Native plants · Oregon

Native plants of Sherman County

168 plant species are recorded as native to Oregon in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Sherman County by USDA PLANTS. 134 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

Sherman County, Oregon

Native species
168 Typical Oregon county: 432 (median of 36 counties)
Garden-ready natives
134 Typical Oregon county: 311
Share by type (all 168 native species)
Percent of the 168 native species in each growth type
Tree 9% (15)
Shrub 9% (15)
Wildflower (forb) 60% (100)
Grass or grass-like 18% (31)
Vine 3% (5)
Fern 1% (2)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (60%), 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 zones 7a to 8a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 134

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

Garden-ready native plants of Sherman County, Oregon
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
American licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
American vetch Vicia americana Vine 1.3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
ballhead waterleaf Hydrophyllum capitatum Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
basalt milkvetch Astragalus filipes Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
basin wildrye Leymus cinereus Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun High Zone 3a
beardless wildrye Leymus triticoides Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata Tree 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
bigflower agoseris Agoseris grandiflora Wildflower (forb) 1.8 ft Sun Medium Zone 6a
bigseed biscuitroot Lomatium macrocarpum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 4b
blanketflower Gaillardia aristata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Blue Mountain buckwheat Eriogonum strictum Wildflower (forb) 2.2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
bluebunch wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
boxelder Acer negundo Tree 60 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
broom snakeweed Gutierrezia sarothrae Shrub 1.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
California brome Bromus carinatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
Canby's biscuitroot Lomatium canbyi Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun Low Zone 4b
Carey's balsamroot Balsamorhiza careyana Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus Grass or grass-like 1.7 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
clustered field sedge Carex praegracilis Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Columbia needlegrass Achnatherum nelsonii Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
common reed Phragmites australis Shrub 13 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
curvepod milkvetch Astragalus curvicarpus Wildflower (forb) 5 in Sun Low Zone 5a
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
desert centaury Centaurium exaltatum Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 12b
desert yellow fleabane Erigeron linearis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Douglas' dustymaiden Chaenactis douglasii Wildflower (forb) 1.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
Douglas' sedge Carex douglasii Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa Shrub 15 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
fernleaf biscuitroot Lomatium dissectum Wildflower (forb) 15 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 8a
freckled milkvetch Astragalus lentiginosus Shrub 1.4 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium 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
Greene's mountain ash Sorbus scopulina Tree 12 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7a
Idaho fescue Festuca idahoensis Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Indian ricegrass Achnatherum hymenoides Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
largeflower hawksbeard Crepis occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 11 in Sun Low Zone 5a
largeflower triteleia Triteleia grandiflora Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
Leiberg's bluegrass Poa leibergii Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
Lewis' mock orange Philadelphus lewisii Shrub 12 ft Sun Low Zone 8a
longleaf phlox Phlox longifolia Wildflower (forb) 1.2 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
low pussytoes Antennaria dimorpha Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
MacKenzie's willow Salix prolixa Tree 45 ft Sun Low Zone 2a
mat muhly Muhlenbergia richardsonis Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun High Zone 4b
meadow barley Hordeum brachyantherum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Mexican rush Juncus mexicanus Grass or grass-like 10 in Sun Medium Zone 5b
miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 12b
mountain brome Bromus marginatus Grass or grass-like 4 ft Sun High Zone 4b
narrowleaf willow Salix exigua Tree 10 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
Nebraska sedge Carex nebrascensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun High Zone 3b
needle and thread Hesperostipa comata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
nineleaf biscuitroot Lomatium triternatum Wildflower (forb) 2.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
northern bedstraw Galium boreale Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
northwest sandbar willow Salix sessilifolia Tree 20 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
Oregon checkerbloom Sidalcea oregana Wildflower (forb) 4.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
Oregon white oak Quercus garryana Tree 80 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
pale evening primrose Oenothera pallida Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
peachleaf willow Salix amygdaloides Tree 60 ft Sun High Zone 4a
pinkfairies Clarkia pulchella Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata Grass or grass-like 8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
prairie Junegrass Koeleria macrantha Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
redosier dogwood Cornus sericea Tree 12 ft Sun High Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain iris Iris missouriensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4b
rough bugleweed Lycopus asper Wildflower (forb) 2.1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
roundleaf alumroot Heuchera cylindrica Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 6a
royal penstemon Penstemon speciosus Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
rubber rabbitbrush Ericameria nauseosa Shrub 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
rush pussytoes Antennaria luzuloides Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Rydberg's penstemon Penstemon rydbergii Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
sagebrush buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun High Zone 3a
sagebrush mariposa lily Calochortus macrocarpus Wildflower (forb) 1.8 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
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 dropseed Sporobolus cryptandrus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda Grass or grass-like 1.4 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3b
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
scabland penstemon Penstemon deustus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
scabland sagebrush Artemisia rigida Shrub 2 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
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
sharpleaf penstemon Penstemon acuminatus Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
shiny chickweed Stellaria nitens Wildflower (forb) 10 in Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 12a
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
silky lupine Lupinus sericeus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
silverleaf phacelia Phacelia hastata Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
silverweed cinquefoil Argentina anserina Wildflower (forb) 6 in Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
slender cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
slender wheatgrass Elymus trachycaulus Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
slenderbeak sedge Carex athrostachya Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
smooth horsetail Equisetum laevigatum Fern 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
smooth sumac Rhus glabra Tree 12 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
spineless horsebrush Tetradymia canescens Shrub 4 ft Sun Low Zone 9a
spreading phlox Phlox diffusa Wildflower (forb) 6 in Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
squirreltail Elymus elymoides Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
sticky purple geranium Geranium viscosissimum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 6a
tapertip onion Allium acuminatum Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
tarweed fiddleneck Amsinckia lycopsoides Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
thickspike wheatgrass Elymus lanceolatus Grass or grass-like 2.3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
thinleaved owl's-clover Orthocarpus tenuifolius Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 12b
threadleaf fleabane Erigeron filifolius Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Low Zone 6a
Thurber's needlegrass Achnatherum thurberianum Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
water birch Betula occidentalis Tree 25 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 1a
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 5a
wax currant Ribes cereum Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
western columbine Aquilegia formosa Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
western goldentop Euthamia occidentalis Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
western juniper Juniperus occidentalis Tree 33 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
western stoneseed Lithospermum ruderale Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
western white clematis Clematis ligusticifolia Vine 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
white alder Alnus rhombifolia Tree 65 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
whitebark raspberry Rubus leucodermis Vine 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 8a
whitestem gooseberry Ribes inerme Shrub 8 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
Woods' rose Rosa woodsii Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
woolly groundsel Packera cana Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun Low Zone 3a
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 12b
woollypod milkvetch Astragalus purshii Wildflower (forb) 7 in Sun Low Zone 4a
yellow fritillary Fritillaria pudica Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 12a
yellow rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus Shrub 3 ft Sun Low Zone 5a
yellow spiderflower Cleome lutea Wildflower (forb) 2.7 ft Sun Low Zone 12a
yellow wildrye Leymus flavescens Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b

