Native plants · North Dakota
Native plants of McHenry County
289 plant species are recorded as native to North Dakota in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in McHenry County by USDA PLANTS. 143 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
McHenry County, North Dakota
- Native species
- 289 Typical North Dakota county: 287 (median of 53 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 143 Typical North Dakota county: 143
- Share by type (all 289 native species)
-
Percent of the 289 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (60%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (27%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 143
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| alkali cordgrass Spartina gracilis | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| American black currant Ribes americanum | Shrub | 3 ft | — | — | Zone 2b |
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| American water horehound Lycopus americanus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.8 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata | Wildflower (forb) | 2.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| big bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Grass or grass-like | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2b |
| blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| blanketflower Gaillardia aristata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| blue grama Bouteloua gracilis | Grass or grass-like | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| blue wildrye Elymus glaucus | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| bog birch Betula pumila | Shrub | 20 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Canada germander Teucrium canadense | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| cloaked bulrush Scirpus pallidus | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| closed bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common duckweed Lemna minor | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| common hackberry Celtis occidentalis | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 2b |
| common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common reed Phragmites australis | Shrub | 13 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| common rivergrass Scolochloa festucacea | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12a |
| dotted blazing star Liatris punctata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| fiddleleaf hawksbeard Crepis runcinata | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| field horsetail Equisetum arvense | Fern | 11 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| field pussytoes Antennaria neglecta | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| fowl bluegrass Poa palustris | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata | Grass or grass-like | 5.7 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| golden sedge Carex aurea | Grass or grass-like | 1.2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| green needlegrass Nassella viridula | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| hairy false goldenaster Heterotheca villosa | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus | Grass or grass-like | 9.8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| inland sedge Carex interior | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| jewelweed Impatiens capensis | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 10b |
| knotted rush Juncus nodosus | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| leadplant Amorpha canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 3b |
| little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| little green sedge Carex viridula | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| longstyle rush Juncus longistylis | Grass or grass-like | 1.8 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| marsh grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris | Wildflower (forb) | 2.2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis | Grass or grass-like | 6 in | Sun | High | Zone 4b |
| Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| narrowleaf water plantain Alisma gramineum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| needle and thread Hesperostipa comata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis | Grass or grass-like | 8 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| nodding waternymph Najas flexilis | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12a |
| northern bedstraw Galium boreale | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| northern singlespike sedge Carex scirpoidea | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| Nuttall's sunflower Helianthus nuttallii | Wildflower (forb) | 10 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| old man's whiskers Geum triflorum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| pale agoseris Agoseris glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4b |
| Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| plains muhly Muhlenbergia cuspidata | Grass or grass-like | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata | Grass or grass-like | 8 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha | Grass or grass-like | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| prairie sandreed Calamovilfa longifolia | Grass or grass-like | 4.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| prairie willow Salix humilis | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii | Wildflower (forb) | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| purple milkvetch Astragalus agrestis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| quaking aspen Populus tremuloides | Tree | 65 ft | Sun | High | Zone 1a |
| quill sedge Carex tenera | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| red goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 12b |
| redosier dogwood Cornus sericea | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| river bulrush Bolboschoenus fluviatilis | Grass or grass-like | 6.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| riverbank grape Vitis riparia | Vine | 45 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus | Wildflower (forb) | 6.6 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| sageleaf willow Salix candida | Shrub | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum | Wildflower (forb) | 1.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| sand bluestem Andropogon hallii | Grass or grass-like | 6.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda | Grass or grass-like | 1.4 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Tree | 15 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 1a |
| scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| slender bulrush Schoenoplectus heterochaetus | Grass or grass-like | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| spiked muhly Muhlenbergia glomerata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| spotted joe pye weed Eutrochium maculatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.6 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| switchgrass Panicum virgatum | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| tall cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| textile onion Allium textile | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia | Grass or grass-like | 1.2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum | Vine | 10 in | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus | Wildflower (forb) | 5 in | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 12b |
| Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi | Grass or grass-like | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| troublesome sedge Carex molesta | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa | Grass or grass-like | 3.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera | Wildflower (forb) | 3.1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| upright sedge Carex stricta | Grass or grass-like | 4.2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile | Fern | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| wheat sedge Carex atherodes | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| white meadowsweet Spiraea alba | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| white panicle aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| Woods' rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| woolly groundsel Packera cana | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| woolly plantain Plantago patagonica | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
