Native plants · Alaska

Native plants of Ketchikan Gateway Borough

149 plant species are recorded as native to Alaska in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Ketchikan Gateway Borough by USDA PLANTS. 96 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska

Native species: 149 Typical Alaska county: 237 (median of 24 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 96 Typical Alaska county: 149
Share by type (all 149 native species): Percent of the 149 native species in each growth type

Tree 9% (13)
Shrub 11% (17)
Wildflower (forb) 41% (61)
Grass or grass-like 27% (40)
Vine 3% (4)
Fern 9% (14)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (41%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (27%).

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 zone 7b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 96

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

Garden-ready native plants of Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alaska cedar Callitropsis nootkatensis	Tree	75 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alpine bistort Polygonum viviparum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
alpine laurel Kalmia microphylla	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
beach pea Lathyrus japonicus	Vine	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
bearded fescue Festuca subulata	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
black crowberry Empetrum nigrum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
bluebunch wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arnica Arnica latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bunchberry dogwood Cornus canadensis	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
chamisso sedge Carex pachystachya	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	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 rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
copperbush Elliottia pyroliflora	Shrub	5 ft	—	—	Zone 5a
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
deer fern Blechnum spicant	Fern	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
Douglas aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Eschscholtz's buttercup Ranunculus eschscholtzii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
jointleaf rush Juncus articulatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
lesser bladderwort Utricularia minor	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 3a
livid sedge Carex livida	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Lyngbye's sedge Carex lyngbyei	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 2a
Mertens' rush Juncus mertensianus	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Oregon crab apple Malus fusca	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 10a
oval-leaf blueberry Vaccinium ovalifolium	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Pacific silver fir Abies amabilis	Tree	165 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
red alder Alnus rubra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
red huckleberry Vaccinium parvifolium	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
rose spirea Spiraea douglasii	Shrub	7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
salal Gaultheria shallon	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
salmonberry Rubus spectabilis	Vine	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
sea milkwort Glaux maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Siberian springbeauty Claytonia sibirica	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis	Tree	200 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Sitka willow Salix sitchensis	Tree	23 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
spiked woodrush Luzula spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
squashberry Viburnum edule	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
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
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
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
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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 sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
western columbine Aquilegia formosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla	Tree	170 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
western redcedar Thuja plicata	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
western swordfern Polystichum munitum	Fern	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
white marsh marigold Caltha leptosepala	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 53

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 fescue Festuca brachyphylla
alpine pondweed Potamogeton alpinus
Bering's tufted hairgrass Deschampsia beringensis
boreal bog sedge Carex magellanica
bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
brightgreen spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes-ramosum
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
Buxbaum's sedge Carex buxbaumii
English sundew Drosera anglica
fewflower sedge Carex pauciflora
flatleaf bladderwort Utricularia intermedia
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
green false hellebore Veratrum viride
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
inundated clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata
lesser roundleaved orchid Platanthera orbiculata
long beechfern Phegopteris connectilis
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
moss campion Silene acaulis
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
northern bentgrass Agrostis mertensii
northern bugleweed Lycopus uniflorus
northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
northern hollyfern Polystichum lonchitis
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
rannoch-rush Scheuchzeria palustris
red baneberry Actaea rubra
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
seaside sandplant Honckenya peploides
seawrack Zostera marina
single delight Moneses uniflora
slender bog orchid Platanthera stricta
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
sticky tofieldia Triantha glutinosa
swaying bulrush Schoenoplectus subterminalis
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
thread rush Juncus filiformis
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
threeleaf goldthread Coptis trifolia
tree groundpine Lycopodium dendroideum
twinflower Linnaea borealis
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
variegated scouringrush Equisetum variegatum
waterawlwort Subularia aquatica
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
white beaksedge Rhynchospora alba

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, Ketchikan Gateway Borough and Alaska
Measure	Ketchikan Gateway Borough	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	149	237	503
Garden-ready natives	96	149	294
Tree	13	—	40
Shrub	17	—	55
Wildflower (forb)	61	—	234
Grass or grass-like	40	—	132
Vine	4	—	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: Ketchikan Gateway Borough (county FIPS 02130), Alaska. 149 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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