Native plants · Washington

Native plants of Cowlitz County

271 plant species are recorded as native to Washington in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Cowlitz County by USDA PLANTS. 191 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

Cowlitz County, Washington

Native species: 271 Typical Washington county: 300 (median of 39 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 191 Typical Washington county: 219
Share by type (all 271 native species): Percent of the 271 native species in each growth type

Tree 15% (41)
Shrub 11% (31)
Wildflower (forb) 43% (116)
Grass or grass-like 24% (66)
Vine 2% (6)
Fern 4% (11)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (43%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (24%).

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 8a to 8b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 191

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

Garden-ready native plants of Cowlitz County, Washington
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
Alaska brome Bromus sitchensis	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5b
Alaska cedar Callitropsis nootkatensis	Tree	75 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
Alaska oniongrass Melica subulata	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
alpine laurel Kalmia microphylla	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
alpine timothy Phleum alpinum	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
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
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
beaked sedge Carex rostrata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 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
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
bluejoint Calamagrostis canadensis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt spikerush Eleocharis obtusa	Grass or grass-like	1.6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 11a
bog blueberry Vaccinium uliginosum	Shrub	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
bog Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum	Shrub	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
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
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
California blackberry Rubus ursinus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
California poppy Eschscholzia californica	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Cascade azalea Rhododendron albiflorum	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
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 evening primrose Oenothera biennis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
common juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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 sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
coon's tail Ceratophyllum demersum	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun–part shade	High	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
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
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
Dewey sedge Carex deweyana	Grass or grass-like	3.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
diamondleaf willow Salix planifolia	Tree	8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum	Wildflower (forb)	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Drummond's rush Juncus drummondii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
dwarf rose Rosa gymnocarpa	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
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
Geyer's sedge Carex geyeri	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
giant mountain aster Canadanthus modestus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
green alder Alnus viridis	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
Greene's mountain ash Sorbus scopulina	Tree	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
hairy manzanita Arctostaphylos columbiana	Tree	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus	Grass or grass-like	9.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
harsh Indian paintbrush Castilleja hispida	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Henderson's sedge Carex hendersonii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
hooded lady's tresses Spiranthes romanzoffiana	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Idaho bentgrass Agrostis idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Idaho fescue Festuca idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Indian plum Oemleria cerasiformis	Tree	5 ft	Sun–part shade	—	Zone 10a
inland sedge Carex interior	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
jointleaf rush Juncus articulatus	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Shrub	6 in	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
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
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
livid sedge Carex livida	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
MacKenzie's willow Salix prolixa	Tree	45 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 2a
maiden blue eyed Mary Collinsia parviflora	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
marsh seedbox Ludwigia palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Mertens' rush Juncus mertensianus	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Mertens' sedge Carex mertensii	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
mountain hemlock Tsuga mertensiana	Tree	125 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
mud sedge Carex limosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
orange agoseris Agoseris aurantiaca	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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 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 lupine Lupinus lepidus	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
Pacific madrone Arbutus menziesii	Tree	80 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8b
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
Parry's rush Juncus parryi	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
pinemat manzanita Arctostaphylos nevadensis	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prickly currant Ribes lacustre	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
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
ribbonleaf pondweed Potamogeton epihydrus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
salal Gaultheria shallon	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
salmonberry Rubus spectabilis	Vine	12 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Sandberg bluegrass Poa secunda	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
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
seashore bentgrass Agrostis pallens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
seep monkeyflower Mimulus guttatus	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
shining willow Salix lucida	Tree	13 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
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
Sierra fumewort Corydalis caseana	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
silvery sedge Carex canescens	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis	Tree	200 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Sitka willow Salix sitchensis	Tree	23 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
slender clarkia Clarkia gracilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
slough sedge Carex obnupta	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 7a
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
smallwing sedge Carex microptera	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
spike trisetum Trisetum spicatum	Grass or grass-like	1.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
spreading phlox Phlox diffusa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
squashberry Viburnum edule	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
star sedge Carex echinata	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
sticky cinquefoil Potentilla glandulosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpa	Tree	90 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2a
subalpine fleabane Erigeron peregrinus	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	Medium	Zone 10b
sweetgale Myrica gale	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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 rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
thinleaf huckleberry Vaccinium membranaceum	Shrub	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
three-way sedge Dulichium arundinaceum	Grass or grass-like	2.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
threepetal bedstraw Galium trifidum	Vine	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
timber oatgrass Danthonia intermedia	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4a
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
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
vine maple Acer circinatum	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile	Fern	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
water sedge Carex aquatilis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 needlegrass Achnatherum occidentale	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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 water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
western white pine Pinus monticola	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Wheeler bluegrass Poa nervosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
white hawkweed Hieracium albiflorum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	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 80

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 rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
bay forget-me-not Myosotis laxa
Beck's water-marigold Bidens beckii
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bog willow Salix pedicellaris
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
claspleaf twistedstalk Streptopus amplexifolius
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
English sundew Drosera anglica
European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
falsegold groundsel Packera pseudaurea
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fewflower spikerush Eleocharis quinqueflora
floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
green false hellebore Veratrum viride
hairy evening primrose Oenothera villosa
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
knotsheath sedge Carex retrorsa
lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
marsh horsetail Equisetum palustre
marsh violet Viola palustris
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
red baneberry Actaea rubra
Rocky Mountain rush Juncus saximontanus
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender bog orchid Platanthera stricta
small bur-reed Sparganium natans
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
swollen bladderwort Utricularia inflata
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
twinflower Linnaea borealis
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
water mudwort Limosella aquatica
watershield Brasenia schreberi
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
western tansymustard Descurainia pinnata
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida

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.

bride's feathersAruncus dioicus
Kentucky bluegrassPoa pratensis

Compared with Washington

The typical county is the median of the 39 Washington 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, Cowlitz County and Washington
Measure	Cowlitz County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	271	300	1,015
Garden-ready natives	191	219	621
Tree	41	—	74
Shrub	31	—	99
Wildflower (forb)	116	—	547
Grass or grass-like	66	—	234
Vine	6	—	16
Fern	11	—	45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Cowlitz County.

Clark County, WA 130 garden-ready
Skamania County, WA 296 garden-ready
Wahkiakum County, WA 146 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: Cowlitz County (county FIPS 53015), Washington. 271 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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