Native plants · North Dakota

Native plants of Ward County

362 plant species are recorded as native to North Dakota in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Ward County by USDA PLANTS. 177 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

Ward County, North Dakota

Native species
362 Typical North Dakota county: 287 (median of 53 counties)
Garden-ready natives
177 Typical North Dakota county: 143
Share by type (all 362 native species)
Percent of the 362 native species in each growth type
Tree 6% (20)
Shrub 6% (22)
Wildflower (forb) 60% (219)
Grass or grass-like 23% (82)
Vine 3% (12)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (60%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (23%).

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 4a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 177

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

Garden-ready native plants of Ward County, North Dakota
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy 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 hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
American plum Prunus americana Tree 24 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
American red raspberry Rubus idaeus Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 1a
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
arumleaf arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
balsam poplar Populus balsamifera Tree 80 ft Sun High Zone 1a
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 4b
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
bog willowherb Epilobium leptophyllum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
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
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
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
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
cloaked bulrush Scirpus pallidus Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun High 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 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 spikerush Eleocharis palustris Grass or grass-like 1.3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High 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
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 4a
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
downy paintedcup Castilleja sessiliflora Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium Wildflower (forb) 5.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
foothill arnica Arnica fulgens Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
Gardner's saltbush Atriplex gardneri Shrub 4 ft Sun Low 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
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Wildflower (forb) 9.8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
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
Lewis flax Linum lewisii Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
littleleaf buttercup Ranunculus abortivus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
longstalk starwort Stellaria longipes Wildflower (forb) 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun — Zone 1a
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
nannyberry Viburnum lentago Tree 28 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
northern bedstraw Galium boreale Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
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
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica Tree 30 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
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 dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis Grass or grass-like 2.3 ft Sun–part shade Low 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
prickly rose Rosa acicularis Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
roadside agrimony Agrimonia striata Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper Wildflower (forb) 2.1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundleaf serviceberry Amelanchier sanguinea Tree 10 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa Shrub 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 1a
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata Grass or grass-like 1.1 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
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
sea milkwort Glaux maritima Wildflower (forb) 11 in Sun High Zone 4a
shining willow Salix lucida Tree 13 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea Tree 18 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
silver sagebrush Artemisia cana Shrub 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
silverberry Elaeagnus commutata Shrub 12 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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 cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
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
star duckweed Lemna trisulca Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun High Zone 3b
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
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
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides Grass or grass-like 4 in Sun High Zone 3b
textile onion Allium textile Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
thickspike wheatgrass Elymus lanceolatus Grass or grass-like 2.3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
threadleaf sedge Carex filifolia Grass or grass-like 1.2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
threelobe beggarticks Bidens tripartita Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum Vine 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
toad rush Juncus bufonius Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 12a
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
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
Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile Fern 3 ft Sun High Zone 4a
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 5a
western snowberry Symphoricarpos occidentalis Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Low 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 doll's daisy Boltonia asteroides Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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 prairie clover Dalea candida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
winterfat Krascheninnikovia lanata Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 2a
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 owl's-clover Orthocarpus luteus Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 185

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 dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
  • American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
  • American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
  • aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
  • Aunt Lucy Ellisia nyctelea
  • autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
  • autumn onion Allium stellatum
  • bald spikerush Eleocharis erythropoda
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
  • biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
  • big devils beggartick Bidens vulgata
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • blue giant hyssop Agastache foeniculum
  • bluntleaf sandwort Moehringia lateriflora
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
  • bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
  • Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
  • Canadian gooseberry Ribes oxyacanthoides
  • candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
  • carelessweed Cyclachaena xanthiifolia
  • clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
  • clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
  • common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
  • common milkweed Asclepias syriaca
  • common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
  • cream pea Lathyrus ochroleucus
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
  • Drummond's campion Silene drummondii
  • earlyleaf brome Bromus latiglumis
  • Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
  • entireleaved thelypody Thelypodium integrifolium
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • fireberry hawthorn Crataegus chrysocarpa
  • fiveangled dodder Cuscuta pentagona
  • flat-top goldentop Euthamia graminifolia
  • 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
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • Gmelin's buttercup Ranunculus gmelinii
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
  • hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
  • hairy four o'clock Mirabilis hirsuta
  • hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
  • hairy wildrye Elymus villosus
  • hazel dodder Cuscuta coryli
  • heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
  • heavy sedge Carex gravida
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
  • hoary puccoon Lithospermum canescens
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
  • large Indian breadroot Pediomelum esculentum
  • Laxmann's milkvetch Astragalus laxmannii
  • leathery knotweed Polygonum achoreum
  • lesser spikemoss Selaginella densa
  • lilac penstemon Penstemon gracilis
  • limber honeysuckle Lonicera dioica
  • long-stolon sedge Carex inops
  • longstyle sweetroot Osmorhiza longistylis
  • Louisiana broomrape Orobanche ludoviciana
  • lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
  • Macoun's barley ×Elyhordeum macounii
  • manybranched pepperweed Lepidium ramosissimum
  • manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
  • marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
  • Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
  • Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
  • meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
  • meadow willow Salix petiolaris
  • meadow zizia Zizia aptera
  • mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
  • mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
  • narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
  • narrowleaf hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum
  • narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
  • nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
  • nodding stickseed Hackelia deflexa
  • northern bog aster Symphyotrichum boreale
  • northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
  • Northern Idaho biscuitroot Lomatium orientale
  • northern sweetgrass Hierochloe hirta
  • northern water plantain Alisma triviale
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • palespike lobelia Lobelia spicata
  • Paradox cinquefoil Potentilla paradoxa
  • Peck's sedge Carex peckii
  • Pennsylvania cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica
  • Pennsylvania pellitory Parietaria pensylvanica
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • plains bluegrass Poa arida
  • plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
  • pleated gentian Gentiana affinis
  • Porter brome Bromus porteri
  • povertyweed Iva axillaris
  • prairie rose Rosa arkansana
  • prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
  • prairie violet Viola pedatifida
  • purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
  • purple rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes racemosa
  • Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
  • pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
  • rayless alkali aster Symphyotrichum ciliatum
  • red baneberry Actaea rubra
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • Richardson's alumroot Heuchera richardsonii
  • Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
  • rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
  • roughfruit fairybells Prosartes trachycarpa
  • rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • Sartwell's sedge Carex sartwellii
  • scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
  • scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
  • scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
  • seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
  • shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
  • shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
  • shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
  • sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
  • silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
  • silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
  • small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
  • small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
  • smooth rose Rosa blanda
  • smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum
  • spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
  • Sprengel's sedge Carex sprengelii
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
  • strict blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium montanum
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
  • thinleaf cottonsedge Eriophorum viridicarinatum
  • tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • veiny meadow-rue Thalictrum venulosum
  • veiny pea Lathyrus venosus
  • velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
  • Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • water mudwort Limosella aquatica
  • western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
  • western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
  • whorl-leaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum verticillatum
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • whorled milkwort Polygala verticillata
  • wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • wood bluegrass Poa nemoralis
  • wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
  • woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
  • woodland draba Draba nemorosa
  • woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • yellow avens Geum aleppicum
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 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.

Native species counts, Ward County and North Dakota
MeasureWard CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 362 287 890
Garden-ready natives 177 143 386
Tree 20 — 50
Shrub 22 — 62
Wildflower (forb) 219 — 513
Grass or grass-like 82 — 203
Vine 12 — 31
Fern 7 — 31

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Ward 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
Ward County (county FIPS 38101), North Dakota. 362 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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