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Native plants recorded in your state and county

Native plants · California

Native plants of Santa Clara County

275 plant species are recorded as native to California in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Santa Clara County by USDA PLANTS. 182 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

Santa Clara County, California

Native species
275 Typical California county: 333 (median of 58 counties)
Garden-ready natives
182 Typical California county: 239
Share by type (all 275 native species)
Percent of the 275 native species in each growth type
Tree 16% (44)
Shrub 9% (25)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (139)
Grass or grass-like 19% (53)
Vine 2% (5)
Fern 3% (9)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), 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 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 182

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

Garden-ready native plants of Santa Clara County, California
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
Alaska oniongrass Melica subulata Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
annual hairgrass Deschampsia danthonioides Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
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
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
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
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
broadleaf lupine Lupinus latifolius Wildflower (forb) 25 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
Brown's peony Paeonia brownii Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 5a
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 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 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 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
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
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
coastal sage scrub oak Quercus dumosa Tree 9 ft Sun Low Zone 9b
Columbia brome Bromus vulgaris Grass or grass-like 1 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 5a
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor Wildflower (forb) — Sun High 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
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
deerbrush Ceanothus integerrimus Shrub 13 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Tree 200 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
dwarf rose Rosa gymnocarpa Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
Eastern Mojave buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense Fern 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
fineleaf pondweed Stuckenia filiformis Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
foothill needlegrass Nassella lepida Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
freckled milkvetch Astragalus lentiginosus Shrub 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
golden currant Ribes aureum Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
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
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
hollyleaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia Tree 40 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
hollyleaved barberry Mahonia aquifolium Shrub 8 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3a
Hooker's evening primrose Oenothera elata Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
incense cedar Calocedrus decurrens Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
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
largeflower hawksbeard Crepis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 11 in Sun Low Zone 5a
largeflower linanthus Leptosiphon grandiflorus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
little western bittercress Cardamine oligosperma Wildflower (forb) 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
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
mountain brome Bromus marginatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
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
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
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun Medium Zone 12a
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor Shrub 12 ft Sun High Zone 8a
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 dogwood Cornus nuttallii Tree 50 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
Pacific madrone Arbutus menziesii Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8b
Pacific ninebark Physocarpus capitatus Shrub 8 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
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
ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa Tree 223 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Port Orford cedar Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Tree 200 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
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
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
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa Shrub 4 ft Sun Medium 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
saltmarsh bird's-beak Cordylanthus maritimus Wildflower (forb) 1.7 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
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 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
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
Sitka willow Salix sitchensis Tree 23 ft Sun High Zone 5b
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
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
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Low 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
tall trisetum Trisetum canescens Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
tanoak Notholithocarpus densiflorus Tree 125 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 8a
tarweed fiddleneck Amsinckia lycopsoides Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus Shrub 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
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
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
Utah serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
valley oak Quercus lobata Tree 100 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
Virginia glasswort Salicornia depressa Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 8b
wartleaf ceanothus Ceanothus papillosus Shrub 16 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 9b
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
western columbine Aquilegia formosa Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
western fescue Festuca occidentalis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3a
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
western swordfern Polystichum munitum Fern 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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 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
white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
whitebark raspberry Rubus leucodermis Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
widgeongrass Ruppia maritima Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 7a
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 93

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
  • American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
  • American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
  • American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
  • arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis
  • bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
  • blite goosefoot Chenopodium capitatum
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
  • carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
  • 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
  • elk sedge Carex garberi
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
  • floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
  • hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
  • lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
  • largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
  • least duckweed Lemna minuta
  • manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
  • marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
  • meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
  • Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
  • Mexican lovegrass Eragrostis mexicana
  • Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • Porter brome Bromus porteri
  • povertyweed Iva axillaris
  • Powell's amaranth Amaranthus powellii
  • prairie plantain Plantago elongata
  • Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
  • seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
  • 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 pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
  • southern cattail Typha domingensis
  • spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
  • stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
  • summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
  • sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
  • tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
  • tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
  • Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
  • threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
  • tower rockcress Arabis glabra
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • water mudwort Limosella aquatica
  • water pygmyweed Crassula aquatica
  • western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
  • western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • willow dock Rumex salicifolius
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
  • Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
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, Santa Clara County and California
MeasureSanta Clara CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 275 333 1,108
Garden-ready natives 182 239 720
Tree 44 — 111
Shrub 25 — 140
Wildflower (forb) 139 — 559
Grass or grass-like 53 — 253
Vine 5 — 16
Fern 9 — 29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Santa Clara 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
Santa Clara County (county FIPS 06085), California. 275 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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