Trees and Plants

Flowers may bloom in the park from April to August.

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Trees and Plants Details

The badlands climate does not lend itself to thick forests and includes just two major types of trees: juniper and hardwoods such as cottonwood, green ash, and American elm. The juniper trees and woodlands are the most common in the park, and typically are found on the northern side of buttes where there is less sun exposure and lower water evaporation. The hardwoods are more apt to thrive in areas where their roots can find more water, and in general are less commonly found in dry regions of the park. There are over 400 known species of plants in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and more that have not yet been identified. Starting with the pasqueflower, the first flowers to appear in April, various flowers take their turn and bloom through the spring and into August, keeping the landscape vibrant and colorful for most of the summer season. You may see asters, sunflowers, sagebrush buttercups, phlox, violets, multiple varieties of lichen, and more. Silver sagebrush is the most commonly found variety of sage in the park. All trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses are an important part of the badlands ecosystem. Do not pick the flowers or destroy any of the habitat. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Flowers should be enjoyed unplucked where they grow."

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