Native plants · California

Native plants of Solano County

235 plant species are recorded as native to California in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Solano County by USDA PLANTS. 158 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Solano County, California

Native species
235 Typical California county: 333 (median of 58 counties)
Garden-ready natives
158 Typical California county: 239
Share by type (all 235 native species)
Percent of the 235 native species in each growth type
Tree 13% (30)
Shrub 8% (18)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (121)
Grass or grass-like 24% (57)
Vine 2% (4)
Fern 2% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (24%).

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 zone 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 158

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

Garden-ready native plants of Solano County, California
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 3b
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade 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
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
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
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
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 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
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 damsonium Damasonium californicum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
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 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 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
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
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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 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
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
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
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
dwarf rose Rosa gymnocarpa Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense Fern 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
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
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
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
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
lacy phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
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
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
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 alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana Grass or grass-like 10 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun Medium Zone 12a
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor Shrub 12 ft Sun High Zone 8a
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 aster Symphyotrichum chilense Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade 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
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
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
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
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
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
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
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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 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
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
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Grass or grass-like 9 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
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
sweetscent Pluchea odorata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
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
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
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla Wildflower (forb) — 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
wavyleaf Indian paintbrush Castilleja applegatei Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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 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
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 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.

  • 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
  • bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
  • bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
  • bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
  • Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • chaffweed Anagallis minima
  • chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
  • clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
  • coast tarweed Madia sativa
  • coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • least duckweed Lemna minuta
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
  • Mexican lovegrass Eragrostis mexicana
  • Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
  • muskflower Mimulus moschatus
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
  • oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • povertyweed Iva axillaris
  • prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
  • prairie plantain Plantago elongata
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
  • ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
  • rosemallow Hibiscus lasiocarpos
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
  • seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
  • slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
  • southern cattail Typha domingensis
  • southern sandbur Cenchrus echinatus
  • southwestern waterwort Elatine rubella
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
  • threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
  • trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • turion duckweed Lemna turionifera
  • upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
  • verrucose seapurslane Sesuvium verrucosum
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • water pygmyweed Crassula aquatica
  • western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
  • whorled marshpennywort Hydrocotyle verticillata
  • willow dock Rumex salicifolius
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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, Solano County and California
MeasureSolano CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 235 333 1,108
Garden-ready natives 158 239 720
Tree 30 — 111
Shrub 18 — 140
Wildflower (forb) 121 — 559
Grass or grass-like 57 — 253
Vine 4 — 16
Fern 5 — 29

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Solano 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
Solano County (county FIPS 06095), California. 235 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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