Native plants · Washington

Native plants of Pierce County

412 plant species are recorded as native to Washington in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Pierce County by USDA PLANTS. 280 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

Pierce County, Washington

Native species: 412 Typical Washington county: 300 (median of 39 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 280 Typical Washington county: 219
Share by type (all 412 native species): Percent of the 412 native species in each growth type

Tree 12% (49)
Shrub 11% (46)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (203)
Grass or grass-like 21% (86)
Vine 1% (6)
Fern 5% (22)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (21%).

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 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 280

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

Garden-ready native plants of Pierce 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
alkali buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
alpine laurel Kalmia microphylla	Shrub	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
alpine leafybract aster Symphyotrichum foliaceum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
alpine mountainsorrel Oxyria digyna	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
alpine timothy Phleum alpinum	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
American alpine speedwell Veronica wormskjoldii	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
American bistort Polygonum bistortoides	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
American eelgrass Vallisneria americana	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
arctic pearlwort Sagina saginoides	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
Barclay's willow Salix barclayi	Tree	15 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
bearded fescue Festuca subulata	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
bigflower agoseris Agoseris grandiflora	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
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 crowberry Empetrum nigrum	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
black hawthorn Crataegus douglasii	Tree	15 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
blanketflower Gaillardia aristata	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
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 birch Betula pumila	Shrub	20 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
Brewer's bittercress Cardamine breweri	Wildflower (forb)	1.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broadleaf arnica Arnica latifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	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
broadlipped twayblade Listera convallarioides	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bush penstemon Penstemon fruticosus	Shrub	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
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 huckleberry Vaccinium ovatum	Shrub	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 8a
California oatgrass Danthonia californica	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 9a
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian horseweed Conyza canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12b
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
Chamisso arnica Arnica chamissonis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
chamisso sedge Carex pachystachya	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
clasping arnica Arnica amplexicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
cliff dwarf-primrose Douglasia laevigata	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
cluster rose Rosa pisocarpa	Shrub	3 ft	Sun	—	Zone 5a
Columbia brome Bromus vulgaris	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
Columbian monkshood Aconitum columbianum	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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 juniper Juniperus communis	Tree	10 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 12b
cutleaf daisy Erigeron compositus	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Davis' knotweed Polygonum davisiae	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 5a
deer fern Blechnum spicant	Fern	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6b
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
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
drooping woodreed Cinna latifolia	Grass or grass-like	4.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
Drummond's rockcress Arabis drummondii	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
Drummond's rush Juncus drummondii	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	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
elephanthead lousewort Pedicularis groenlandica	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
Engelmann spruce Picea engelmannii	Tree	120 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2a
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
flatstem pondweed Potamogeton zosteriformis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
forked wormwood Artemisia furcata	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
fowl bluegrass Poa palustris	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
fringed brome Bromus ciliatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 7a
fringed grass of Parnassus Parnassia fimbriata	Wildflower (forb)	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
Geyer willow Salix geyeriana	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
giant mountain aster Canadanthus modestus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
glaucus willowherb Epilobium glaberrimum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6b
grand fir Abies grandis	Tree	150 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
gray alder Alnus incana	Tree	25 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
greenleaf fescue Festuca viridula	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
grouse whortleberry Vaccinium scoparium	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
hairy arnica Arnica mollis	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
hairy manzanita Arctostaphylos columbiana	Tree	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 8a
harsh Indian paintbrush Castilleja hispida	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
heartleaf arnica Arnica cordifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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 bentgrass Agrostis idahoensis	Grass or grass-like	1.4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Idaho blue-eyed grass Sisyrinchium idahoense	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	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
lambstongue ragwort Senecio integerrimus	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
lanceleaf grapefern Botrychium lanceolatum	Fern	11 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
largeleaf avens Geum macrophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
leafy pea Lathyrus polyphyllus	Vine	2.7 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7b
leafy pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
Lyall's angelica Angelica arguta	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
Lyngbye's sedge Carex lyngbyei	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 2a
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
marsh bluegrass Poa leptocoma	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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' 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
miner's lettuce Claytonia perfoliata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12b
Missouri goldenrod Solidago missouriensis	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 3b
mountain sedge Carex scopulorum	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
mud sedge Carex limosa	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
needle spikerush Eleocharis acicularis	Grass or grass-like	8 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 5a
nineleaf biscuitroot Lomatium triternatum	Wildflower (forb)	2.2 ft	Sun–part shade	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
nodding waternymph Najas flexilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
Nootka rose Rosa nutkana	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 8a
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
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 ninebark Physocarpus capitatus	Shrub	8 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
Pacific onion Allium validum	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
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
pale agoseris Agoseris glauca	Shrub	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Grass or grass-like	5.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
paper birch Betula papyrifera	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
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
Pennsylvania buttercup Ranunculus pensylvanicus	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
pinemat manzanita Arctostaphylos nevadensis	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata	Shrub	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
plantainleaf buttercup Ranunculus alismifolius	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
poverty rush Juncus tenuis	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
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
Rainier pleated gentian Gentiana calycosa	Wildflower (forb)	7 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 8a
rayless arnica Arnica ×diversifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5a
red alder Alnus rubra	Tree	90 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
red currant Ribes triste	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 1a
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
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
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
Robbins' pondweed Potamogeton robbinsii	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
Rocky Mountain goldenrod Solidago multiradiata	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	—	Zone 1a
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
sagebrush buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
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
sea milkwort Glaux maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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
shiny chickweed Stellaria nitens	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 12a
shortawn foxtail Alopecurus aequalis	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
shortfruit willow Salix brachycarpa	Shrub	3.6 ft	—	—	Zone 5a
shrubby cinquefoil Dasiphora fruticosa	Shrub	2.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
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 larkspur Delphinium glaucum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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 cinquefoil Potentilla gracilis	Wildflower (forb)	2.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
slender cottongrass Eriophorum gracile	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
slender hairgrass Deschampsia elongata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
slenderbeak sedge Carex athrostachya	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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
small floating mannagrass Glyceria borealis	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
small white violet Viola macloskeyi	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
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
spearleaf arnica Arnica longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	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
spiked woodrush Luzula spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
spreading phlox Phlox diffusa	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
squashberry Viburnum edule	Shrub	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 1a
squirreltail Elymus elymoides	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
star duckweed Lemna trisulca	Wildflower (forb)	4 in	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
sticky currant Ribes viscosissimum	Shrub	3.5 ft	Sun	—	Zone 3b
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum	Fern	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
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
swordleaf rush Juncus ensifolius	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
tall cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
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
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
thrift seapink Armeria maritima	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
Tilesius' wormwood Artemisia tilesii	Wildflower (forb)	36 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 1a
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
tufted bulrush Trichophorum cespitosum	Grass or grass-like	1.3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
undergreen willow Salix commutata	Shrub	3 ft	—	—	Zone 3b
Utah honeysuckle Lonicera utahensis	Shrub	5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
vine maple Acer circinatum	Tree	20 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
Virginia glasswort Salicornia depressa	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
water horsetail Equisetum fluviatile	Fern	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
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 water hemlock Cicuta douglasii	Wildflower (forb)	6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4b
western wheatgrass Pascopyrum smithii	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
western white pine Pinus monticola	Tree	200 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
white alder Alnus rhombifolia	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
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 pine Pinus albicaulis	Tree	65 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1b
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
woolgrass Scirpus cyperinus	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a

