Native plants · Oklahoma

Native plants of Harper County

177 plant species are recorded as native to Oklahoma in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Harper County by USDA PLANTS. 75 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Harper County, Oklahoma

Native species: 177 Typical Oklahoma county: 203 (median of 77 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 75 Typical Oklahoma county: 80
Share by type (all 177 native species): Percent of the 177 native species in each growth type

Tree 8% (14)
Shrub 4% (7)
Wildflower (forb) 59% (104)
Grass or grass-like 25% (45)
Vine 3% (6)
Fern <1% (1)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (59%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (25%).

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 75

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

Garden-ready native plants of Harper County, Oklahoma
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
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
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 water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
broadleaf arrowhead Sagittaria latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
cosmopolitan bulrush Bolboschoenus maritimus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
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
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
hairy grama Bouteloua hirsuta	Grass or grass-like	6 in	Sun	Low	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
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	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
marsh muhly Muhlenbergia racemosa	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
Osage-orange Maclura pomifera	Tree	35 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides	Tree	60 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
purple locoweed Oxytropis lambertii	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
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
riverbank grape Vitis riparia	Vine	45 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Rocky Mountain beeplant Cleome serrulata	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
roughfruit amaranth Amaranthus tuberculatus	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum	Fern	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
soapweed yucca Yucca glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
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
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
tenpetal blazingstar Mentzelia decapetala	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
upright prairie coneflower Ratibida columnifera	Wildflower (forb)	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
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
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 102

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 bugseed Corispermum americanum
annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bighead pygmycudweed Evax prolifera
bigseed alfalfa dodder Cuscuta indecora
blowout grass Redfieldia flexuosa
buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
catchfly prairie gentian Eustoma exaltatum
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
Cuman ragweed Ambrosia psilostachya
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
cutleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum pinnatum
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
downy ragged goldenrod Solidago petiolaris
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
fetid marigold Dyssodia papposa
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
hoary verbena Verbena stricta
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
lacy tansyaster Machaeranthera pinnatifida
lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
marsh bristlegrass Setaria parviflora
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
plains bluegrass Poa arida
plains springparsley Cymopterus acaulis
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
purple sandgrass Triplasis purpurea
red lovegrass Eragrostis secundiflora
Red River scaleseed Spermolepis inermis
redseed plantain Plantago rhodosperma
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
rush skeletonplant Lygodesmia juncea
sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
slickseed fuzzybean Strophostyles leiosperma
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
slimleaf milkweed Asclepias stenophylla
slimspike threeawn Aristida longespica
snow on the mountain Euphorbia marginata
southern cattail Typha domingensis
Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
spiral ditchgrass Ruppia cirrhosa
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spring lady's tresses Spiranthes vernalis
stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
swamp verbena Verbena hastata
Texas croton Croton texensis
Texas goldentop Euthamia gymnospermoides
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
tumblegrass Schedonnardus paniculatus
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
velvety goldenrod Solidago mollis
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
warty spurge Euphorbia spathulata
wedgeleaf Phyla cuneifolia
western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
white prairie aster Symphyotrichum falcatum
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis
winged pigweed Cycloloma atriplicifolium
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woolly tidestromia Tidestromia lanuginosa

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, Harper County and Oklahoma
Measure	Harper County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	177	203	1,513
Garden-ready natives	75	80	535
Tree	14	—	130
Shrub	7	—	63
Wildflower (forb)	104	—	849
Grass or grass-like	45	—	341
Vine	6	—	85
Fern	1	—	45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Harper County.

Beaver County, OK 75 garden-ready
Ellis County, OK 44 garden-ready
Woods County, OK 109 garden-ready
Woodward County, OK 70 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: Harper County (county FIPS 40059), Oklahoma. 177 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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