Native plants · New Mexico

Native plants of Quay County

139 plant species are recorded as native to New Mexico in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Quay County by USDA PLANTS. 65 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

Quay County, New Mexico

Native species: 139 Typical New Mexico county: 258 (median of 33 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 65 Typical New Mexico county: 160
Share by type (all 139 native species): Percent of the 139 native species in each growth type

Tree 8% (11)
Shrub 8% (11)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (68)
Grass or grass-like 34% (47)
Vine 1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (34%).

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 7a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 65

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

Garden-ready native plants of Quay County, New Mexico
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alderleaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus montanus	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
big sacaton Sporobolus wrightii	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
black grama Bouteloua eriopoda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
cane bluestem Bothriochloa barbinodis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7b
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
featherplume Dalea formosa	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
green prairie coneflower Ratibida tagetes	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
green sprangletop Leptochloa dubia	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
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
James' galleta Pleuraphis jamesii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
knotgrass Paspalum distichum	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 6a
leadplant Amorpha canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
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
littleleaf sumac Rhus microphylla	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
littleseed ricegrass Piptatheropsis micrantha	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
lyreleaf greeneyes Berlandiera lyrata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
oneseed juniper Juniperus monosperma	Tree	40 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
pale evening primrose Oenothera pallida	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
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
tobosagrass Pleuraphis mutica	Grass or grass-like	2.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 7b
Torrey's jointfir Ephedra torreyana	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
vine mesquite Panicum obtusum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
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 74

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.

annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
hairy four o'clock Mirabilis hirsuta
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
Madagascar dropseed Sporobolus pyramidatus
matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
povertyweed Iva axillaris
prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixweeks threeawn Aristida adscensionis
slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
southern cattail Typha domingensis
spike dropseed Sporobolus contractus
stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
Texas croton Croton texensis
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
twistspine pricklypear Opuntia macrorhiza
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
warty caltrop Kallstroemia parviflora
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
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.

common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum

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, Quay County and New Mexico
Measure	Quay County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	139	258	1,103
Garden-ready natives	65	160	570
Tree	11	—	81
Shrub	11	—	95
Wildflower (forb)	68	—	602
Grass or grass-like	47	—	275
Vine	2	—	22
Fern	0	—	28

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Quay County.

Curry County, NM 44 garden-ready
Guadalupe County, NM 60 garden-ready
Harding County, NM 78 garden-ready
San Miguel County, NM 272 garden-ready
Union County, NM 111 garden-ready
Oldham County, TX 64 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: Quay County (county FIPS 35037), New Mexico. 139 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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