| yellow evening primrose Oenothera flava | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| yellow owl's-clover Orthocarpus luteus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 146
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- American bugseed Corispermum americanum
- American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
- American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
- autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
- bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
- bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
- Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
- biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
- big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
- blowout grass Redfieldia flexuosa
- bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
- bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
- bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
- brittle pricklypear Opuntia fragilis
- brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
- bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
- buttonbush dodder Cuscuta cephalanthi
- Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
- Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
- common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
- desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
- earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
- eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris
- Emory's sedge Carex emoryi
- Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
- fall rosette grass Dichanthelium wilcoxianum
- falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
- fen grass of Parnassus Parnassia glauca
- fewflower spikerush Eleocharis quinqueflora
- fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
- flat-top goldentop Euthamia graminifolia
- flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- fleshy starwort Stellaria crassifolia
- Flodman's thistle Cirsium flodmanii
- foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
- foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
- fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
- Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
- fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
- Geyer's sandmat Chamaesyce geyeri
- golden zizia Zizia aurea
- Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- greater fringed gentian Gentianopsis crinita
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
- groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
- hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
- heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
- hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
- hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
- large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
- lesser spikemoss Selaginella densa
- lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
- lilac penstemon Penstemon gracilis
- long-stolon sedge Carex inops
- longbract spiderwort Tradescantia bracteata
- longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
- Louisiana broomrape Orobanche ludoviciana
- manybranched pepperweed Lepidium ramosissimum
- marsh arrowgrass Triglochin palustris
- marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
- Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
- Mead's sedge Carex meadii
- meadow willow Salix petiolaris
- meadow zizia Zizia aptera
- mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
- narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
- narrowleaf pondweed Potamogeton strictifolius
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- northern bog aster Symphyotrichum boreale
- northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
- northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
- Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
- northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
- northern water plantain Alisma triviale
- Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
- Ontario lobelia Lobelia kalmii
- palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
- Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
- Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
- pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
- plains bluegrass Poa arida
- plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
- povertyweed Iva axillaris
- prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
- prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
- prairie sedge Carex prairea
- prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
- prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
- purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
- purple rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes racemosa
- redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
- redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
- Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
- Richardson's sedge Carex richardsonii
- rigid sedge Carex tetanica
- Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
- rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
- rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
- seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
- Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
- shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
- shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
- shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
- silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
- silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
- silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
- sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
- slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
- small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
- smooth rose Rosa blanda
- smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
- spinystar Escobaria vivipara
- spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
- stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
- strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
- swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
- tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
- tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
- thinleaf cottonsedge Eriophorum viridicarinatum
- tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
- veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
- velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
- Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
- western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
- wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
- winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
- wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
- woolly sedge Carex pellita
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.
- annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
Compared with North Dakota
The typical county is the median of the 53 North Dakota 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.
| Measure | McHenry County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 289 | 287 | 890 |
| Garden-ready natives | 143 | 143 | 386 |
| Tree | 12 | — | 50 |
| Shrub | 13 | — | 62 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 173 | — | 513 |
| Grass or grass-like | 79 | — | 203 |
| Vine | 6 | — | 31 |
| Fern | 6 | — | 31 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with McHenry County.
- Bottineau County, ND 192 garden-ready
- McLean County, ND 149 garden-ready
- Pierce County, ND 100 garden-ready
- Renville County, ND 59 garden-ready
- Sheridan County, ND 107 garden-ready
- Ward County, ND 177 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
- McHenry County (county FIPS 38049), North Dakota. 289 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