Native plants · Oklahoma

Native plants of Kiowa County

168 plant species are recorded as native to Oklahoma in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Kiowa County by USDA PLANTS. 69 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Kiowa County, Oklahoma

Native species: 168 Typical Oklahoma county: 203 (median of 77 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 69 Typical Oklahoma county: 80
Share by type (all 168 native species): Percent of the 168 native species in each growth type

Tree 15% (25)
Shrub 5% (8)
Wildflower (forb) 55% (92)
Grass or grass-like 18% (30)
Vine 5% (8)
Fern 3% (5)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (55%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (18%).

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 7b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 69

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

Garden-ready native plants of Kiowa County, Oklahoma
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American elm Ulmus americana	Tree	120 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
Arizona cottontop Digitaria californica	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
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 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
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 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
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 goldstar Hypoxis hirsuta	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
common hackberry Celtis occidentalis	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
composite dropseed Sporobolus compositus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
dotted blazing star Liatris punctata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	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
featherplume Dalea formosa	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	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
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
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
honey mesquite Prosopis glandulosa	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
Illinois bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
Indian blanket Gaillardia pulchella	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
narrowleaf blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
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
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
prairie wedgescale Sphenopholis obtusata	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
skunkbush sumac Rhus trilobata	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 2a
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
sugarberry Celtis laevigata	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
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
turkey tangle fogfruit Phyla nodiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
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

Other native species recorded here 99

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 star-thistle Centaurea americana
aromatic aster Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bluejacket Tradescantia ohiensis
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
cusp dodder Cuscuta cuspidata
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
diamond-flowers Stenaria nigricans
downy phlox Phlox pilosa
dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
field pansy Viola bicolor
flatspine stickseed Lappula occidentalis
fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora
gum bully Sideroxylon lanuginosum
hairy lipfern Cheilanthes lanosa
hairyfruit chervil Chaerophyllum tainturieri
heartleaf four o'clock Mirabilis nyctaginea
Jersey tea Ceanothus herbaceus
kiss me quick Portulaca pilosa
largeflower tickseed Coreopsis grandiflora
lemon beebalm Monarda citriodora
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
Louisiana vetch Vicia ludoviciana
man of the earth Ipomoea pandurata
mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
meadow garlic Allium canadense
narrowleaf four o'clock Mirabilis linearis
narrowleaf purple coneflower Echinacea angustifolia
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
northern dewberry Rubus flagellaris
northern selaginella Selaginella rupestris
Nuttall's prairie parsley Polytaenia nuttallii
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
pineland threeseed mercury Acalypha ostryifolia
pinkladies Oenothera speciosa
poorjoe Diodia teres
poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
prairie cupgrass Eriochloa contracta
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie sandmat Chamaesyce missurica
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie tea Croton monanthogynus
prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
purple cliffbrake Pellaea atropurpurea
queen's-delight Stillingia sylvatica
redwhisker clammyweed Polanisia dodecandra
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
sandhill amaranth Amaranthus arenicola
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender snakecotton Froelichia gracilis
slickseed fuzzybean Strophostyles leiosperma
slimpod Venus' looking-glass Triodanis leptocarpa
sneezeweed Helenium amarum
soft-hair marbleseed Onosmodium bejariense
sorrelvine Cissus trifoliata
Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
standing-cypress Ipomopsis rubra
stiffstem flax Linum rigidum
Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera
Texas croton Croton texensis
Texas signalgrass Urochloa texana
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
threeflower melicgrass Melica nitens
tumble windmill grass Chloris verticillata
twoflower melicgrass Melica mutica
violet woodsorrel Oxalis violacea
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia plantain Plantago virginica
warty caltrop Kallstroemia parviflora
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white four o'clock Mirabilis albida
white heath aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
Wright's plantain Plantago wrightiana

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, Kiowa County and Oklahoma
Measure	Kiowa County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	168	203	1,513
Garden-ready natives	69	80	535
Tree	25	—	130
Shrub	8	—	63
Wildflower (forb)	92	—	849
Grass or grass-like	30	—	341
Vine	8	—	85
Fern	5	—	45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Kiowa County.

Caddo County, OK 112 garden-ready
Comanche County, OK 163 garden-ready
Tillman County, OK 23 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: Kiowa County (county FIPS 40075), Oklahoma. 168 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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