Native plants · Oklahoma

Native plants of Alfalfa County

250 plant species are recorded as native to Oklahoma in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Alfalfa County by USDA PLANTS. 108 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

Alfalfa County, Oklahoma

Native species: 250 Typical Oklahoma county: 203 (median of 77 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 108 Typical Oklahoma county: 80
Share by type (all 250 native species): Percent of the 250 native species in each growth type

Tree 8% (21)
Shrub 2% (5)
Wildflower (forb) 59% (148)
Grass or grass-like 24% (61)
Vine 5% (13)
Fern <1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (59%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (24%).

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 108

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

Garden-ready native plants of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
alkali sacaton Sporobolus airoides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American bittersweet Celastrus scandens	Vine	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
American lotus Nelumbo lutea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American pokeweed Phytolacca americana	Wildflower (forb)	7.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
black walnut Juglans nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides	Tree	190 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
false daisy Eclipta prostrata	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 10b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
fox sedge Carex vulpinoidea	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fragrant flatsedge Cyperus odoratus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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
grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
halberdleaf rosemallow Hibiscus laevis	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos	Tree	70 ft	Sun	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
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
inland rush Juncus interior	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
knotgrass Paspalum distichum	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 6a
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
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
Missouri gourd Cucurbita foetidissima	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
muttongrass Poa fendleriana	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
Nuttall's povertyweed Monolepis nuttalliana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
panicledleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium paniculatum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 6a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
pecan Carya illinoinensis	Tree	120 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
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 fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purple poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
purple threeawn Aristida purpurea	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
riverbank grape Vitis riparia	Vine	45 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roughleaf dogwood Cornus drummondii	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
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
sand lovegrass Eragrostis trichodes	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
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
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sweetscent Pluchea odorata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
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
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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 142

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.

American bluehearts Buchnera americana
American bugseed Corispermum americanum
annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
annual marsh elder Iva annua
Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
bristly scaleseed Spermolepis echinata
bushy knotweed Polygonum ramosissimum
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Carolina anemone Anemone caroliniana
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina coralbead Cocculus carolinus
Carolina draba Draba reptans
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
catchfly prairie gentian Eustoma exaltatum
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
creeping primrose-willow Ludwigia repens
crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
curvepod fumewort Corydalis curvisiliqua
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
eastern poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
Engelmann's spikerush Eleocharis engelmannii
field pansy Viola bicolor
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
grassy arrowhead Sagittaria graminea
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
hairy fimbry Fimbristylis puberula
hairy waterclover Marsilea vestita
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
meadow garlic Allium canadense
Missouri violet Viola missouriensis
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
pale dock Rumex altissimus
pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
plains bluegrass Poa arida
plains snakecotton Froelichia floridana
prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
Pursh seepweed Suaeda calceoliformis
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough false pennyroyal Hedeoma hispida
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
sessileleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium sessilifolium
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
shortbeak sedge Carex brevior
showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
shrubby lespedeza Lespedeza frutescens
silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
silverleaf Indian breadroot Pediomelum argophyllum
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
silverscale saltbush Atriplex argentea
sixangle spurge Euphorbia hexagona
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slickseed fuzzybean Strophostyles leiosperma
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
southern cattail Typha domingensis
Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
Spanish needles Bidens bipinnata
spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera
Texas croton Croton texensis
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
Vahl's fimbry Fimbristylis vahlii
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
verrucose seapurslane Sesuvium verrucosum
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
western horsenettle Solanum dimidiatum
western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whitestar Ipomoea lacunosa
whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woolly sedge Carex pellita

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.

common reedPhragmites australis
Mexican teaDysphania ambrosioides

Compared with Oklahoma

The typical county is the median of the 77 Oklahoma 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, Alfalfa County and Oklahoma
Measure	Alfalfa County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	250	203	1,513
Garden-ready natives	108	80	535
Tree	21	—	130
Shrub	5	—	63
Wildflower (forb)	148	—	849
Grass or grass-like	61	—	341
Vine	13	—	85
Fern	2	—	45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Alfalfa County.

Garfield County, OK 53 garden-ready
Grant County, OK 61 garden-ready
Major County, OK 67 garden-ready
Woods County, OK 109 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: Alfalfa County (county FIPS 40003), Oklahoma. 250 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.