Native plants · California

Native plants of Madera County

291 plant species are recorded as native to California in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Madera County by USDA PLANTS. 214 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

Madera County, California

Native species: 291 Typical California county: 333 (median of 58 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 214 Typical California county: 239
Share by type (all 291 native species): Percent of the 291 native species in each growth type

Tree 14% (42)
Shrub 10% (29)
Wildflower (forb) 54% (158)
Grass or grass-like 19% (55)
Vine 1% (3)
Fern 1% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (54%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (19%).

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 8b to 9b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 214

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

Garden-ready native plants of Madera County, California
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	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
analogue sedge Carex simulata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
annual hairgrass Deschampsia danthonioides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
arctic pearlwort Sagina saginoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
awl-leaf lilaea Lilaea scilloides	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
bastardsage Eriogonum wrightii	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bearded fescue Festuca subulata	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
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
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
bigflower agoseris Agoseris grandiflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
bitter cherry Prunus emarginata	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 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
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
boraxweed Nitrophila occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
Brewer's bittercress Cardamine breweri	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
broadleaf lupine Lupinus latifolius	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
broadlipped twayblade Listera convallarioides	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
buckbrush Ceanothus cuneatus	Shrub	11 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
bush chinquapin Chrysolepis sempervirens	Shrub	7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6b
California black oak Quercus kelloggii	Tree	85 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
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 flannelbush Fremontodendron californicum	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9b
California foothill pine Pinus sabiniana	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8b
California laurel Umbellularia californica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6a
California melicgrass Melica californica	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
California poppy Eschscholzia californica	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
California red fir Abies magnifica	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
California sycamore Platanus racemosa	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
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
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
canyon live oak Quercus chrysolepis	Tree	90 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 8b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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 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
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common sunflower Helianthus annuus	Wildflower (forb)	9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
curl-leaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2b
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Davis' knotweed Polygonum davisiae	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
deerbrush Ceanothus integerrimus	Shrub	13 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
deergrass Muhlenbergia rigens	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 9b
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
doublehorn calicoflower Downingia bicornuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Drummond's rush Juncus drummondii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
dwarf purple monkeyflower Mimulus nanus	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 10b
elephanthead lousewort Pedicularis groenlandica	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
fivespot Nemophila maculata	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
freckled milkvetch Astragalus lentiginosus	Shrub	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
Fresno mat Ceanothus fresnensis	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
Geyer willow Salix geyeriana	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum	Tree	200 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
glaucus willowherb Epilobium glaberrimum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
gooseberry currant Ribes montigenum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
granite prickly phlox Linanthus pungens	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
hairy arnica Arnica mollis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
hollyleaved barberry Mahonia aquifolium	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Idaho bentgrass Agrostis idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
incense cedar Calocedrus decurrens	Tree	100 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi	Tree	180 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
King's sandwort Arenaria kingii	Wildflower (forb)	8 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Klamath plum Prunus subcordata	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
lacy phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
largeflower linanthus Leptosiphon grandiflorus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Lemmon's willow Salix lemmonii	Shrub	14 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
little western bittercress Cardamine oligosperma	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
longstalk starwort Stellaria longipes	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4b
meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
mountain blue penstemon Penstemon laetus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
mountain hemlock Tsuga mertensiana	Tree	125 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
nettleleaf giant hyssop Agastache urticifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
nodding microseris Microseris nutans	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
nodding needlegrass Nassella cernua	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
onespike danthonia Danthonia unispicata	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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 bleeding heart Dicentra formosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
Pacific dogwood Cornus nuttallii	Tree	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Pacific onion Allium validum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Parish's yampah Perideridia parishii	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Parry's rush Juncus parryi	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
pinemat manzanita Arctostaphylos nevadensis	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
primrose monkeyflower Mimulus primuloides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
purple mountainheath Phyllodoce breweri	Shrub	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
purple needlegrass Nassella pulchra	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8b
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
Rainier pleated gentian Gentiana calycosa	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 8a
rayless arnica Arnica ×diversifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	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
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Robbins' pondweed Potamogeton robbinsii	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain goldenrod Solidago multiradiata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Rydberg's penstemon Penstemon rydbergii	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	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
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
scarlet gilia Ipomopsis aggregata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
shaggy lupine Lupinus covillei	Wildflower (forb)	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 9b
shiny chickweed Stellaria nitens	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12a
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Sierra false needlegrass Ptilagrostis kingii	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
Sierra gooseberry Ribes roezlii	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Sierra larkspur Delphinium glaucum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Sierra rush Juncus nevadensis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Sierra willow Salix orestera	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
silverleaf phacelia Phacelia hastata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
small camas Camassia quamash	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
smallflower melicgrass Melica imperfecta	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 10a
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
smallwing sedge Carex microptera	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
spiked woodrush Luzula spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spreading phlox Phlox diffusa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
sticky currant Ribes viscosissimum	Shrub	3.5 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3b
sugar pine Pinus lambertiana	Tree	229 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
Suksdorf's monkeyflower Mimulus suksdorfii	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
sulphur-flower buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8a
tall trisetum Trisetum canescens	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
tarweed fiddleneck Amsinckia lycopsoides	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
thickstem aster Eurybia integrifolia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
timber oatgrass Danthonia intermedia	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
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
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
valley oak Quercus lobata	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
wavyleaf Indian paintbrush Castilleja applegatei	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
wax currant Ribes cereum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
western azalea Rhododendron occidentale	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 8b
western columbine Aquilegia formosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
western juniper Juniperus occidentalis	Tree	33 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
western Labrador tea Ledum glandulosum	Shrub	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
western needlegrass Achnatherum occidentale	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
western polemonium Polemonium occidentale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
western sweetroot Osmorhiza occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
western water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
western waterleaf Hydrophyllum occidentale	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
western white pine Pinus monticola	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
white marsh marigold Caltha leptosepala	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
whitebark pine Pinus albicaulis	Tree	65 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1b
yellow owl's-clover Orthocarpus luteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 12b
yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 77

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 lewisia Lewisia pygmaea
American bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
American pillwort Pilularia americana
American rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
cushion draba Draba breweri
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
least duckweed Lemna minuta
lesser wirelettuce Stephanomeria minor
manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
meadow sedge Carex praticola
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
narrowleaf goosefoot Chenopodium leptophyllum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pinyon goosefoot Chenopodium atrovirens
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
pullup muhly Muhlenbergia filiformis
purple reedgrass Calamagrostis purpurascens
Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
scarlet spiderling Boerhavia coccinea
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
shortseed waterwort Elatine brachysperma
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
strapleaf willow Salix ligulifolia
stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
water minerslettuce Montia chamissoi
water pygmyweed Crassula aquatica
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
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.

Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

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, Madera County and California
Measure	Madera County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	291	333	1,108
Garden-ready natives	214	239	720
Tree	42	—	111
Shrub	29	—	140
Wildflower (forb)	158	—	559
Grass or grass-like	55	—	253
Vine	3	—	16
Fern	4	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Madera County.

Fresno County, CA 332 garden-ready
Mariposa County, CA 278 garden-ready
Merced County, CA 109 garden-ready

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: Madera County (county FIPS 06039), California. 291 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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