Native plants · Nevada
Native plants of Pershing County
181 plant species are recorded as native to Nevada in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Pershing County by USDA PLANTS. 126 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
Pershing County, Nevada
- Native species
- 181 Typical Nevada county: 298 (median of 17 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 126 Typical Nevada county: 210
- Share by type (all 181 native species)
-
Percent of the 181 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (64%), followed by shrubs (16%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 126
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 buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Shade-tolerant | 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 |
| antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata | Shrub | 6 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3b |
| arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| basalt milkvetch Astragalus filipes | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| basin wildrye Leymus cinereus | Grass or grass-like | 5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| 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 |
| bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| black sagebrush Artemisia nova | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| bud sagebrush Picrothamnus desertorum | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Low | 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 |
| chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Tree | 25 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| common duckweed Lemna minor | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| common sunflower Helianthus annuus | Wildflower (forb) | 9 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 12b |
| curl-leaf mountain mahogany Cercocarpus ledifolius | Tree | 20 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 2b |
| curvepod milkvetch Astragalus curvicarpus | Wildflower (forb) | 5 in | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| fireweed Chamerion angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 5.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| greasewood Sarcobatus vermiculatus | Shrub | 10 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| green molly Bassia americana | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| King's sandwort Arenaria kingii | Wildflower (forb) | 8 in | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus | Wildflower (forb) | 1.1 ft | Sun–part shade | 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 |
| littleleaf pussytoes Antennaria microphylla | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 1.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 |
| Mexican muhly Muhlenbergia mexicana | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 pepperweed Lepidium montanum | Wildflower (forb) | 10 in | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 willow Salix exigua | Tree | 10 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3b |
| 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 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 |
| oneflower helianthella Helianthella uniflora | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 5a |
| pale agoseris Agoseris glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata | Grass or grass-like | 3.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| prickly currant Ribes lacustre | Shrub | 3 ft | Shade-tolerant | — | Zone 1a |
| purple sage Salvia dorrii | Shrub | 2.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| redosier dogwood Cornus sericea | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| rock buckwheat Eriogonum sphaerocephalum | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| Rocky Mountain iris Iris missouriensis | Wildflower (forb) | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4b |
| Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum | Tree | 30 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| royal penstemon Penstemon speciosus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa | Shrub | 4 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | 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 |
| 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 |
| scabland penstemon Penstemon deustus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| scarlet gilia Ipomopsis aggregata | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5b |
| seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3b |
| shadscale saltbush Atriplex confertifolia | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| sharpleaf penstemon Penstemon acuminatus | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| shortspine horsebrush Tetradymia spinosa | Shrub | 3.2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa | Wildflower (forb) | 6 ft | Sun | Medium | 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 |
| slender cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis | Wildflower (forb) | 2.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3a |
| slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum | Fern | 5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| spearleaf arnica Arnica longifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| spiked muhly Muhlenbergia glomerata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Thurber's needlegrass Achnatherum thurberianum | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| tufted evening primrose Oenothera caespitosa | Wildflower (forb) | 6 in | Sun | Low | Zone 6a |
| 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 juniper Juniperus occidentalis | Tree | 33 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| western stoneseed Lithospermum ruderale | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| western sweetroot Osmorhiza occidentalis | Wildflower (forb) | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 3b |
| western waterleaf Hydrophyllum occidentale | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme | Shrub | 8 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| winterfat Krascheninnikovia lanata | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2a |
| Woods' rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3a |
| woollypod milkvetch Astragalus purshii | Wildflower (forb) | 7 in | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus | Shrub | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| yellow spiderflower Cleome lutea | Wildflower (forb) | 2.7 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 12a |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
Other native species recorded here 55
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.
- Apocynum ×floribundum Apocynum ×floribundum
- aridland goosefoot Chenopodium desiccatum
- ballhead ipomopsis Ipomopsis congesta
- bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
- blite goosefoot Chenopodium capitatum
- brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
- brook cinquefoil Potentilla rivalis
- common starlily Leucocrinum montanum
- curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
- cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
- desert princesplume Stanleya pinnata
- Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
- entireleaved thelypody Thelypodium integrifolium
- feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
- flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
- Fremont's goosefoot Chenopodium fremontii
- fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
- hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
- horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
- manybranched pepperweed Lepidium ramosissimum
- manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
- meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
- Mojave seablite Suaeda moquinii
- mountain deathcamas Zigadenus elegans
- mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
- Oregon cliff fern Woodsia oregana
- Palmer's penstemon Penstemon palmeri
- pinyon goosefoot Chenopodium atrovirens
- povertyweed Iva axillaris
- Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- Rocky Mountain rush Juncus saximontanus
- rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- rusty lupine Lupinus pusillus
- salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
- seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
- shy wallflower Erysimum inconspicuum
- slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
- spiny phlox Phlox hoodii
- spotted fritillary Fritillaria atropurpurea
- starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
- tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
- tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
- tower rockcress Arabis glabra
- veiny dock Rumex venosus
- verrucose seapurslane Sesuvium verrucosum
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- water minerslettuce Montia chamissoi
- western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- whitestem blazingstar Mentzelia albicaulis
- witchgrass Panicum capillare
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.
- Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis
- white sagebrushArtemisia ludoviciana
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.
| Measure | Pershing County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 181 | 298 | 835 |
| Garden-ready natives | 126 | 210 | 538 |
| Tree | 11 | — | 60 |
| Shrub | 29 | — | 97 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 115 | — | 459 |
| Grass or grass-like | 21 | — | 181 |
| Vine | 2 | — | 13 |
| Fern | 3 | — | 25 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Pershing County.
- Humboldt County, NV 280 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
- Pershing County (county FIPS 32027), Nevada. 181 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