Natives by ZIP

Native plants recorded in your state and county

Native plants · California

Native plants of Merced County

183 plant species are recorded as native to California in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Merced County by USDA PLANTS. 109 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Merced County, California

Native species
183 Typical California county: 333 (median of 58 counties)
Garden-ready natives
109 Typical California county: 239
Share by type (all 183 native species)
Percent of the 183 native species in each growth type
Tree 9% (16)
Shrub 4% (8)
Wildflower (forb) 59% (108)
Grass or grass-like 25% (45)
Vine <1% (1)
Fern 3% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (59%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (25%).

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 9a to 9b (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 109

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

Garden-ready native plants of Merced County, California
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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 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
bastardsage Eriogonum wrightii Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
beardless wildrye Leymus triticoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
big saltbush Atriplex lentiformis Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 4b
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
boraxweed Nitrophila occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
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 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 damsonium Damasonium californicum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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 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 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 wildrose Rosa californica Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 8a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
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 duckweed Lemna minor Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
common maidenhair Adiantum capillus-veneris Fern 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
common reed Phragmites australis Shrub 13 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
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
desert needlegrass Achnatherum speciosum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
Eastern Mojave buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
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
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
giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum Tree 200 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
Goodding's willow Salix gooddingii Tree 40 ft Sun High Zone 5a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus Grass or grass-like 9.8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Hooker's evening primrose Oenothera elata Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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
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
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 4a
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
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis Grass or grass-like 8 in Sun Medium Zone 5a
Oregon ash Fraxinus latifolia Tree 70 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
purple needlegrass Nassella pulchra Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8b
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 11a
rockloving erigeron Erigeron petrophilus Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 8a
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
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
scarlet monkeyflower Mimulus cardinalis Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High 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
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
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
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
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides Grass or grass-like 4 in Sun High Zone 3b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum Vine 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
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
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
valley oak Quercus lobata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
valley redstem Ammannia coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 5a
waterthread pondweed Potamogeton diversifolius Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 3b
wavyleaf Indian paintbrush Castilleja applegatei Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
white alder Alnus rhombifolia Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
widgeongrass Ruppia maritima Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 7a
yerba mansa Anemopsis californica Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 9b

Other native species recorded here 74

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
  • American bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
  • American black nightshade Solanum americanum
  • American pillwort Pilularia americana
  • arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • chaffweed Anagallis minima
  • chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
  • common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
  • cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
  • creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
  • desert horsepurslane Trianthema portulacastrum
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
  • flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
  • floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • grand redstem Ammannia robusta
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
  • hookedspur violet Viola adunca
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • least duckweed Lemna minuta
  • lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
  • manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
  • marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
  • Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
  • Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
  • prairie plantain Plantago elongata
  • prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • saline saltbush Atriplex subspicata
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
  • Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
  • shortseed waterwort Elatine brachysperma
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
  • southern cattail Typha domingensis
  • spiny naiad Najas marina
  • spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • swollen duckweed Lemna gibba
  • Texas bergia Bergia texana
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
  • Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
  • verrucose seapurslane Sesuvium verrucosum
  • water pygmyweed Crassula aquatica
  • wedgeleaf draba Draba cuneifolia
  • western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
  • whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • yellow spikerush Eleocharis flavescens
  • yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia
Also listed as native and introduced here 2

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.

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, Merced County and California
MeasureMerced CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 183 333 1,108
Garden-ready natives 109 239 720
Tree 16 — 111
Shrub 8 — 140
Wildflower (forb) 108 — 559
Grass or grass-like 45 — 253
Vine 1 — 16
Fern 5 — 29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Merced 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
Merced County (county FIPS 06047), California. 183 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

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.