Native plants · Nevada

Native plants of Carson City

298 plant species are recorded as native to Nevada in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Carson City by USDA PLANTS. 221 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

Carson City, Nevada

Native species: 298 Typical Nevada county: 298 (median of 17 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 221 Typical Nevada county: 210
Share by type (all 298 native species): Percent of the 298 native species in each growth type

Tree 10% (29)
Shrub 13% (38)
Wildflower (forb) 59% (177)
Grass or grass-like 15% (46)
Vine 1% (3)
Fern 2% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (59%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (15%).

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 7a to 7b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 221

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

Garden-ready native plants of Carson City, Nevada
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alpine timothy Phleum alpinum	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
Anderson's larkspur Delphinium andersonii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
annual hairgrass Deschampsia danthonioides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
arctic pearlwort Sagina saginoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
basin wildrye Leymus cinereus	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
bastardsage Eriogonum wrightii	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
beardless wildrye Leymus triticoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata	Tree	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
bigflower agoseris Agoseris grandiflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
bitter cherry Prunus emarginata	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
black sagebrush Artemisia nova	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
bog blueberry Vaccinium uliginosum	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Booth's willow Salix boothii	Shrub	24 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8b
Brewer's bittercress Cardamine breweri	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
broadleaf lupine Lupinus latifolius	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
broadlipped twayblade Listera convallarioides	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Brown's peony Paeonia brownii	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
bushy bird's beak Cordylanthus ramosus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
California false hellebore Veratrum californicum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
California red fir Abies magnifica	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
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
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Chamisso arnica Arnica chamissonis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Columbia needlegrass Achnatherum nelsonii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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 duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common sunflower Helianthus annuus	Wildflower (forb)	9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
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
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
curl-leaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2b
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
desert centaury Centaurium exaltatum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
desert globemallow Sphaeralcea ambigua	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6b
desert needlegrass Achnatherum speciosum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
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
dwarf purple monkeyflower Mimulus nanus	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 10b
Eaton's fleabane Erigeron eatonii	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
elephanthead lousewort Pedicularis groenlandica	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
flat-top pussytoes Antennaria corymbosa	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
foothill deathcamas Zigadenus paniculatus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
Fremont cottonwood Populus fremontii	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
glaucus willowherb Epilobium glaberrimum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
golden sedge Carex aurea	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
golden spiderflower Cleome platycarpa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
gooseberry currant Ribes montigenum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
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
greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Great Basin calicoflower Downingia laeta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	High	Zone 12b
greenleaf manzanita Arctostaphylos patula	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Hooker's balsamroot Balsamorhiza hookeri	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5b
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 ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi	Tree	180 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
Lemmon's willow Salix lemmonii	Shrub	14 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Lewis flax Linum lewisii	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
little sagebrush Artemisia arbuscula	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
littleleaf horsebrush Tetradymia glabrata	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
longstalk clover Trifolium longipes	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
low pussytoes Antennaria dimorpha	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	Low	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
marumleaf buckwheat Eriogonum marifolium	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4b
meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
Modoc hawksbeard Crepis modocensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
mormon tea Ephedra viridis	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
mountain brome Bromus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
mountain hemlock Tsuga mertensiana	Tree	125 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
mountain pepperweed Lepidium montanum	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
mountain pride Penstemon newberryi	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
mountain snowberry Symphoricarpos oreophilus	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
Munro's globemallow Sphaeralcea munroana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	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
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nettleleaf giant hyssop Agastache urticifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Nevada jointfir Ephedra nevadensis	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
Nevada lupine Lupinus nevadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
nodding microseris Microseris nutans	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
oniongrass Melica bulbosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Oregon checkerbloom Sidalcea oregana	Wildflower (forb)	4.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Pacific onion Allium validum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Parish's yampah Perideridia parishii	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
plains pricklypear Opuntia polyacantha	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
plantainleaf buttercup Ranunculus alismifolius	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa	Tree	223 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
primrose monkeyflower Mimulus primuloides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
prostrate ceanothus Ceanothus prostratus	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
purple sage Salvia dorrii	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
rock buckwheat Eriogonum sphaerocephalum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
Ross' sedge Carex rossii	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
royal penstemon Penstemon speciosus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
rush pussytoes Antennaria luzuloides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Rydberg's penstemon Penstemon rydbergii	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
salt heliotrope Heliotropium curassavicum	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
saltmarsh bird's-beak Cordylanthus maritimus	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
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 monkeyflower Mimulus cardinalis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	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
Sierra currant Ribes nevadense	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Sierra larkspur Delphinium glaucum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
Sierra rush Juncus nevadensis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
silver buffaloberry Shepherdia argentea	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
silverleaf phacelia Phacelia hastata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
silvery lupine Lupinus argenteus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
singleleaf pinyon Pinus monophylla	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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 enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
smallwing sedge Carex microptera	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
snowbrush ceanothus Ceanothus velutinus	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens	Shrub	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
spiny hopsage Grayia spinosa	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
spreading phlox Phlox diffusa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
sugar pine Pinus lambertiana	Tree	229 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
Suksdorf's monkeyflower Mimulus suksdorfii	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
sulphur-flower buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8a
swordleaf rush Juncus ensifolius	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tailcup lupine Lupinus caudatus	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
tall fringed bluebells Mertensia ciliata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
tall woolly buckwheat Eriogonum elatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
tapertip hawksbeard Crepis acuminata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
thickstem aster Eurybia integrifolia	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
threadleaf fleabane Erigeron filifolius	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
tufted evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
wavyleaf Indian paintbrush Castilleja applegatei	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
wax currant Ribes cereum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
western columbine Aquilegia formosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
western needlegrass Achnatherum occidentale	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
western polemonium Polemonium occidentale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
western sweetroot Osmorhiza occidentalis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
western water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
western white pine Pinus monticola	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
whitebark pine Pinus albicaulis	Tree	65 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1b
whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
whitethorn ceanothus Ceanothus cordulatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
woolly mule-ears Wyethia mollis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
woollypod milkvetch Astragalus purshii	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
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
yellow spiderflower Cleome lutea	Wildflower (forb)	2.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 12a
yellow willow Salix lutea	Tree	16 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a

Other native species recorded here 77

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 lewisia Lewisia pygmaea
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
entireleaved thelypody Thelypodium integrifolium
false mermaidweed Floerkea proserpinacoides
flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
lesser wirelettuce Stephanomeria minor
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
manyflower stickseed Hackelia floribunda
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
Mexican lovegrass Eragrostis mexicana
Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
narrowleaf minerslettuce Montia linearis
needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
northern bog violet Viola nephrophylla
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
povertyweed Iva axillaris
pullup muhly Muhlenbergia filiformis
red baneberry Actaea rubra
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
saline saltbush Atriplex subspicata
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
spreading fleabane Erigeron divergens
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
veiny dock Rumex venosus
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water minerslettuce Montia chamissoi
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
willow dock Rumex salicifolius
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woolly sedge Carex pellita
Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens

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.

Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Nevada

The typical county is the median of the 17 Nevada 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, Carson City and Nevada
Measure	Carson City	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	298	298	835
Garden-ready natives	221	210	538
Tree	29	—	60
Shrub	38	—	97
Wildflower (forb)	177	—	459
Grass or grass-like	46	—	181
Vine	3	—	13
Fern	5	—	25

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Carson City.

Douglas County, NV 228 garden-ready
Lyon County, NV 175 garden-ready
Washoe County, NV 376 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: Carson City (county FIPS 32510), Nevada. 298 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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