Native plants · New Mexico

Native plants of Santa Fe County

412 plant species are recorded as native to New Mexico in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Santa Fe County by USDA PLANTS. 234 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Santa Fe County, New Mexico

Native species
412 Typical New Mexico county: 258 (median of 33 counties)
Garden-ready natives
234 Typical New Mexico county: 160
Share by type (all 412 native species)
Percent of the 412 native species in each growth type
Tree 9% (36)
Shrub 12% (50)
Wildflower (forb) 53% (217)
Grass or grass-like 23% (96)
Vine 1% (6)
Fern 2% (7)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (53%), 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 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 234

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

Garden-ready native plants of Santa Fe 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
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
alpine timothy Phleum alpinum Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High 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
Apache plume Fallugia paradoxa Shrub 6 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
arctic bluegrass Poa arctica Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun — Zone 1a
Arizona cottontop Digitaria californica Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
Arizona fescue Festuca arizonica Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
banana yucca Yucca baccata Shrub 4 ft Sun Low Zone 7a
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata Tree 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Bigelow's tansyaster Machaeranthera bigelovii Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Low Zone 10b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black grama Bouteloua eriopoda Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
blue grama Bouteloua gracilis Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
blue spruce Picea pungens Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
blue wildrye Elymus glaucus Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
bluntseed sweetroot Osmorhiza depauperata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
bristlecone pine Pinus aristata Tree 40 ft Sun Low 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
California brome Bromus carinatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
California false hellebore Veratrum californicum Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
California poppy Eschscholzia californica Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a
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 lousewort Pedicularis canadensis Wildflower (forb) 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
cerro hawthorn Crataegus erythropoda Tree 16 ft Sun Low Zone 2a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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 blue columbine Aquilegia coerulea Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
Colorado four o'clock Mirabilis multiflora Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5b
Columbian monkshood Aconitum columbianum Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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 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
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
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Dewey sedge Carex deweyana Grass or grass-like 3.8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
dewystem willow Salix irrorata Shrub 6 ft — — Zone 2a
diamondleaf willow Salix planifolia Tree 8 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
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
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia Grass or grass-like 4.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Drummond's rush Juncus drummondii Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Drummond's willow Salix drummondiana Shrub 12 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides Tree 190 ft Sun High Zone 3a
elephanthead lousewort Pedicularis groenlandica Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
Engelmann spruce Picea engelmannii Tree 120 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2a
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
featherplume Dalea formosa Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
fivepetal cliffbush Jamesia americana Shrub 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
fourwing saltbush Atriplex canescens Shrub 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata Grass or grass-like 5.7 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
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
glaucous bluegrass Poa glauca Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun — Zone 3a
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
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
gooseberry currant Ribes montigenum Shrub 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
gray alder Alnus incana Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
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
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Low Zone 3b
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
heartleaf bittercress Cardamine cordifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa Tree 50 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Hooker's evening primrose Oenothera elata Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
Idaho fescue Festuca idahoensis Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
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
inland sedge Carex interior Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
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
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
leadplant Amorpha canescens Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low 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
limber pine Pinus flexilis Tree 66 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
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 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
longleaf jointfir Ephedra trifurca Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
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
lyreleaf greeneyes Berlandiera lyrata Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun — Zone 1a
marsh bluegrass Poa leptocoma Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus Grass or grass-like 10 in Sun Medium 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
Nebraska sedge Carex nebrascensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun 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
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
Nootka rose Rosa nutkana Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 8a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun High Zone 3a
oneseed juniper Juniperus monosperma Tree 40 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca Wildflower (forb) 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
Parry's rush Juncus parryi Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
pine dropseed Blepharoneuron tricholepis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5a
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata Shrub 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
pointleaf manzanita Arctostaphylos pungens Shrub 12 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 9b
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
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 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 elderberry Sambucus racemosa Tree 18 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea Tree 12 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Richardson's geranium Geranium richardsonii Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade High 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
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
Ross' avens Geum rossii Wildflower (forb) 5 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 10a
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
russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 1a
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 dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia Tree 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 1a
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
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa Shrub 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4b
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
silvery sedge Carex canescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata Shrub 4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 2a
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
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 4a
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
smallwing sedge Carex microptera Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun 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
southwestern showy sedge Carex bella Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5b
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum Grass or grass-like 1.9 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
spiked woodrush Luzula spicata Grass or grass-like 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
star sedge Carex echinata Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpa Tree 90 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2a
sugarberry Celtis laevigata Tree 80 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tailcup lupine Lupinus caudatus Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
tall cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun High Zone 3a
tanseyleaf tansyaster Machaeranthera tanacetifolia Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus Shrub 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum Vine 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Thurber's fescue Festuca thurberi Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
timber oatgrass Danthonia intermedia Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa Grass or grass-like 3.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
twoneedle pinyon Pinus edulis Tree 50 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
umbrella starwort Stellaria umbellata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera Wildflower (forb) 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Utah sweetvetch Hedysarum boreale Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
vine mesquite Panicum obtusum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
water sedge Carex aquatilis Grass or grass-like 2.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
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
Whipple's penstemon Penstemon whippleanus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
white fir Abies concolor Tree 120 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
whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme Shrub 8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
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 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 owl's-clover Orthocarpus luteus Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 12b
yerba mansa Anemopsis californica Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun High Zone 9b

Other native species recorded here 178

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.

