. Water them the first season while they establish.
What native plants grow well in Bismarck?
Good picks include pasqueflower, prairie smoke, blanket flower, narrow-leaved purple coneflower, purple prairie clover, dotted blazing star, little bluestem and blue grama. For shrubs and trees, potentilla, silver buffaloberry, bur oak and hackberry.
Where can I buy native plants in Bismarck?
Local garden centers carry many tough perennials and some natives, so ask where each plant was grown. For native seed, the USDA Bismarck Plant Materials Center publishes vendor lists and can be reached at 701-250-4330. Watch for spring plant sales and native planting events in town.
Do native plants need watering?
Yes, at first. NDSU Extension says xeric plants can grow with minimal watering once they are established. Water new plantings regularly through their first summer, then cut back.
What native grass is best for a dry yard?
Blue grama and little bluestem. The North Dakota Game and Fish guide lists blue grama on drier sites and short-grass prairie, and little bluestem on all soil textures across a wide pH range. Sideoats grama and prairie junegrass also work in dry spots.
What plants bloom all season for pollinators?
Plant for early, mid and late bloom. Pasqueflower and prairie smoke bloom in spring, blanket flower and coneflowers in early summer, purple prairie clover in midsummer, and dotted blazing star and goldenrod into fall.
Are all native plants drought tolerant?
No. Some North Dakota natives grow in wet places, like big bluestem in lowlands and wild bergamot in moist prairie. For dry spots, pick natives from upland prairie.
Bismarck Landscape
Want a Low-Water Bed Planned for You?
We’ll match plants to each spot in your yard, plant them right and set up watering for the first season. Call Bismarck Landscape at (701) 299-0740.
See our contact options. For the full approach, see xeriscaping and low-water yards.