Native plants · Oklahoma
Native plants of Custer County
236 plant species are recorded as native to Oklahoma in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Custer County by USDA PLANTS. 93 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
Custer County, Oklahoma
- Native species
- 236 Typical Oklahoma county: 203 (median of 77 counties)
- Garden-ready natives
- 93 Typical Oklahoma county: 80
- Share by type (all 236 native species)
-
Percent of the 236 native species in each growth type
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (65%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (14%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 93
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| Plant | Type | Height | Light | Water use | Hardy to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American elm Ulmus americana | Tree | 120 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 2b |
| American pokeweed Phytolacca americana | Wildflower (forb) | 7.3 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| American vetch Vicia americana | Vine | 1.3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| beaked spikerush Eleocharis rostellata | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 4b |
| big bluestem Andropogon gerardii | Grass or grass-like | 6 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 2b |
| 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 |
| boxelder Acer negundo | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 2b |
| broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae | Shrub | 1.5 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 100 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 3b |
| butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| cardinalflower Lobelia cardinalis | Wildflower (forb) | 5.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4a |
| Chickasaw plum Prunus angustifolia | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii | Tree | 70 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| clasping coneflower Dracopis amplexicaulis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | High | Zone 10b |
| common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis | Tree | 15 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 4a |
| common hackberry Celtis occidentalis | Tree | 60 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 2b |
| coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus | Shrub | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 5a |
| crested pricklypoppy Argemone polyanthemos | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| disk waterhyssop Bacopa rotundifolia | Wildflower (forb) | 1 in | Sun | High | Zone 4a |
| dotted blazing star Liatris punctata | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 10b |
| eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides | Tree | 190 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| eastern redbud Cercis canadensis | Tree | 30 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | Zone 4b |
| eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana | Tree | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 3a |
| fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum | Grass or grass-like | 3.3 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3a |
| frost grape Vitis vulpina | Vine | 83 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea | Wildflower (forb) | 8.2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| grassleaf rush Juncus marginatus | Grass or grass-like | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 5a |
| gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| graybark grape Vitis cinerea | Vine | 50 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 6b |
| 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 |
| heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata | Vine | 2 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 6b |
| 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 woodoats Chasmanthium latifolium | Grass or grass-like | 4.6 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum | Wildflower (forb) | 3.3 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 3a |
| Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4a |
| leadplant Amorpha canescens | Shrub | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Low | 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 |
| little walnut Juglans microcarpa | Tree | 20 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 7a |
| longleaf pondweed Potamogeton nodosus | Wildflower (forb) | — | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| marsh flatsedge Cyperus pseudovegetus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | High | Zone 8a |
| 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 |
| narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower (forb) | 2 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 7a |
| northern catalpa Catalpa speciosa | Tree | 60 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus | Wildflower (forb) | 2.8 ft | Sun–part shade | Medium | Zone 4b |
| prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus | Wildflower (forb) | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 4b |
| purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii | Wildflower (forb) | 1.4 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| 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 |
| purpletop tridens Tridens flavus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 5a |
| red mulberry Morus rubra | Tree | 70 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | 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 |
| sand dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 3b |
| sandbar willow Salix interior | Tree | 30 ft | Sun | — | Zone 1a |
| saw greenbrier Smilax bona-nox | Vine | 4 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 5b |
| Shumard's oak Quercus shumardii | Tree | 100 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 5a |
| sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Grass or grass-like | 3 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3a |
| slippery elm Ulmus rubra | Tree | 85 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 3a |
| smooth sumac Rhus glabra | Tree | 12 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4a |
| soapweed yucca Yucca glauca | Shrub | 1 ft | Sun | Low | Zone 4b |
| softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | Grass or grass-like | 9 ft | Sun | High | Zone 3b |
| stalkless yellowcress Rorippa sessiliflora | Wildflower (forb) | 1.5 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 12b |
| sugarberry Celtis laevigata | Tree | 80 ft | Shade-tolerant | High | Zone 5a |
| 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 |
| valley redstem Ammannia coccinea | Wildflower (forb) | 1.6 ft | Sun | Medium | Zone 3b |
| Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | 1 ft | Sun–part shade | Low | Zone 4b |
| Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus | Grass or grass-like | 2.5 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4b |
| 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 avens Geum canadense | Wildflower (forb) | 3.9 ft | Shade-tolerant | Medium | Zone 4a |
| 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 |
| wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower (forb) | 4.9 ft | Sun–part shade | High | Zone 4a |
| 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 143
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.
