Native plants · Alaska

Native plants of Dillingham Census Area

214 plant species are recorded as native to Alaska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Dillingham Census Area by USDA PLANTS. 132 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Dillingham Census Area, Alaska

Native species: 214 Typical Alaska county: 237 (median of 24 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 132 Typical Alaska county: 149
Share by type (all 214 native species): Percent of the 214 native species in each growth type

Tree 7% (16)
Shrub 14% (29)
Wildflower (forb) 42% (89)
Grass or grass-like 28% (59)
Vine 1% (3)
Fern 8% (18)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (42%), 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 4a to 4b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 132

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

Garden-ready native plants of Dillingham Census Area, Alaska
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alaska bog willow Salix fuscescens	Shrub	20 ft	—	—	Zone 11a
alpine aster Aster alpinus	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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 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 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
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera	Tree	80 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
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
beaked sedge Carex rostrata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Bigelow's sedge Carex bigelowii	Grass or grass-like	5 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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
bog Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
boreal sagebrush Artemisia arctica	Shrub	1.5 ft	—	—	Zone 1a
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Chamisso arnica Arnica chamissonis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
chamisso sedge Carex pachystachya	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
chestnut rush Juncus castaneus	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
clasping arnica Arnica amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
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 juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Drummond's rush Juncus drummondii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
fineleaf pondweed Stuckenia filiformis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
glaucous bluegrass Poa glauca	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
grayleaf willow Salix glauca	Tree	4 ft	—	—	Zone 9b
greater creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green alder Alnus viridis	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
Greene's mountain ash Sorbus scopulina	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
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
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
leatherleaf Chamaedaphne calyculata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
lesser bladderwort Utricularia minor	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 3a
lesser panicled sedge Carex diandra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
lingonberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea	Shrub	6 in	Sun	—	Zone 1a
littletree willow Salix arbusculoides	Tree	10 ft	Sun	—	—
livid sedge Carex livida	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
longstalk starwort Stellaria longipes	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Lyngbye's sedge Carex lyngbyei	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 2a
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
marsh grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
marsh Labrador tea Ledum palustre	Shrub	6 in	—	—	Zone 1a
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
Mertens' sedge Carex mertensii	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
mud sedge Carex limosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
netleaf willow Salix reticulata	Shrub	2 in	—	—	Zone 1a
Nootka lupine Lupinus nootkatensis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Nootka rose Rosa nutkana	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern black currant Ribes hudsonianum	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
northern singlespike sedge Carex scirpoidea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
northern water-starwort Callitriche hermaphroditica	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
oval-leaf blueberry Vaccinium ovalifolium	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
paper birch Betula papyrifera	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
pendantgrass Arctophila fulva	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
polar willow Salix polaris	Shrub	2 in	—	—	Zone 1a
prickly rose Rosa acicularis	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
red currant Ribes triste	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 1a
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Richardson's willow Salix richardsonii	Tree	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
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
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
snow arnica Arnica frigida	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
softleaf sedge Carex disperma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
squashberry Viburnum edule	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum	Fern	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
sweetgale Myrica gale	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
sweetgrass Hierochloe odorata	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
tealeaf willow Salix pulchra	Tree	3 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
twoflowered rush Juncus biglumis	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
undergreen willow Salix commutata	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 3b
variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
western water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
wheat sedge Carex atherodes	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
white spruce Picea glauca	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
whitestem pondweed Potamogeton praelongus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
wideleaf polargrass Arctagrostis latifolia	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
woodland horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
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 82

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.

alpine bulrush Trichophorum alpinum
alpine fescue Festuca brachyphylla
alpine milkvetch Astragalus alpinus
alpine pondweed Potamogeton alpinus
American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
American rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
barrenground willow Salix niphoclada
beautiful sandwort Minuartia rubella
Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
Bering's tufted hairgrass Deschampsia beringensis
bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
bog rosemary Andromeda polifolia
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
boreal bog sedge Carex magellanica
boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
brownish sedge Carex brunnescens
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
creeping sedge Carex chordorrhiza
dwarf scouringrush Equisetum scirpoides
English sundew Drosera anglica
feltleaf willow Salix alaxensis
fewflower sedge Carex pauciflora
flatleaf bladderwort Utricularia intermedia
fleshy starwort Stellaria crassifolia
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
Gmelin's buttercup Ranunculus gmelinii
green false hellebore Veratrum viride
groundcedar Lycopodium complanatum
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
lyrate rockcress Arabis lyrata
marsh arrowgrass Triglochin palustris
marsh horsetail Equisetum palustre
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
marsh willowherb Epilobium palustre
meadow horsetail Equisetum pratense
moss campion Silene acaulis
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
northern bentgrass Agrostis mertensii
northern bog sedge Carex gynocrates
northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
northern hollyfern Polystichum lonchitis
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
red baneberry Actaea rubra
resin birch Betula glandulosa
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
rusty woodsia Woodsia ilvensis
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Selkirk's violet Viola selkirkii
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
single delight Moneses uniflora
skunk currant Ribes glandulosum
small bur-reed Sparganium natans
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
snowline wintergreen Pyrola minor
thread rush Juncus filiformis
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
tree groundpine Lycopodium dendroideum
tussock cottongrass Eriophorum vaginatum
twinflower Linnaea borealis
variegated scouringrush Equisetum variegatum
water minerslettuce Montia chamissoi
water mudwort Limosella aquatica
waterawlwort Subularia aquatica
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
yellow avens Geum aleppicum

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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
wild chivesAllium schoenoprasum

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, Dillingham Census Area and Alaska
Measure	Dillingham Census Area	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	214	237	503
Garden-ready natives	132	149	294
Tree	16	—	40
Shrub	29	—	55
Wildflower (forb)	89	—	234
Grass or grass-like	59	—	132
Vine	3	—	8
Fern	18	—	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: Dillingham Census Area (county FIPS 02070), Alaska. 214 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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