Native plants · New Mexico

Native plants of McKinley County

349 plant species are recorded as native to New Mexico in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in McKinley County by USDA PLANTS. 197 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

McKinley County, New Mexico

Native species
349 Typical New Mexico county: 258 (median of 33 counties)
Garden-ready natives
197 Typical New Mexico county: 160
Share by type (all 349 native species)
Percent of the 349 native species in each growth type
Tree 7% (25)
Shrub 11% (40)
Wildflower (forb) 57% (200)
Grass or grass-like 21% (75)
Vine 1% (5)
Fern 1% (4)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (21%).

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 6a to 7a (2023 map).

The native plant list

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

Garden-ready natives 197

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

Garden-ready native plants of McKinley County, New Mexico
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alderleaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus montanus Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
American red raspberry Rubus idaeus Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 1a
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
antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
Apache plume Fallugia paradoxa Shrub 6 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Arizona fescue Festuca arizonica Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Arizona threeawn Aristida arizonica Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 7a
banana yucca Yucca baccata Shrub 4 ft Sun Low Zone 7a
beechleaf frangula Frangula betulifolia Tree 7 ft Shade-tolerant — Zone 5b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata Tree 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Bigelow's tansyaster Machaeranthera bigelovii Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Low Zone 10b
bitter panicgrass Panicum amarum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
black sagebrush Artemisia nova Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
bluebunch wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
broadbeard beardtongue Penstemon angustifolius Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
bud sagebrush Picrothamnus desertorum Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
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
chokecherry Prunus virginiana Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
cliff fendlerbush Fendlera rupicola Shrub 6 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Colorado barberry Berberis fendleri Shrub 6 ft Sun Low Zone 5b
Colorado four o'clock Mirabilis multiflora Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5b
Colorado rush Juncus confusus Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Columbian monkshood Aconitum columbianum Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
common juniper Juniperus communis Tree 10 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 2.8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
creeping barberry Mahonia repens Shrub 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
creeping muhly Muhlenbergia repens Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
dewystem willow Salix irrorata Shrub 6 ft — — Zone 2a
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Tree 200 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Douglas' sedge Carex douglasii Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense Fern 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
foothill deathcamas Zigadenus paniculatus Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens Shrub 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
freckled milkvetch Astragalus lentiginosus Shrub 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
Gambel oak Quercus gambelii Tree 40 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
golden crownbeard Verbesina encelioides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
golden tickseed Coreopsis tinctoria Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12b
Goodding's willow Salix gooddingii Tree 40 ft Sun High Zone 5a
gooseberryleaf globemallow Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5a
granite prickly phlox Linanthus pungens Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
gray aster Eurybia glauca Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
Great Basin lupine Lupinus ×alpestris Wildflower (forb) 2.2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
greater creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
green molly Bassia americana Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
green needlegrass Nassella viridula Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
green prairie coneflower Ratibida tagetes Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus Grass or grass-like 9.8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Hooker's evening primrose Oenothera elata Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
Idaho blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium idahoense Wildflower (forb) 1.7 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
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
James' galleta Pleuraphis jamesii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Shrub 6 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus Wildflower (forb) 1.1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
largeflower hawksbeard Crepis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 11 in Sun Low Zone 5a
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
lemonscent Pectis angustifolia Wildflower (forb) 8 in Sun Low Zone 5a
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 mock orange Philadelphus microphyllus Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
littleleaf pussytoes Antennaria microphylla Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
littleseed ricegrass Piptatheropsis micrantha Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
longbeak buttercup Ranunculus longirostris Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
longstalk clover Trifolium longipes Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun–part shade Medium Zone 8a
longstalk starwort Stellaria longipes Wildflower (forb) 11 in Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
longstyle rush Juncus longistylis Grass or grass-like 1.8 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
maiden blue eyed Mary Collinsia parviflora Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
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
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun High Zone 4b
mesa dropseed Sporobolus flexuosus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 7a
Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus Grass or grass-like 10 in Sun Medium Zone 5b
mormon tea Ephedra viridis Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
mountain muhly Muhlenbergia montana Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
mountain snowberry Symphoricarpos oreophilus Shrub 5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
muttongrass Poa fendleriana Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
narrowleaf cottonwood Populus angustifolia Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4b
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
needle and thread Hesperostipa comata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
New Mexico locust Robinia neomexicana Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
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
old man's whiskers Geum triflorum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
oneseed juniper Juniperus monosperma Tree 40 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca Shrub 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
pale desert-thorn Lycium pallidum Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
pale evening primrose Oenothera pallida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4a
pine dropseed Blepharoneuron tricholepis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5a
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
porcupinegrass Hesperostipa spartea Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
purple prairie clover Dalea purpurea Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides Tree 65 ft Sun High Zone 1a
red goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun High Zone 12b
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea Tree 12 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12b
Rocky Mountain iris Iris missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum Tree 50 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum Tree 30 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
Rocky Mountain penstemon Penstemon strictus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
rough menodora Menodora scabra Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa Shrub 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
salt spring checkerbloom Sidalcea neomexicana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
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
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
sandhill muhly Muhlenbergia pungens Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
sawsepal penstemon Penstemon glaber Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
scarlet gilia Ipomopsis aggregata Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5b
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6a
scratchgrass Muhlenbergia asperifolia Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5b
shadscale saltbush Atriplex confertifolia Shrub 3 ft Sun Medium 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 sagebrush Artemisia cana Shrub 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina Wildflower (forb) 6 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata Shrub 4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 2a
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
slenderbeak sedge Carex athrostachya Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum Fern 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
spike muhly Muhlenbergia wrightii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens Shrub 4 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
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
tailcup lupine Lupinus caudatus Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
thrift mock goldenweed Stenotus armerioides Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
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
Torrey's jointfir Ephedra torreyana Shrub 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
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
twoneedle pinyon Pinus edulis Tree 50 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera Wildflower (forb) 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Utah juniper Juniperus osteosperma Tree 26 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
Utah serviceberry Amelanchier utahensis Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 5a
wax currant Ribes cereum Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
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
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 locoweed Astragalus mollissimus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 12b
Wright's deervetch Lotus wrightii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 7a
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
yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 152