- American lopseed Phryma leptostachya
- American star-thistle Centaurea americana
- annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
- azure blue sage Salvia azurea
- Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
- bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
- biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
- bighead pygmycudweed Evax prolifera
- blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
- bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
- bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
- buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
- 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 woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
- chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
- chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
- clammy groundcherry Physalis heterophylla
- clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
- common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
- crowpoison Nothoscordum bivalve
- Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
- curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
- curvepod fumewort Corydalis curvisiliqua
- cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
- cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
- cutleaf groundcherry Physalis angulata
- Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
- desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
- desert goosefoot Chenopodium pratericola
- diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
- downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
- Drummond's false pennyroyal Hedeoma drummondii
- Dudley's rush Juncus dudleyi
- dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
- Emory's sedge Carex emoryi
- Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
- Equisetum ×ferrissii Equisetum ×ferrissii
- eyebane Chamaesyce nutans
- flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
- fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
- fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
- great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
- green antelopehorn Asclepias viridis
- green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
- green dragon Arisaema dracontium
- Guadeloupe cucumber Melothria pendula
- gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
- heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
- hoary verbena Verbena stricta
- Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
- horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
- Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
- jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
- lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
- lanceleaf blanketflower Gaillardia aestivalis
- lanceleaf fogfruit Phyla lanceolata
- lateflowering thoroughwort Eupatorium serotinum
- licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
- longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
- Louisiana broomrape Orobanche ludoviciana
- mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
- mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
- meadow garlic Allium canadense
- mealy goosefoot Chenopodium incanum
- Michaux's stitchwort Minuartia michauxii
- narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
- narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
- narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
- Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
- pale dock Rumex altissimus
- pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
- pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
- prairie broomweed Amphiachyris dracunculoides
- prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
- prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
- prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
- prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
- prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
- prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
- purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
- queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
- red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
- Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
- redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
- redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
- ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
- rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
- rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
- sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
- sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
- scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
- Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
- sessileleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium sessilifolium
- shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
- showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
- silkcotton purslane Portulaca halimoides
- silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
- silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
- sixangle spurge Euphorbia hexagona
- sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
- slickseed fuzzybean Strophostyles leiosperma
- slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
- slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
- slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
- snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
- Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
- spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
- spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
- spreading sandmat Chamaesyce humistrata
- stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
- stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
- tall lespedeza Lespedeza stuevei
- Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera
- Texas croton Croton texensis
- Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
- toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
- tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
- velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
- velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
- violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
- Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
- Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
- warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
- wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
- western horsenettle Solanum dimidiatum
- western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
- white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
- white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
- white vervain Verbena urticifolia
- whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
- wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
- winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
- wiry panicgrass Panicum flexile
- 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.
- annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
- common reedPhragmites australis
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.
| Measure | Custer County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native species | 236 | 203 | 1,513 |
| Garden-ready natives | 93 | 80 | 535 |
| Tree | 26 | — | 130 |
| Shrub | 8 | — | 63 |
| Wildflower (forb) | 154 | — | 849 |
| Grass or grass-like | 32 | — | 341 |
| Vine | 13 | — | 85 |
| Fern | 3 | — | 45 |
Neighboring counties
Counties that share a ZIP code with Custer County.
- Beckham County, OK 44 garden-ready
- Blaine County, OK 67 garden-ready
- Caddo County, OK 112 garden-ready
- Dewey County, OK 41 garden-ready
- Roger Mills County, OK 74 garden-ready
- Washita County, OK 34 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
- Custer County (county FIPS 40039), Oklahoma. 236 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