Other native species recorded here 34

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 bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
  • arroyo willow Salix lasiolepis
  • bastard toadflax Comandra umbellata
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
  • brittle pricklypear Opuntia fragilis
  • cutleaf nightshade Solanum triflorum
  • Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
  • flatspine bur ragweed Ambrosia acanthicarpa
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • grand redstem Ammannia robusta
  • hoary tansyaster Machaeranthera canescens
  • lemon scurfpea Psoralidium lanceolatum
  • manyflowered monkeyflower Mimulus floribundus
  • mat sandbur Cenchrus longispinus
  • muskflower Mimulus moschatus
  • needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
  • oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
  • Oregon cliff fern Woodsia oregana
  • povertyweed Iva axillaris
  • prairie sunflower Helianthus petiolaris
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • shaggy fleabane Erigeron pumilus
  • slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
  • spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
  • veiny dock Rumex venosus
  • water mudwort Limosella aquatica
  • wavyleaf thistle Cirsium undulatum
  • western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
  • western poison ivy Toxicodendron rydbergii
  • western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
  • woodbine Parthenocissus vitacea
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.

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, Sherman County and Oregon
MeasureSherman CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 168 432 1,058
Garden-ready natives 134 311 683
Tree 15 — 87
Shrub 15 — 115
Wildflower (forb) 100 — 567
Grass or grass-like 31 — 232
Vine 5 — 18
Fern 2 — 39

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

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
Sherman County (county FIPS 41055), Oregon. 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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