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
Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (52%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (20%).
The native plant list
Garden-ready natives 186
Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.
| 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 |
| 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 |
No garden-ready natives match these filters. Try clearing one.
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.
Hidden while “Garden-ready only” is on.
- 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.
| Measure | Thurston County | Typical county | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
- Grays Harbor County, WA 188 garden-ready
- Lewis County, WA 178 garden-ready
- Mason County, WA 184 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
- 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