Native plants · Oregon

Native plants of Polk County

253 plant species are recorded as native to Oregon in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Polk County by USDA PLANTS. 176 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 4 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Polk County, Oregon

Native species: 253 Typical Oregon county: 432 (median of 36 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 176 Typical Oregon county: 311
Share by type (all 253 native species): Percent of the 253 native species in each growth type

Tree 15% (37)
Shrub 9% (22)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (129)
Grass or grass-like 19% (47)
Vine 3% (7)
Fern 4% (11)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (19%).

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 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 176

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

Garden-ready native plants of Polk County, Oregon
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alaska brome Bromus sitchensis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American speedwell Veronica americana	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
American vetch Vicia americana	Vine	1.3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
American water horehound Lycopus americanus	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
annual hairgrass Deschampsia danthonioides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
bearded fescue Festuca subulata	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
big deervetch Lotus crassifolius	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllum	Tree	60 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
bitter cherry Prunus emarginata	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
black hawthorn Crataegus douglasii	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
blue wildrye Elymus glaucus	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
bog blueberry Vaccinium uliginosum	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
broadleaf lupine Lupinus latifolius	Wildflower (forb)	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
California amaranth Amaranthus californicus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 7a
California blackberry Rubus ursinus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
California brome Bromus carinatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
California false hellebore Veratrum californicum	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
California fescue Festuca californica	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
California oatgrass Danthonia californica	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
California poppy Eschscholzia californica	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
Cascade barberry Mahonia nervosa	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
Cascara buckthorn Frangula purshiana	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
clasping arnica Arnica amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
cluster rose Rosa pisocarpa	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	—	Zone 5a
coastal monkeyflower Mimulus dentatus	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7b
Columbia brome Bromus vulgaris	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
common beargrass Xerophyllum tenax	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common rush Juncus effusus	Grass or grass-like	6.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
common spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
coyotebrush Baccharis pilularis	Shrub	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9b
cursed buttercup Ranunculus sceleratus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
deer fern Blechnum spicant	Fern	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
devil's beggartick Bidens frondosa	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12a
Douglas aster Symphyotrichum subspicatum	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Douglas' grasswidow Olsynium douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
dwarf rose Rosa gymnocarpa	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
fernleaf biscuitroot Lomatium dissectum	Wildflower (forb)	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
fireweed Chamerion angustifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fowl mannagrass Glyceria striata	Grass or grass-like	5.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Gardner's yampah Perideridia gairdneri	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
giant chinquapin Chrysolepis chrysophylla	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
grand fir Abies grandis	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
greater creeping spearwort Ranunculus flammula	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
Henderson's sedge Carex hendersonii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
hollyleaved barberry Mahonia aquifolium	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Idaho blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium idahoense	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Indian plum Oemleria cerasiformis	Tree	5 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 10a
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Klamath plum Prunus subcordata	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
leafy pea Lathyrus polyphyllus	Vine	2.7 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7b
Lemmon's needlegrass Achnatherum lemmonii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Lewis' mock orange Philadelphus lewisii	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 8a
little western bittercress Cardamine oligosperma	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
longstalk clover Trifolium longipes	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
MacKenzie's willow Salix prolixa	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
Macoun's buttercup Ranunculus macounii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
maiden blue eyed Mary Collinsia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Malabar sprangletop Leptochloa fusca	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Mertens' sedge Carex mertensii	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
noble fir Abies procera	Tree	230 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
nodding beggartick Bidens cernua	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
Nootka rose Rosa nutkana	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
northwest sandbar willow Salix sessilifolia	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
Oregon ash Fraxinus latifolia	Tree	70 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6b
Oregon bedstraw Galium oreganum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
Oregon crab apple Malus fusca	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 10a
Oregon geranium Geranium oreganum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
Oregon white oak Quercus garryana	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
oval-leaf blueberry Vaccinium ovalifolium	Shrub	8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Pacific bleeding heart Dicentra formosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
Pacific dogwood Cornus nuttallii	Tree	50 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Pacific madrone Arbutus menziesii	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8b
Pacific ninebark Physocarpus capitatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Pacific rhododendron Rhododendron macrophyllum	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 8a
Pacific silver fir Abies amabilis	Tree	165 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia	Tree	40 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa	Tree	223 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
prickly currant Ribes lacustre	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
purple oniongrass Melica spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
red alder Alnus rubra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
red huckleberry Vaccinium parvifolium	Shrub	12 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
redflower currant Ribes sanguineum	Shrub	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea	Tree	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
redroot flatsedge Cyperus erythrorhizos	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
redstem ceanothus Ceanothus sanguineus	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain maple Acer glabrum	Tree	30 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3a
rose spirea Spiraea douglasii	Shrub	7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Ross' sedge Carex rossii	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
salal Gaultheria shallon	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
salmonberry Rubus spectabilis	Vine	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
sanddune wallflower Erysimum capitatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
Saskatoon serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
Scouler's willow Salix scouleriana	Tree	50 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
Scouler's woollyweed Hieracium scouleri	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Siberian springbeauty Claytonia sibirica	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
sicklekeel lupine Lupinus albicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
Sitka willow Salix sitchensis	Tree	23 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
slender cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
slough sedge Carex obnupta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
small camas Camassia quamash	Wildflower (forb)	2.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
small enchanter's nightshade Circaea alpina	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
smallflowered woodrush Luzula parviflora	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
snowbrush ceanothus Ceanothus velutinus	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
softstem bulrush Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani	Grass or grass-like	9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
star duckweed Lemna trisulca	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
sulphur lupine Lupinus sulphureus	Wildflower (forb)	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
swordleaf rush Juncus ensifolius	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tall trisetum Trisetum canescens	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
tapertip onion Allium acuminatum	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
teal lovegrass Eragrostis hypnoides	Grass or grass-like	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
toughleaf iris Iris tenax	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
vine maple Acer circinatum	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium	Wildflower (forb)	1 in	Sun	High	Zone 5a
western columbine Aquilegia formosa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
western fescue Festuca occidentalis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3a
western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla	Tree	170 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
western mountain ash Sorbus sitchensis	Tree	15 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
western pearly everlasting Anaphalis margaritacea	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
western redcedar Thuja plicata	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
western swordfern Polystichum munitum	Fern	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
western waterleaf Hydrophyllum occidentale	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia	Vine	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
western white pine Pinus monticola	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white hawkweed Hieracium albiflorum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
white marsh marigold Caltha leptosepala	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
whitebark raspberry Rubus leucodermis	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
woodrush sedge Carex luzulina	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 77

