Native plants · California

Native plants of Santa Cruz County

277 plant species are recorded as native to California in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Santa Cruz County by USDA PLANTS. 192 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Santa Cruz County, California

Native species: 277 Typical California county: 333 (median of 58 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 192 Typical California county: 239
Share by type (all 277 native species): Percent of the 277 native species in each growth type

Tree 15% (41)
Shrub 10% (27)
Wildflower (forb) 45% (125)
Grass or grass-like 25% (69)
Vine 3% (7)
Fern 3% (8)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (45%), 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 10a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 192

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

Garden-ready native plants of Santa Cruz County, California
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alaska oniongrass Melica subulata	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
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 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
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
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
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
Bishop pine Pinus muricata	Tree	90 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 9a
bitter cherry Prunus emarginata	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blue wildrye Elymus glaucus	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
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
buckbrush Ceanothus cuneatus	Shrub	11 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
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 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
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
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
Columbia brome Bromus vulgaris	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
common beargrass Xerophyllum tenax	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
deer fern Blechnum spicant	Fern	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
deerbrush Ceanothus integerrimus	Shrub	13 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
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
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
foothill needlegrass Nassella lepida	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
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 tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
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
hollyleaf cherry Prunus ilicifolia	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
Hooker's evening primrose Oenothera elata	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
Idaho fescue Festuca idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
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
largeflower linanthus Leptosiphon grandiflorus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
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
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
Monterey pine Pinus radiata	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 9b
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 alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
Oregon ash Fraxinus latifolia	Tree	70 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
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
Pacific rhododendron Rhododendron macrophyllum	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 8a
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Medium	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
pointleaf manzanita Arctostaphylos pungens	Shrub	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 9b
ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa	Tree	223 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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 goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 12b
red huckleberry Vaccinium parvifolium	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
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
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	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
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
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
Siberian springbeauty Claytonia sibirica	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
silky beach pea Lathyrus littoralis	Vine	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
Sitka willow Salix sitchensis	Tree	23 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
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
snowbrush ceanothus Ceanothus velutinus	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
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
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
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
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
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
thrift seapink Armeria maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	Medium	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
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
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
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
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 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 Labrador tea Ledum glandulosum	Shrub	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	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 water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
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
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

Other native species recorded here 85

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 wild carrot Daucus pusillus
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
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
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
husk tomato Physalis pubescens
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
keeled bulrush Isolepis carinata
least duckweed Lemna minuta
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
low spearwort Ranunculus pusillus
manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
Mexican lovegrass Eragrostis mexicana
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
neckweed Veronica peregrina
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
povertyweed Iva axillaris
Powell's amaranth Amaranthus powellii
Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
red baneberry Actaea rubra
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
shortseed waterwort Elatine brachysperma
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
southern cattail Typha domingensis
spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
swollen duckweed Lemna gibba
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
turion duckweed Lemna turionifera
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
willow dock Rumex salicifolius
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly sedge Carex pellita
Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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.

beach strawberryFragaria chiloensis
biennial wormwoodArtemisia biennis
floating primrose-willowLudwigia peploides
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, Santa Cruz County and California
Measure	Santa Cruz County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	277	333	1,108
Garden-ready natives	192	239	720
Tree	41	—	111
Shrub	27	—	140
Wildflower (forb)	125	—	559
Grass or grass-like	69	—	253
Vine	7	—	16
Fern	8	—	29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Santa Cruz County.

Monterey County, CA 221 garden-ready
Santa Clara County, CA 182 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: Santa Cruz County (county FIPS 06087), California. 277 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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