Native plants · Washington

Native plants of San Juan County

352 plant species are recorded as native to Washington in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in San Juan County by USDA PLANTS. 220 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 3 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

San Juan County, Washington

Native species: 352 Typical Washington county: 300 (median of 39 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 220 Typical Washington county: 219
Share by type (all 352 native species): Percent of the 352 native species in each growth type

Tree 10% (36)
Shrub 9% (31)
Wildflower (forb) 49% (173)
Grass or grass-like 25% (88)
Vine 3% (9)
Fern 4% (15)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (49%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (25%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 9a (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 220

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

Garden-ready native plants of San Juan 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 oniongrass Melica subulata	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
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
American dunegrass Leymus mollis	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8a
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
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
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
beach pea Lathyrus japonicus	Vine	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
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 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
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
bog willowherb Epilobium leptophyllum	Wildflower (forb)	3.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
bristlystalked sedge Carex leptalea	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 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
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 brome Bromus carinatus	Grass or grass-like	4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 9a
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
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
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
Carolina foxtail Alopecurus carolinianus	Grass or grass-like	1.7 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
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 sedge Carex pachystachya	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
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
Columbia needlegrass Achnatherum nelsonii	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
Columbian sedge Carex aperta	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5b
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common mare's-tail Hippuris vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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
common threesquare Schoenoplectus pungens	Grass or grass-like	4.9 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
cows clover Trifolium wormskioldii	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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
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
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 rose Rosa gymnocarpa	Shrub	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
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
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
Geyer willow Salix geyeriana	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
golden sedge Carex aurea	Grass or grass-like	1.2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	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
green alder Alnus viridis	Tree	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 1a
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
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
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
largeflower triteleia Triteleia grandiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	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 pondweed Potamogeton foliosus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
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 green sedge Carex viridula	Grass or grass-like	1.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
little western bittercress Cardamine oligosperma	Wildflower (forb)	1.7 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5a
littleleaf pussytoes Antennaria microphylla	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
lodgepole pine Pinus contorta	Tree	99 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 1a
longleaf starwort Stellaria longifolia	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
longstalk starwort Stellaria longipes	Wildflower (forb)	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
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 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
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
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
northern bedstraw Galium boreale	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Northwest Territory sedge Carex utriculata	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
Nuttall's alkaligrass Puccinellia nuttalliana	Grass or grass-like	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
oceanspray Holodiscus discolor	Shrub	12 ft	Sun	High	Zone 8a
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
Pacific aster Symphyotrichum chilense	Wildflower (forb)	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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 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
paper birch Betula papyrifera	Tree	70 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
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
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
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Tree	65 ft	Sun	High	Zone 1a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
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 goosefoot Chenopodium rubrum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 12b
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
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 juniper Juniperus scopulorum	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	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
rough bentgrass Agrostis scabra	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
russet buffaloberry Shepherdia canadensis	Shrub	6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 1a
sago pondweed Stuckenia pectinata	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	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
saltgrass Distichlis spicata	Grass or grass-like	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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
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 rush Juncus nevadensis	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
silky beach pea Lathyrus littoralis	Vine	1.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 8a
