Native plants · Kansas

Native plants of Wichita County

143 plant species are recorded as native to Kansas in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Wichita County by USDA PLANTS. 57 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

Wichita County, Kansas

Native species: 143 Typical Kansas county: 335 (median of 105 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 57 Typical Kansas county: 141
Share by type (all 143 native species): Percent of the 143 native species in each growth type

Tree 3% (5)
Shrub 4% (6)
Wildflower (forb) 65% (93)
Grass or grass-like 24% (34)
Vine 1% (2)
Fern 2% (3)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (65%), 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 6a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 57

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

Garden-ready native plants of Wichita County, Kansas
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy 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
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae	Shrub	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12b
green prairie coneflower Ratibida tagetes	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
little barley Hordeum pusillum	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata	Grass or grass-like	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand bluestem Andropogon hallii	Grass or grass-like	6.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
white prairie clover Dalea candida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
woolly locoweed Astragalus mollissimus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 86

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 bugseed Corispermum americanum
Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
Carolina draba Draba reptans
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
mealy goosefoot Chenopodium incanum
Michaux's stitchwort Minuartia michauxii
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
pale dock Rumex altissimus
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixangle spurge Euphorbia hexagona
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
spinystar Escobaria vivipara
stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
Texas croton Croton texensis
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
veiny dock Rumex venosus
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woolly tidestromia Tidestromia lanuginosa

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 Kansas

The typical county is the median of the 105 Kansas 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, Wichita County and Kansas
Measure	Wichita County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	143	335	1,264
Garden-ready natives	57	141	447
Tree	5	—	88
Shrub	6	—	42
Wildflower (forb)	93	—	752
Grass or grass-like	34	—	285
Vine	2	—	61
Fern	3	—	36

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Wichita County.

Logan County, KS 80 garden-ready
Scott County, KS 103 garden-ready
Wallace County, KS 80 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: Wichita County (county FIPS 20203), Kansas. 143 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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