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Native plants recorded in your state and county

Native plants · California

Native plants of Contra Costa County

266 plant species are recorded as native to California in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Contra Costa County by USDA PLANTS. 183 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Contra Costa County, California

Native species
266 Typical California county: 333 (median of 58 counties)
Garden-ready natives
183 Typical California county: 239
Share by type (all 266 native species)
Percent of the 266 native species in each growth type
Tree 14% (36)
Shrub 8% (22)
Wildflower (forb) 52% (137)
Grass or grass-like 23% (61)
Vine 2% (4)
Fern 2% (6)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (52%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).

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 9b to 10a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 183

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

Garden-ready native plants of Contra Costa County, California
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
American speedwell Veronica americana Wildflower (forb) 10 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
American vetch Vicia americana Vine 1.3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus Wildflower (forb) 1.8 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
annual hairgrass Deschampsia danthonioides Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
awl-leaf lilaea Lilaea scilloides Grass or grass-like 10 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
beaked spikerush Eleocharis rostellata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 4b
beardless wildrye Leymus triticoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
big deervetch Lotus crassifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
bigberry manzanita Arctostaphylos glauca Tree 18 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8b
bigflower agoseris Agoseris grandiflora Wildflower (forb) 1.8 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllum Tree 60 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6a
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 4b
Bishop pine Pinus muricata Tree 90 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 9a
bitter cherry Prunus emarginata Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blue oak Quercus douglasii Tree 60 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
blue wildrye Elymus glaucus Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
buckbrush Ceanothus cuneatus Shrub 11 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
bunchleaf penstemon Penstemon heterophyllus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 9a
California amaranth Amaranthus californicus Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
California black oak Quercus kelloggii Tree 85 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
California blackberry Rubus ursinus Shrub 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
California brome Bromus carinatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
California buckeye Aesculus californica Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7b
California buckthorn Frangula californica Tree 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
California bulrush Schoenoplectus californicus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 9a
California fescue Festuca californica Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
California foothill pine Pinus sabiniana Tree 80 ft Sun Low Zone 8b
California huckleberry Vaccinium ovatum Shrub 8 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 8a
California laurel Umbellularia californica Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 6a
California live oak Quercus agrifolia Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
California melicgrass Melica californica Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a
California oatgrass Danthonia californica Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 9a
California poppy Eschscholzia californica Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a
California sycamore Platanus racemosa Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
California wax myrtle Morella californica Tree 33 ft Sun Medium Zone 9b
California wildrose Rosa californica Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8a
California yerba santa Eriodictyon californicum Shrub 8 ft Sun Low Zone 7a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepis Tree 90 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 8b
Cascade barberry Mahonia nervosa Shrub 2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5b
chamise Adenostoma fasciculatum Shrub 10 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
common reed Phragmites australis Shrub 13 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common rush Juncus effusus Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus Shrub 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common sunflower Helianthus annuus Wildflower (forb) 9 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum Wildflower (forb) — Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
Coulter pine Pinus coulteri Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 8b
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
coyotebrush Baccharis pilularis Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 9b
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
dwarf rose Rosa gymnocarpa Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
dwarf spikerush Eleocharis parvula Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
false daisy Eclipta prostrata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
fineleaf pondweed Stuckenia filiformis Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
foothill needlegrass Nassella lepida Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 11b
Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii Tree 90 ft Sun High Zone 6a
Gardner's yampah Perideridia gairdneri Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
giant chinquapin Chrysolepis chrysophylla Tree 100 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
giant wildrye Leymus condensatus Grass or grass-like 8.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Goodding's willow Salix gooddingii Tree 40 ft Sun High Zone 5a
greenleaf fescue Festuca viridula Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus Grass or grass-like 9.8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Hooker's evening primrose Oenothera elata Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
Indian plum Oemleria cerasiformis Tree 5 ft Sun–part shade — Zone 10a
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Klamath plum Prunus subcordata Tree 25 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
knotgrass Paspalum distichum Grass or grass-like 11 in Sun High Zone 6a
lacy phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Lewis flax Linum lewisii Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
little western bittercress Cardamine oligosperma Wildflower (forb) 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
longhair sedge Carex comosa Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus Grass or grass-like 10 in Sun Medium Zone 5b
miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 12b
mule-fat Baccharis salicifolia Shrub 10 ft Sun Medium Zone 7a
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Nebraska sedge Carex nebrascensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
nodding needlegrass Nassella cernua Grass or grass-like 2.6 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun Medium Zone 12a
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor Shrub 12 ft Sun High Zone 8a
oniongrass Melica bulbosa Grass or grass-like 1.8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
Oregon ash Fraxinus latifolia Tree 70 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
Oregon white oak Quercus garryana Tree 80 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
Pacific aster Symphyotrichum chilense Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Pacific bleeding heart Dicentra formosa Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
Pacific madrone Arbutus menziesii Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8b
pale yellow lupine Lupinus luteolus Wildflower (forb) 2.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus Grass or grass-like 5.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
pinegrass Calamagrostis rubescens Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
purple needlegrass Nassella pulchra Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8b
redberry buckthorn Rhamnus crocea Tree 5 ft Sun Low Zone 9b
redflower currant Ribes sanguineum Shrub 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8a
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea Tree 12 ft Sun High Zone 3b
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
redwood Sequoia sempervirens Tree 250 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 8a
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis Grass or grass-like 6.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
rockloving erigeron Erigeron petrophilus Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 8a
Rocky Mountain iris Iris missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper Wildflower (forb) 2.1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata Grass or grass-like 1.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
scarlet monkeyflower Mimulus cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
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
seashore bentgrass Agrostis pallens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
shiny chickweed Stellaria nitens Wildflower (forb) 10 in Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 12a
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina Wildflower (forb) 6 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata Shrub 4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 2a
slender cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
slender clarkia Clarkia gracilis Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
slough sedge Carex obnupta Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 7a
smallflower melicgrass Melica imperfecta Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Low Zone 10a
smooth beggartick Bidens laevis Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum Fern 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
spreading alkaliweed Cressa truxillensis Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun Medium Zone 6a
squirreltail Elymus elymoides Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sturdy bulrush Bolboschoenus robustus Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 8a
sulphur-flower buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum Shrub 1 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
sweetscent Pluchea odorata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
tall trisetum Trisetum canescens Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
tapertip onion Allium acuminatum Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
tarweed fiddleneck Amsinckia lycopsoides Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus Wildflower (forb) 5 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
toad rush Juncus bufonius Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 12a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa Grass or grass-like 3.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
Utah serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
valdivia duckweed Lemna valdiviana Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 4a
valley oak Quercus lobata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Virginia glasswort Salicornia depressa Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 8b
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 columbine Aquilegia formosa Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
western swordfern Polystichum munitum Fern 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
western waterleaf Hydrophyllum occidentale Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
white alder Alnus rhombifolia Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
white hawkweed Hieracium albiflorum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
whiteleaf manzanita Arctostaphylos manzanita Shrub 8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5a
yellow bush lupine Lupinus arboreus Shrub 6 ft Sun Low Zone 9b
yerba mansa Anemopsis californica Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 9b