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.

Aleutian maidenhair Adiantum aleuticum
American bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
American black nightshade Solanum americanum
American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
bay forget-me-not Myosotis laxa
Bicknell's cranesbill Geranium bicknellii
bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
chaffweed Anagallis minima
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
claspleaf twistedstalk Streptopus amplexifolius
coast tarweed Madia sativa
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
dune willow Salix hookeriana
European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
marsh horsetail Equisetum palustre
marsh violet Viola palustris
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
meadow sedge Carex praticola
Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
milkflower willowherb Epilobium lactiflorum
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
narrowleaf minerslettuce Montia linearis
neckweed Veronica peregrina
needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
northern watermeal Wolffia borealis
red baneberry Actaea rubra
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
spring forget-me-not Myosotis verna
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
twinflower Linnaea borealis
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water pygmyweed Crassula aquatica
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
witchgrass Panicum capillare
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
yellowseed false pimpernel Lindernia dubia

Also listed as native and introduced here 4

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.

beach strawberryFragaria chiloensis
bride's feathersAruncus dioicus
hedge false bindweedCalystegia sepium
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Oregon

The typical county is the median of the 36 Oregon 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, Polk County and Oregon
Measure	Polk County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	253	432	1,058
Garden-ready natives	176	311	683
Tree	37	—	87
Shrub	22	—	115
Wildflower (forb)	129	—	567
Grass or grass-like	47	—	232
Vine	7	—	18
Fern	11	—	39

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Polk County.

Benton County, OR 238 garden-ready
Yamhill County, OR 162 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: Polk County (county FIPS 41053), Oregon. 253 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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