Native plants · New Mexico
Native plants of Roosevelt County
207 plant species are recorded as native to New Mexico in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Roosevelt County by USDA PLANTS. 87 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.
County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP
Roosevelt County, New Mexico
- Native species
- 207 Typical New Mexico county: 258 (median of 33 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 87 Typical New Mexico county: 160
- Share by type (all 207 native species)
-
Percent of the 207 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (61%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (19%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 87
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 sacaton Sporobolus airoides | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| American plum Prunus americana | Tree | 24 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Apache plume Fallugia paradoxa | Shrub | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| Arizona cottontop Digitaria californica | Grass or grass-like | 4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| Arizona cypress Hesperocyparis arizonica | Tree | 50 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 5a |
| big bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Grass or grass-like | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae | Shrub | 1.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| bush muhly Muhlenbergia porteri | Grass or grass-like | 2.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 8b |
| Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 3.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis | Wildflower (forb) | 5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| catclaw acacia Senegalia greggii | Tree | 20 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Colorado four o'clock Mirabilis multiflora | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5b |
| common hackberry Celtis occidentalis | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 2b |
| common sotol Dasylirion wheeleri | Shrub | 15 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 10a |
| 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 |
| creosote bush Larrea tridentata | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| desert willow Chilopsis linearis | Tree | 25 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | 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 |
| flatstem spikerush Eleocharis compressa | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii | Tree | 90 ft | Sun | High | Zone 6a |
| golden crownbeard Verbesina encelioides | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| golden currant Ribes aureum | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| green molly Bassia americana | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| green prairie coneflower Ratibida tagetes | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| gypsum grama Bouteloua breviseta | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 7a |
| hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta | Grass or grass-like | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus | Grass or grass-like | 9.8 ft | Sun | High | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| mormon tea Ephedra viridis | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 5b |
| mountain pepperweed Lepidium montanum | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| prairie sagewort Artemisia frigida | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 swampfire Salicornia rubra | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| roving sailor Maurandella antirrhiniflora | Vine | 10 in | Sun | Medium | Zone 6b |
| 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 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 |
| 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 |
| skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 2a |
| soapweed yucca Yucca glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| Torrey's jointfir Ephedra torreyana | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| 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 |
| velvet ash Fraxinus velutina | Tree | 40 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| woolly locoweed Astragalus mollissimus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| woolly plantain Plantago patagonica | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 12b |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 120
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.
- annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
- aridland goosefoot Chenopodium desiccatum
- azure blue sage Salvia azurea
- bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
- bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
- blowout grass Redfieldia flexuosa
- blue mudplantain Heteranthera limosa
- buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
- camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
- carelessweed Amaranthus palmeri
- chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
- coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
- crested anoda Anoda cristata
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
- Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
- desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
- desert horsepurslane Trianthema portulacastrum
- diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
- Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
- dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
- Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
- false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
- feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
- fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
- fineleaf hymenopappus Hymenopappus filifolius
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- Geyer's sandmat Chamaesyce geyeri
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
- groundplum milkvetch Astragalus crassicarpus
- hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
- hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
- hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
- Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
- horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
- ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
- James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
- kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
- lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
- lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
- lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
- lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
- Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
- mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
- mealy goosefoot Chenopodium incanum
- Mexican lovegrass Eragrostis mexicana
- narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
- Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
- oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
- pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
- pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
- pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
- povertyweed Iva axillaris
- prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
- prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
- prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
- prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
- prostrate sandmat Chamaesyce prostrata
- purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
- Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
- queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
- ram's horn Proboscidea louisianica
- red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
- redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- sacred thorn-apple Datura wrightii
- sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
- sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
- scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
- Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
- shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
- silkcotton purslane Portulaca halimoides
- silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
- silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
- silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
- sixangle spurge Euphorbia hexagona
- sixweeks threeawn Aristida adscensionis
- slender lipfern Cheilanthes feei
- slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
- slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
- small Venus' looking-glass Triodanis biflora
- smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
- snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
- snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
- southern jointweed Polygonella americana
- spinystar Escobaria vivipara
- spreading fleabane Erigeron divergens
- stemless evening primrose Oenothera triloba
- stemless four-nerve daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
- stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
- stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
- swamp verbena Verbena hastata
- tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
- Texas croton Croton texensis
- trailing fleabane Erigeron flagellaris
- tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
- tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
- tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
- twistspine pricklypear Opuntia macrorhiza
- upright burhead Echinodorus berteroi
- velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
- verrucose seapurslane Sesuvium verrucosum
- wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
- wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
- wedgeleaf draba Draba cuneifolia
- western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
- western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- western wallflower Erysimum asperum
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
- whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
- winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
- woolly tidestromia Tidestromia lanuginosa
- Wright's plantain Plantago wrightiana
Also listed as native and introduced here 3
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
- common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
- white sagebrushArtemisia ludoviciana
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.
| Measure | Roosevelt County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 207 | 258 | 1,103 |
| Garden-ready natives | 87 | 160 | 570 |
| Tree | 17 | — | 81 |
| Shrub | 19 | — | 95 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 127 | — | 602 |
| Grass or grass-like | 39 | — | 275 |
| Vine | 3 | — | 22 |
| Fern | 2 | — | 28 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Roosevelt County.
- Chaves County, NM 109 garden-ready
- Curry County, NM 44 garden-ready
- De Baca County, NM 52 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
- Roosevelt County (county FIPS 35041), New Mexico. 207 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