Other native species recorded here 83

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.

  • American bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
  • American black nightshade Solanum americanum
  • American pillwort Pilularia americana
  • American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
  • American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
  • arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis
  • blite goosefoot Chenopodium capitatum
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • chaffweed Anagallis minima
  • chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
  • clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
  • coast tarweed Madia sativa
  • cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • ditch rabbitsfoot grass Polypogon interruptus
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
  • hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • hybrid cattail Typha ×glauca
  • Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
  • least duckweed Lemna minuta
  • Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
  • Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
  • narrowleaf minerslettuce Montia linearis
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • povertyweed Iva axillaris
  • prairie plantain Plantago elongata
  • red baneberry Actaea rubra
  • rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • saline saltbush Atriplex subspicata
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
  • seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
  • seawrack Zostera marina
  • shortseed waterwort Elatine brachysperma
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
  • slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
  • small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
  • southern cattail Typha domingensis
  • spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
  • stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
  • summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
  • swollen duckweed Lemna gibba
  • tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
  • Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
  • threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
  • tower rockcress Arabis glabra
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • water pygmyweed Crassula aquatica
  • western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
  • whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
  • willow dock Rumex salicifolius
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
Also listed as native and introduced here 1

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.

  • floating primrose-willowLudwigia peploides

Compared with California

The typical county is the median of the 58 California 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, Contra Costa County and California
MeasureContra Costa CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 266 333 1,108
Garden-ready natives 183 239 720
Tree 36 — 111
Shrub 22 — 140
Wildflower (forb) 137 — 559
Grass or grass-like 61 — 253
Vine 4 — 16
Fern 6 — 29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Contra Costa County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

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
Contra Costa County (county FIPS 06013), California. 266 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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