South Dakota Native Plants, State Flower & State Bird

Hello native plant enthusiasts! In the list below, you will find popular native plants and wildflower seeds, available from American Meadows, that have a native distribution in your state. You’ll also find information about your state bird, state flower, and state wildflower!

• The links will take you to a single plant or seed selection for the plant listed -- but in many cases, we offer multiple cultivars for each plant, and we may offer both seeds and potted plants to grow the plant on your list. This list is a work in progress as we expand our native plant educational resources. 
• The list for your state is a great place for getting started with native plants - but it is by no means a comprehensive listing of the hundreds of native plants growing in each state. 

Grow our Native West Wildflower Seed Mix.

Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)

Black Eyed Susan or Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia hirta)

Yellow Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera)

Gray Headed Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Long Beaked Sedge (Carex sprengelii)

Firewheel (Gaillardia pulchella)

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata)

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox)

Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)

Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)

Meadow Anemone (Anemone canadensis)

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix)

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa)

Yellow Prairie Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Sky Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense)

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)

Common White Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Helenium (Helenium autumnale)

Heliopsis (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Ring-Necked Pheasant ~ Phasianus colchicus
The American Ring-Necked Pheasant descends from a Chinese and an English species that were imported to the United States and interbred here. Pheasants are raised systematically on game farms and then set free. Consequently, they have spread throughout most of the northern United States. Because they provide meat that is a delicacy, the Pheasant has become a sportsman’s delight. The Ring-Necked Pheasant, adept at skulking through low cover, presents a real challenge to the hunter.

Pasqueflower ~ Anemone patens
Changing fashions in botanical nomenclature are often a nuisance, but we can hardly regret the substitution of Anemone patens for Pulsatilla hirsutissima as the name of this delicate looking (but actually hardy) sun-loving rock plant of the Northwest. Pasque means Easter in French, and the Pasqueflower is thought to have been given its name either because it blooms in spring, or because dye made from the plant was used for Easter eggs.

From The Wildflowers of the 50 States U.S. stamps issued July 24, 1992:

• Native plants are essential for healthy ecosystems and habitat. They have evolved over time with local wildlife and climate conditions. Many pollinators have special relationships with native plants that they rely on for survival. For instance, some bees are specialists and require nectar and pollen from specific native plants to survive; and butterflies and moths often have specific host plants needed to nourish their caterpillars. For example, Asclepias (Milkweed or Butterfly Weed) is the host plant required for Monarch caterpillars to survive and grow into Monarch Butterflies!
• It’s OK to grow native plants in your yard that may not be native to your state or region. Remember – just because a plant is not native, does not necessarily mean that it is invasive or harmful. In fact, growing well-behaved introduced plants that are suited to your growing conditions can still provide many benefits to your yard (especially when compared to a traditional turf lawn).  
• Know before you grow – It's always a good idea to learn what plants are native, well-behaved, and invasive or aggressive in your region before digging in.
• Learn More: All About Native Plants

Explore our full selection of native plants and seeds