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
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
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
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
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
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
tapertip rush Juncus acuminatus	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
tarweed fiddleneck Amsinckia lycopsoides	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus	Shrub	4 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4b
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
tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 12a
tiny mousetail Myosurus minimus	Wildflower (forb)	5 in	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 12b
toad rush Juncus bufonius	Grass or grass-like	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 12a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa	Grass or grass-like	3.4 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
tufted loosestrife Lysimachia thyrsiflora	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
variableleaf pondweed Potamogeton gramineus	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
vernal water-starwort Callitriche palustris	Wildflower (forb)	10 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Virginia glasswort Salicornia depressa	Wildflower (forb)	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 8b
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 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
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
widgeongrass Ruppia maritima	Wildflower (forb)	2 in	Sun	High	Zone 7a
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
American bird's-foot trefoil Lotus unifoliolatus
American black nightshade Solanum americanum
American rockbrake Cryptogramma acrostichoides
American wild carrot Daucus pusillus
American yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
autumn dwarf gentian Gentianella amarella
bay forget-me-not Myosotis laxa
biannual lettuce Lactuca ludoviciana
Bicknell's cranesbill Geranium bicknellii
blackgirdle bulrush Scirpus atrocinctus
bluntleaf pondweed Potamogeton obtusifolius
boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
brittle pricklypear Opuntia fragilis
Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
chairmaker's bulrush Schoenoplectus americanus
chickenclaws Sarcocornia perennis
clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
coast tarweed Madia sativa
common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
cottonbatting plant Pseudognaphalium stramineum
curlycup gumweed Grindelia squarrosa
curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
Dortmann's cardinalflower Lobelia dortmanna
Douglas' knotweed Polygonum douglasii
dune willow Salix hookeriana
elk sedge Carex garberi
European bur-reed Sparganium emersum
fairy slipper Calypso bulbosa
feathery false lily of the valley Maianthemum racemosum
fewflower sedge Carex pauciflora
foxtail barley Hordeum jubatum
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
greenflowered wintergreen Pyrola chlorantha
heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
hemlock waterparsnip Sium suave
hooded coralroot Corallorhiza striata
hookedspur violet Viola adunca
Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
Illinois pondweed Potamogeton illinoensis
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
lesser roundleaved orchid Platanthera orbiculata
liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
long-stolon sedge Carex inops
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
marsh pea Lathyrus palustris
marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
marsh violet Viola palustris
meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
meadow sedge Carex praticola
Menzies' campion Silene menziesii
Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
milkflower willowherb Epilobium lactiflorum
mountain tansymustard Descurainia incana
mountain tarweed Madia glomerata
muskflower Mimulus moschatus
narrowleaf goosefoot Chenopodium leptophyllum
narrowleaf minerslettuce Montia linearis
neckweed Veronica peregrina
needleleaf navarretia Navarretia intertexta
nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
nodding onion Allium cernuum
northern adderstongue Ophioglossum pusillum
northern bog aster Symphyotrichum boreale
northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
northern green rush Juncus alpinoarticulatus
northern water plantain Alisma triviale
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
pimpernel willowherb Epilobium anagallidifolium
pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
poverty oatgrass Danthonia spicata
prairie plantain Plantago elongata
purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
Rocky Mountain fescue Festuca saximontana
Rocky Mountain woodsia Woodsia scopulina
rosy pussytoes Antennaria rosea
roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
saltmeadow rush Juncus gerardii
scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
seaside sandplant Honckenya peploides
seawrack Zostera marina
shortspike watermilfoil Myriophyllum sibiricum
sidebells wintergreen Orthilia secunda
single delight Moneses uniflora
skullcap speedwell Veronica scutellata
sleepy silene Silene antirrhina
slender bog orchid Platanthera stricta
slender phlox Microsteris gracilis
slender-spire orchid Piperia unalascensis
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
stream orchid Epipactis gigantea
summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
swaying bulrush Schoenoplectus subterminalis
sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
threadleaf crowfoot Ranunculus trichophyllus
tower rockcress Arabis glabra
trailing pearlwort Sagina decumbens
turion duckweed Lemna turionifera
twinflower Linnaea borealis
Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
watershield Brasenia schreberi
western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
western oakfern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
white beaksedge Rhynchospora alba
whorl-leaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum verticillatum
woodland draba Draba nemorosa
woodland pinedrops Pterospora andromedea
woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
woollyfruit sedge Carex lasiocarpa
Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
yellow widelip orchid Liparis loeselii

Also listed as native and introduced here 3

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
common pepperweedLepidium densiflorum
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, San Juan County and Washington
Measure	San Juan County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	352	300	1,015
Garden-ready natives	220	219	621
Tree	36	—	74
Shrub	31	—	99
Wildflower (forb)	173	—	547
Grass or grass-like	88	—	234
Vine	9	—	16
Fern	15	—	45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with San Juan County.

Skagit County, WA 227 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: San Juan County (county FIPS 53055), Washington. 352 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

Independent reference site. No government affiliation or endorsement.