Native plants · Alaska

Native plants of Aleutians West Census Area

138 plant species are recorded as native to Alaska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Aleutians West Census Area by USDA PLANTS. 90 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska

Native species: 138 Typical Alaska county: 237 (median of 24 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 90 Typical Alaska county: 149
Share by type (all 138 native species): Percent of the 138 native species in each growth type

Tree 1% (2)
Shrub 10% (14)
Wildflower (forb) 47% (65)
Grass or grass-like 28% (38)
Vine 4% (5)
Fern 10% (14)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (47%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (28%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zones 6b to 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 90

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alaska brome Bromus sitchensis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
Alaska oniongrass Melica subulata	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
alpine bearberry Arctostaphylos alpina	Shrub	6 in	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 1a
alpine bistort Polygonum viviparum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Alpine Meadow-Foxtail Alopecurus magellanicus	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
alpine sweetvetch Hedysarum alpinum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
alpine timothy Phleum alpinum	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
American dunegrass Leymus mollis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
American speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
arctic bluegrass Poa arctica	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
arctic dock Rumex arcticus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
arctic pearlwort Sagina saginoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
arctic raspberry Rubus arcticus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
arctic rush Juncus arcticus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Barclay's willow Salix barclayi	Tree	15 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
beach pea Lathyrus japonicus	Vine	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
black crowberry Empetrum nigrum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
bog blueberry Vaccinium uliginosum	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
boreal sagebrush Artemisia arctica	Shrub	1.5 ft	—	—	Zone 1a
broadlipped twayblade Listera convallarioides	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Chamisso arnica Arnica chamissonis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
chestnut rush Juncus castaneus	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Douglas aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
Eschscholtz's buttercup Ranunculus eschscholtzii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
greater creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
hair-like sedge Carex capillaris	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
high northern buttercup Ranunculus hyperboreus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Shrub	6 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
lanceleaf grapefern Botrychium lanceolatum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
largeflower speargrass Poa eminens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 2a
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
least willow Salix rotundifolia	Shrub	2 in	—	—	Zone 4a
lingonberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea	Shrub	6 in	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Lyngbye's sedge Carex lyngbyei	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 2a
marsh bluegrass Poa leptocoma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
marsh grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Mertens' rush Juncus mertensianus	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
netleaf willow Salix reticulata	Shrub	2 in	—	—	Zone 1a
Nootka lupine Lupinus nootkatensis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
oval-leaf blueberry Vaccinium ovalifolium	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
pendantgrass Arctophila fulva	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3a
polar willow Salix polaris	Shrub	2 in	—	—	Zone 1a
Rocky Mountain goldenrod Solidago multiradiata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Ross' avens Geum rossii	Wildflower (forb)	5 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 10a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
salmonberry Rubus spectabilis	Vine	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Siberian springbeauty Claytonia sibirica	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis	Tree	200 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum	Fern	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
subalpine fleabane Erigeron peregrinus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
sweetgrass Hierochloe odorata	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
swordleaf rush Juncus ensifolius	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tall cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
tall Jacob's-ladder Polemonium acutiflorum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
three-hulled rush Juncus triglumis	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
thrift seapink Armeria maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
Tilesius' wormwood Artemisia tilesii	Wildflower (forb)	36 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 1a
tufted bulrush Trichophorum cespitosum	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile	Fern	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
wideleaf polargrass Arctagrostis latifolia	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
woolly geranium Geranium erianthum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	—	Zone 5a
yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b

Other native species recorded here 48

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

Aleutian maidenhair Adiantum aleuticum
alpine bluegrass Poa alpina
alpine fescue Festuca brachyphylla
American rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
Bering's tufted hairgrass Deschampsia beringensis
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
dwarf scouringrush Equisetum scirpoides
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
lyrate rockcress Arabis lyrata
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
Mingan moonwort Botrychium minganense
moss campion Silene acaulis
northern bentgrass Agrostis mertensii
northern hollyfern Polystichum lonchitis
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
seaside sandplant Honckenya peploides
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
slender bog orchid Platanthera stricta
slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
snowline wintergreen Pyrola minor
spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
twinflower Linnaea borealis
variegated scouringrush Equisetum variegatum
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida

Also listed as native and introduced here 3

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

American red raspberryRubus idaeus
claspleaf twistedstalkStreptopus amplexifolius
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Alaska

The typical county is the median of the 24 Alaska counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Aleutians West Census Area and Alaska
Measure	Aleutians West Census Area	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	138	237	503
Garden-ready natives	90	149	294
Tree	2	—	40
Shrub	14	—	55
Wildflower (forb)	65	—	234
Grass or grass-like	38	—	132
Vine	5	—	8
Fern	14	—	34

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: Aleutians West Census Area (county FIPS 02016), Alaska. 138 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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