Native plants · Washington

Native plants of Thurston County

279 plant species are recorded as native to Washington in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Thurston County by USDA PLANTS. 186 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

Thurston County, Washington

Native species
279 Typical Washington county: 300 (median of 39 counties)
Garden-ready natives
186 Typical Washington county: 219
Share by type (all 279 native species)
Percent of the 279 native species in each growth type
Tree 12% (33)
Shrub 11% (30)
Wildflower (forb) 52% (145)
Grass or grass-like 20% (56)
Vine 2% (5)
Fern 4% (10)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (52%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (20%).

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

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

Garden-ready natives 186

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

Garden-ready native plants of Thurston County, Washington
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy 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
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
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
arctic sweet coltsfoot Petasites frigidus Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
arrowleaf ragwort Senecio triangularis Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
awlfruit sedge Carex stipata Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
beaked hazelnut Corylus cornuta Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
clasping arnica Arnica amplexicaulis Wildflower (forb) 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 5a
cluster rose Rosa pisocarpa Shrub 3 ft Sun — Zone 5a
common duckweed Lemna minor Wildflower (forb) — 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
curvepod yellowcress Rorippa curvisiliqua Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 12b
darkthroat shootingstar Dodecatheon pulchellum Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
deer fern Blechnum spicant Fern 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 6b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
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
dwarf bilberry Vaccinium cespitosum Shrub 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
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
floating pondweed Potamogeton natans Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 3b
Geyer willow Salix geyeriana Tree 15 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
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
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
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
largeleaf pondweed Potamogeton amplifolius Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
leafy pea Lathyrus polyphyllus Vine 2.7 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 7b
lesser bladderwort Utricularia minor Wildflower (forb) 2 in Sun High Zone 3a
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
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
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
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
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
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 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 ash Fraxinus latifolia Tree 70 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 6b
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 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
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
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
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides Tree 65 ft Sun High 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
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
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
saltgrass Distichlis spicata Grass or grass-like 1.1 ft Sun Medium 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
Scouler's woollyweed Hieracium scouleri Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
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
showy milkweed Asclepias speciosa Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
Siberian springbeauty Claytonia sibirica Wildflower (forb) 1.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Sierra larkspur Delphinium glaucum Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4b
silky lupine Lupinus sericeus Wildflower (forb) 6 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
silvery sedge Carex canescens Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High 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 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
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
slimstem reedgrass Calamagrostis stricta Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
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
smallwing sedge Carex microptera Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun High Zone 4a
snowbrush ceanothus Ceanothus velutinus Tree 10 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
southern waternymph Najas guadalupensis Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun High Zone 3b
spike bentgrass Agrostis exarata Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
spreadingpod rockcress Arabis ×divaricarpa Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
star duckweed Lemna trisulca Wildflower (forb) 4 in Sun High Zone 3b
star sedge Carex echinata Grass or grass-like 1.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
stiff clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum Fern 1 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
swamp smartweed Polygonum hydropiperoides Wildflower (forb) — Sun Medium Zone 10b
swordleaf rush Juncus ensifolius Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3b
tall trisetum Trisetum canescens Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
tapertip 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
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
tinker's penny Hypericum anagalloides Wildflower (forb) 10 in Sun–part shade High Zone 12a
toad rush Juncus bufonius Grass or grass-like 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 12a
toughleaf iris Iris tenax Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 6a
tufted hairgrass Deschampsia cespitosa Grass or grass-like 3.4 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
twinberry honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
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 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 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
white hawkweed Hieracium albiflorum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 4a
woolly plantain Plantago patagonica Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Low Zone 12b

Other native species recorded here 93

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 yellowrocket Barbarea orthoceras
  • bay forget-me-not Myosotis laxa
  • bearded flatsedge Cyperus squarrosus
  • beautiful sandwort Minuartia rubella
  • bigleaf lupine Lupinus polyphyllus
  • blue skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora
  • bog willow Salix pedicellaris
  • boreal starwort Stellaria borealis
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • Canada toadflax Nuttallanthus canadensis
  • Carolina geranium Geranium carolinianum
  • clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
  • clasping Venus' looking-glass Triodanis perfoliata
  • common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza
  • 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
  • floating marshpennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
  • Florida mudmidget Wolffiella gladiata
  • fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
  • fringed willowherb Epilobium ciliatum
  • groundcedar Lycopodium complanatum
  • heartleaf twayblade Listera cordata
  • hookedspur violet Viola adunca
  • Howell's pussytoes Antennaria howellii
  • humped bladderwort Utricularia gibba
  • Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
  • inundated clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata
  • lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
  • large St. Johnswort Hypericum majus
  • largeleaf sandwort Moehringia macrophylla
  • leathery grapefern Botrychium multifidum
  • liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia
  • long-stolon sedge Carex inops
  • longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
  • marsh skullcap Scutellaria galericulata
  • marsh violet Viola palustris
  • meadow deathcamas Zigadenus venenosus
  • Menzies' fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii
  • Mexican Mosquito Fern Azolla microphylla
  • muskflower Mimulus moschatus
  • narrowleaf minerslettuce Montia linearis
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • nodding chickweed Cerastium nutans
  • northern cluster sedge Carex arcta
  • northern green orchid Platanthera aquilonis
  • northern water plantain Alisma triviale
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • pale false mannagrass Torreyochloa pallida
  • pale spikerush Eleocharis macrostachya
  • pinesap Monotropa hypopitys
  • purple marshlocks Comarum palustre
  • red baneberry Actaea rubra
  • ribseed sandmat Chamaesyce glyptosperma
  • Richardson's pondweed Potamogeton richardsonii
  • roundleaf sundew Drosera rotundifolia
  • salt sandspurry Spergularia salina
  • saltmeadow rush Juncus gerardii
  • scentbottle Platanthera dilatata
  • Scouler's popcornflower Plagiobothrys scouleri
  • seaside arrowgrass Triglochin maritima
  • 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
  • spreading dogbane Apocynum androsaemifolium
  • starry false lily of the valley Maianthemum stellatum
  • strawberry Fragaria ×ananassa
  • summer coralroot Corallorhiza maculata
  • swaying bulrush Schoenoplectus subterminalis
  • sweetcicely Osmorhiza berteroi
  • swollen bladderwort Utricularia inflata
  • tall annual willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum
  • tall blue lettuce Lactuca biennis
  • tiny trumpet Collomia linearis
  • tower rockcress Arabis glabra
  • twinflower Linnaea borealis
  • Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
  • watershield Brasenia schreberi
  • western marsh cudweed Gnaphalium palustre
  • western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
  • western waterweed Elodea nuttallii
  • whorl-leaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum verticillatum
  • witchgrass Panicum capillare
  • woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca
  • Wright's cudweed Pseudognaphalium canescens
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.

  • bride's feathersAruncus dioicus
  • claspleaf twistedstalkStreptopus amplexifolius
  • 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, Thurston County and Washington
MeasureThurston CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 279 300 1,015
Garden-ready natives 186 219 621
Tree 33 — 74
Shrub 30 — 99
Wildflower (forb) 145 — 547
Grass or grass-like 56 — 234
Vine 5 — 16
Fern 10 — 45

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Thurston County.

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
Thurston County (county FIPS 53067), Washington. 279 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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