Other native species recorded here 132

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
alpine fescue Festuca brachyphylla
alpine lewisia Lewisia pygmaea
alpine milkvetch Astragalus alpinus
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
bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
beautiful sandwort Minuartia rubella
bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
bitter fleabane Erigeron acris
blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
bog yellowcress Rorippa palustris
boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
brightgreen spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes-ramosum
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
brownish sedge Carex brunnescens
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
claspleaf twistedstalk Streptopus amplexifolius
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
ditch rabbitsfoot grass Polypogon interruptus
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
dune willow Salix hookeriana
European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fewflower spikerush Eleocharis quinqueflora
floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
Florida mudmidget Wolffiella gladiata
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
giant red Indian paintbrush Castilleja miniata
grassleaf mudplantain Heteranthera dubia
green false hellebore Veratrum viride
greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
groundcedar Lycopodium complanatum
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Hornemann's willowherb Epilobium hornemannii
Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
inundated clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata
largebracted plantain Plantago aristata
largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
little grapefern Botrychium simplex
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
Macoun's cudweed Pseudognaphalium macounii
male fern Dryopteris filix-mas
marsh horsetail Equisetum palustre
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh violet Viola palustris
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
milkflower willowherb Epilobium lactiflorum
Mingan moonwort Botrychium minganense
moss campion Silene acaulis
mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
narrowleaf bur-reed Sparganium angustifolium
narrowleaf minerslettuce Montia linearis
neckweed Veronica peregrina
needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
nodding onion Allium cernuum
northern bog aster Symphyotrichum boreale
northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
northern green orchid Platanthera aquilonis
northern hollyfern Polystichum lonchitis
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
one-cone clubmoss Lycopodium lagopus
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
pullup muhly Muhlenbergia filiformis
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
purple reedgrass Calamagrostis purpurascens
red baneberry Actaea rubra
Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
single delight Moneses uniflora
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender bog orchid Platanthera stricta
slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
small bur-reed Sparganium natans
small cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos
small pondweed Potamogeton pusillus
snowline wintergreen Pyrola minor
spearleaf stonecrop Sedum lanceolatum
spinulose woodfern Dryopteris carthusiana
spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
strawberry Fragaria ×ananassa
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
twinflower Linnaea borealis
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woolly sedge Carex pellita
Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
yellow coralroot Corallorhiza trifida

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.

American red raspberryRubus idaeus
beach strawberryFragaria chiloensis
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, Pierce County and Washington
Measure	Pierce County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	412	300	1,015
Garden-ready natives	280	219	621
Tree	49	—	74
Shrub	46	—	99
Wildflower (forb)	203	—	547
Grass or grass-like	86	—	234
Vine	6	—	16
Fern	22	—	45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Pierce County.

King County, WA 279 garden-ready
Kitsap County, WA 112 garden-ready
Lewis County, WA 178 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: Pierce County (county FIPS 53053), Washington. 412 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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