Native plants · Oklahoma

Native plants of Woodward County

161 plant species are recorded as native to Oklahoma in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Woodward County by USDA PLANTS. 70 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Woodward County, Oklahoma

Native species: 161 Typical Oklahoma county: 203 (median of 77 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 70 Typical Oklahoma county: 80
Share by type (all 161 native species): Percent of the 161 native species in each growth type

Tree 12% (19)
Shrub 2% (4)
Wildflower (forb) 57% (92)
Grass or grass-like 25% (40)
Vine 4% (6)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (57%), 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 70

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

Garden-ready native plants of Woodward 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
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
black willow Salix nigra	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1b
blackjack oak Quercus marilandica	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
boxelder Acer negundo	Tree	60 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	6 in	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 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
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii	Tree	70 ft	Sun	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
common reed Phragmites australis	Shrub	13 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
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 redbud Cercis canadensis	Tree	30 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
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
frost grape Vitis vulpina	Vine	83 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 5a
golden currant Ribes aureum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Tree	80 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
harvestlice Agrimonia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
heartleaf peppervine Ampelopsis cordata	Vine	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
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
little walnut Juglans microcarpa	Tree	20 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
Maryland senna Senna marilandica	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5b
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
post oak Quercus stellata	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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 poppymallow Callirhoe involucrata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
red mulberry Morus rubra	Tree	70 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
redtop panicgrass Panicum rigidulum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
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
sandbar willow Salix interior	Tree	30 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
scarlet globemallow Sphaeralcea coccinea	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
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
slippery elm Ulmus rubra	Tree	85 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
squarestem spikerush Eleocharis quadrangulata	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
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
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
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
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 91

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.

annual buckwheat Eriogonum annuum
azure blue sage Salvia azurea
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bighead pygmycudweed Evax prolifera
blowout grass Redfieldia flexuosa
blue wild indigo Baptisia australis
bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
bristly scaleseed Spermolepis echinata
camphorweed Heterotheca subaxillaris
Canada spikesedge Eleocharis geniculata
Carolina canarygrass Phalaris caroliniana
Carolina larkspur Delphinium carolinianum
Carolina puccoon Lithospermum caroliniense
Carolina woollywhite Hymenopappus scabiosaeus
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
chickenthief Mentzelia oligosperma
common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
common moonseed Menispermum canadense
curvepod fumewort Corydalis curvisiliqua
cutleaf evening primrose Oenothera laciniata
Dakota mock vervain Glandularia bipinnatifida
desert biscuitroot Lomatium foeniculaceum
dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
Engelmann's daisy Engelmannia peristenia
fall witchgrass Digitaria cognata
false buffalograss Munroa squarrosa
feather fingergrass Chloris virgata
fourpoint evening primrose Oenothera rhombipetala
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica
hairy pinweed Lechea mucronata
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
Hopi tea greenthread Thelesperma megapotamicum
horned pondweed Zannichellia palustris
lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
licorice bedstraw Galium circaezans
lowland rotala Rotala ramosior
mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
meadow garlic Allium canadense
narrowleaf stoneseed Lithospermum incisum
neckweed Veronica peregrina
Nuttall's sensitive-briar Mimosa nuttallii
pale dock Rumex altissimus
plains bluegrass Poa arida
pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
prairie groundcherry Physalis hispida
prairie groundsel Packera plattensis
prairie spiderwort Tradescantia occidentalis
prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
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
sand sagebrush Artemisia filifolia
sand spikerush Eleocharis montevidensis
scarlet beeblossom Oenothera suffrutescens
Schweinitz's flatsedge Cyperus schweinitzii
shaggy dwarf morning-glory Evolvulus nuttallianus
shortstalk chickweed Cerastium brachypodum
showy evening primrose Oenothera grandis
silkcotton purslane Portulaca halimoides
silky prairie clover Dalea villosa
silverleaf nightshade Solanum elaeagnifolium
sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
smallflower halfchaff sedge Lipocarpha micrantha
southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
Spanish gold Grindelia papposa
spotted beebalm Monarda punctata
spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
Standley's goosefoot Chenopodium standleyanum
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stemless Townsend daisy Townsendia exscapa
Texas bluegrass Poa arachnifera
Texas croton Croton texensis
Texas toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus
thin paspalum Paspalum setaceum
velvetweed Oenothera curtiflora
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
western rockjasmine Androsace occidentalis
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
white vervain Verbena urticifolia
whitemouth dayflower Commelina erecta
whitest evening primrose Oenothera albicaulis

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, Woodward County and Oklahoma
Measure	Woodward County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	161	203	1,513
Garden-ready natives	70	80	535
Tree	19	—	130
Shrub	4	—	63
Wildflower (forb)	92	—	849
Grass or grass-like	40	—	341
Vine	6	—	85
Fern	0	—	45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Woodward County.

Dewey County, OK 41 garden-ready
Ellis County, OK 44 garden-ready
Harper County, OK 75 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: Woodward County (county FIPS 40153), Oklahoma. 161 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.