Montana Native Plant Society

05/19/2026

Join the Clark Fork Chapter!

🌱 Clark Fork chapter Spring potluck – Pineview Park Pavilion just west of Rattlesnake School 🌱

Join us for an evening of good food, fresh air, and great company! Bring your favorite dish, snack, or dessert to share as well as your own plate and utensils. No alcohol please.

📍 Location: Pineview Park Pavilion
📅 Date: Thursday, May 14th
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM

05/19/2026

Coming on Saturday!

Learn about the native plants found at Giant Springs State Park!

Join us for a plant walk on May 23 from 2 - 3p.m.

Registration required, call Giant Springs State Park at 727-1212 or click this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/gPipBYQ87N?origin=lprLink

See you there!

05/19/2026

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05/19/2026

Read about Jocko River restoration here, then join the MNPS and CSKT for a field trip.
Tuesday, June 23 – CSKT Jocko River Restoration (Scilip - formerly Dixon). 10:00 a.m. Rusty Sydnor, Wetland/Riparian Restoration Ecologist with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, will walk us through the Jocko River restoration project. The project aims to move a section of the river that was straitened for agricultural practices back into its historical meandering channel. The restoration of the rivers historical riparian vegetation communities will be the main focus of this 7 trip. Please register at VolunteerSignup.org/W3QKQ or contact [email protected] for more information.

Tribal project restores portion of Jocko River to natural flow🔹bit.ly/4nF2raU

The Jocko River, where it flows alongside the Bison Range boundary west of Ravalli, is getting a major makeover, thanks to a Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes Natural Resources Department project.

05/11/2026

Three Cheers to the Clark Fork Coalition for yet another critical restoration project. We are anxiously awaiting seeing all those native plants in a few years.

05/11/2026

A VERY interesting note about dandelions (yes they are non-native) and value, though limited, to pollinators.

Dandelions and Pollinators🐝
Dandelions can be a source of pollen and nectar for pollinators in highly urbanized landscapes. They do not have the most nutritious nectar because they lack certain important amino acids, making pollinators (such as honeybees) unable to survive on dandelions alone. Dandelions can act as a bridge between areas with more diverse floral resources. Even though there are numerous flowering plants that are better for supporting pollinators, dandelions will continue to be a resource for pollinators.
To read the post by Abi Saeed about dandelions.
An Ode to the Dandelion:
Deciphering fact from fiction for one of the most infamous plants in the world.
https://gardenprofessors.com/an-ode-to-the-dandelion/
Photo: Orange-legged Furrow Bee, Montana native bee

05/10/2026

Prairie junegrass grows throughout Montana, and most of the lower 48 also!

Prairie junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) is one of those beautiful native grasses with its wispy inflorescences back lit by the sun. It can be found grasslands, meadows, upland prairies, forest openings and savannas from 0–9000 feet across much of Oregon. I have several, and they have finally begun bloom this past week and are pretty reliable plants once they acclimate to place they are planted. It's certainly a beautiful addition to those of you with prairie gardens! A few native plant nurseries may still have them in stock.

Here's the link to the OregonFlora Garden Fact Sheet for prairie junegrass for those interested in fitting this grass into their gardens:

https://oregonflora.org/taxa/garden.php?taxon=5887

And if you'd like to see additional images, a brief written description of the plants' characteristics, and a range map, please visit OregonFlora at:

https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=5887&synonym=5886

05/07/2026

Pitch in with the Montana Bumblebee Atlas
Sunday, May 31- Bumble Bee Atlas (Columbia Falls). 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The Bumble Bee Atlas field season starts June 1! To kick off the season, join Michelle Toshack (Montana Bumble Bee Atlas) and Tabitha Graves (USGS) us for the Columbia Falls field day 10 minutes outside of town. We will practice catching, photographing, and releasing bumble bees. This is a wonderful way to practice protocol if you are a new volunteer or want a refresher. Participating in the atlas program is fun and a terrific way to learn more about interactions between native plants and these incredible animals. You will also be gathering vital information about these important pollinators. Register for the event here: https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/pages/events. Contact Tabitha Graves, 406-589-6645 or [email protected] with questions.

Montana Outdoors Magazine has a wonderful article about the Atlas this month. https://fwp.mt.gov/montana-outdoors/archive/2026/bumble-bee-atlas

Times are tough for native bumble bees across North America, but a volunteer army is helping uncover a bonanza buzzing in Big Sky Country.

05/07/2026

Thanks to TNC