  • alpine bluegrass Poa alpina
  • alpine fescue Festuca brachyphylla
  • alpine lewisia Lewisia pygmaea
  • American dragonhead Dracocephalum parviflorum
  • American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
  • annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
  • Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
  • autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
  • beautiful cinquefoil Potentilla pulcherrima
  • Bebb willow Salix bebbiana
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • brittle pricklypear Opuntia fragilis
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • Canada lettuce Lactuca canadensis
  • Carruth's sagewort Artemisia carruthii
  • chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
  • coastal sandbur Cenchrus spinifex
  • compassplant Silphium laciniatum
  • cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
  • Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
  • curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
  • cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
  • Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
  • diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
  • Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
  • Drummond's campion Silene drummondii
  • Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
  • elkweed Frasera speciosa
  • Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
  • Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
  • fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
  • false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
  • 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
  • foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
  • foxtail prairie clover Dalea leporina
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • Geyer's sandmat Chamaesyce geyeri
  • giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
  • Great Plains lady's tresses Spiranthes magnicamporum
  • green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
  • greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
  • hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
  • heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
  • hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
  • hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
  • hookedspur violet Viola adunca
  • Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
  • Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
  • Huron green orchid Platanthera huronensis
  • ivyleaf groundcherry Physalis hederifolia
  • James' cryptantha Cryptantha cinerea
  • kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
  • lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
  • lanceleaf sage Salvia reflexa
  • large beardtongue Penstemon grandiflorus
  • largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
  • largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
  • lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
  • lesser rattlesnake plantain Goodyera repens
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
  • long-stolon sedge Carex inops
  • longbract frog orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
  • Macoun's cudweed Pseudognaphalium macounii
  • manybranched pepperweed Lepidium ramosissimum
  • Maryland sanicle Sanicula marilandica
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • matted sandmat Chamaesyce serpens
  • mealy goosefoot Chenopodium incanum
  • milkflower willowherb Epilobium lactiflorum
  • Modoc yellowcress Rorippa tenerrima
  • moss campion Silene acaulis
  • mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
  • mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
  • narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
  • narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
  • narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • needleleaf sedge Carex duriuscula
  • nodding buckwheat Eriogonum cernuum
  • nodding onion Allium cernuum
  • Oregon cliff fern Woodsia oregana
  • painted milkvetch Astragalus ceramicus
  • pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
  • Palmer's penstemon Penstemon palmeri
  • pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • pitseed goosefoot Chenopodium berlandieri
  • plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
  • pony beebalm Monarda pectinata
  • Porter brome Bromus porteri
  • poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
  • Powell's amaranth Amaranthus powellii
  • prairie rose Rosa arkansana
  • prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
  • prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
  • puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
  • pygmyflower rockjasmine Androsace septentrionalis
  • red baneberry Actaea rubra
  • redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • Rocky Mountain rush Juncus saximontanus
  • rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • roughleaf ricegrass Oryzopsis asperifolia
  • sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
  • sanddune cryptantha Cryptantha fendleri
  • scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
  • scrambled eggs Corydalis aurea
  • shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
  • shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
  • sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
  • silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
  • silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
  • single delight Moneses uniflora
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • sixweeks threeawn Aristida adscensionis
  • slender lipfern Cheilanthes feei
  • slender wedgescale Sphenopholis intermedia
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • small-leaf pussytoes Antennaria parvifolia
  • smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
  • snowball sand verbena Abronia fragrans
  • snowline wintergreen Pyrola minor
  • spike dropseed Sporobolus contractus
  • spiny milkvetch Astragalus kentrophyta
  • spinystar Escobaria vivipara
  • spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
  • 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
  • strapleaf willow Salix ligulifolia
  • stretchberry Forestiera pubescens
  • summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
  • tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
  • tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
  • tasselflower brickellbush Brickellia grandiflora
  • Texas croton Croton texensis
  • threenerve goldenrod Solidago velutina
  • tobacco root Valeriana edulis
  • tower rockcress Arabis glabra
  • trailing fleabane Erigeron flagellaris
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
  • tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
  • twinflower Linnaea borealis
  • twistspine pricklypear Opuntia macrorhiza
  • velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
  • velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • warty caltrop Kallstroemia parviflora
  • wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
  • waxflower shinleaf Pyrola elliptica
  • western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
  • western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
  • whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
  • whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • wood lily Lilium philadelphicum
  • woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
  • woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
  • woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
  • woolly cinquefoil Potentilla hippiana
  • woolly sedge Carex pellita
  • woolly tidestromia Tidestromia lanuginosa
  • yellow avens Geum aleppicum
Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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
  • claspleaf twistedstalkStreptopus amplexifolius
  • common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
  • Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

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, Santa Fe County and New Mexico
MeasureSanta Fe CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 412 258 1,103
Garden-ready natives 234 160 570
Tree 36 — 81
Shrub 50 — 95
Wildflower (forb) 217 — 602
Grass or grass-like 96 — 275
Vine 6 — 22
Fern 7 — 28

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Santa Fe 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
Santa Fe County (county FIPS 35049), New Mexico. 412 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

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.