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 dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
  • American mannagrass Glyceria grandis
  • autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • bluntleaf yellowcress Rorippa curvipes
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • bottlebrush sedge Carex hystericina
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • brittle pricklypear Opuntia fragilis
  • brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
  • Carolina draba Draba reptans
  • Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
  • chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
  • clustered broomrape Orobanche fasciculata
  • coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
  • common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
  • cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
  • cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
  • desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
  • Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
  • Drummond's campion Silene drummondii
  • Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
  • dryspike sedge Carex siccata
  • elkweed Frasera speciosa
  • erect knotweed Polygonum erectum
  • European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
  • false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
  • falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
  • feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
  • feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
  • fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
  • fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
  • flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
  • flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
  • fleshy starwort Stellaria crassifolia
  • foothill bladderpod Lesquerella ludoviciana
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
  • hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
  • hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
  • Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
  • horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
  • ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
  • James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
  • lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
  • lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
  • lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
  • long-stolon sedge Carex inops
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • Louisiana broomrape Orobanche ludoviciana
  • Macoun's cudweed Pseudognaphalium macounii
  • Madagascar dropseed Sporobolus pyramidatus
  • mealy goosefoot Chenopodium incanum
  • Missouri foxtail cactus Escobaria missouriensis
  • Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
  • Modoc yellowcress Rorippa tenerrima
  • mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
  • narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
  • narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
  • narrowleaf goosefoot Chenopodium leptophyllum
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
  • nodding onion Allium cernuum
  • painted milkvetch Astragalus ceramicus
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • pinyon goosefoot Chenopodium atrovirens
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
  • pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
  • Powell's amaranth Amaranthus powellii
  • prairie plantain Plantago elongata
  • prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
  • prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
  • purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
  • Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
  • pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
  • redwool plantain Plantago eriopoda
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • Rocky Mountain rush Juncus saximontanus
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
  • sacred thorn-apple Datura wrightii
  • sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
  • sanddune cryptantha Cryptantha fendleri
  • scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
  • scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
  • shortray fleabane Erigeron lonchophyllus
  • shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
  • slender lipfern Cheilanthes feei
  • slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
  • slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
  • snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
  • spearleaf stonecrop Sedum lanceolatum
  • spike dropseed Sporobolus contractus
  • spiny milkvetch Astragalus kentrophyta
  • spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
  • spinystar Escobaria vivipara
  • spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • spreading fleabane Erigeron divergens
  • spreading sandwort Arenaria lanuginosa
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
  • stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
  • stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
  • tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
  • tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
  • tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
  • Texas croton Croton texensis
  • tobacco root Valeriana edulis
  • trailing fleabane Erigeron flagellaris
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • twistspine pricklypear Opuntia macrorhiza
  • velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
  • wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
  • wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
  • wedgeleaf draba Draba cuneifolia
  • western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • western wallflower Erysimum asperum
  • white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
  • white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
  • whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
  • whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
  • winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
  • woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
  • woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
  • woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana
  • 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.

Compared with New Mexico

The typical county is the median of the 33 New Mexico 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, McKinley County and New Mexico
MeasureMcKinley CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 349 258 1,103
Garden-ready natives 197 160 570
Tree 25 — 81
Shrub 40 — 95
Wildflower (forb) 200 — 602
Grass or grass-like 75 — 275
Vine 5 — 22
Fern 4 — 28

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with McKinley 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
McKinley County (county FIPS 35031), New Mexico. 349 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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