Native Plants in Nevada
The native plants that belong in Nevada gardens — grouped by sun, soil, and wildlife value.
36 native plants suit Nevada's ecoregions and USDA zones 4–9. Below they're grouped by how you'd use them — full sun, wet soil and rain gardens, dry, drought-prone ground, deer-resistant picks, groundcovers, pollinators, birds and hummingbirds — with a species table and when to plant.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
When to plant natives in Nevada
Plant after your last spring frost — roughly February 20 in the milder south to May 12 in the colder north. Fall is often even better for perennials and shrubs — the soil is still warm and roots settle before winter, ahead of the first frost around September 28 in the north to December 5 in the south.
For full sun
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
For wet soil & rain gardens
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis
For dry, drought-prone spots
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
- Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia
Deer-resistant
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
- Oregon Sunshine Eriophyllum lanatum
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
Groundcovers
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
For pollinators
- Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa
- Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum
- California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Common Camas Camassia quamash
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
For birds
- Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula
- Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis
- Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa
- Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
- Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor
- Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
- Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata
- Western White Pine Pinus monticola
- Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis
- Antelope Bitterbrush Purshia tridentata
- Wood's Rose Rosa woodsii
For hummingbirds
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus
- Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii
- Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis
- Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa
- Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium
- Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata
- Wax Currant Ribes cereum
- Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis aggregata
Identify Nevada wildflowers by color
| Bloom color | Native wildflowers (typical U.S. bloom) |
|---|---|
| Blue | Rocky Mountain Penstemon — Deep blue-purple (May–Jul), Common Camas — Deep blue-violet stars (Apr–May), Blue Flax — Sky blue, paper-thin petals (May–Jul), Rocky Mountain Iris — Pale blue-lavender (May–Jun) |
| Gold | Desert Marigold — Lemon gold (Mar–Oct), Arrowleaf Balsamroot — Bright sunflower-gold (Apr–May), Oregon Sunshine — Bright yellow (May–Jul) |
| Orange | California Poppy — Saturated orange (Mar–Jun), Munro's Globemallow — Soft apricot-orange (Jun–Aug) |
| Pink | Showy Milkweed — Star-shaped pink (Jun–Jul), Prairie Smoke — Dusky pink nodding bells (Apr–May) |
| Purple | Broadleaf Lupine — Blue-violet spikes (Jun–Jul), Silky Lupine — Silvery-blue to violet spikes (May–Jul) |
| Red | Firecracker Penstemon — Scarlet tubes (Mar–May), Western Columbine — Red & gold (Apr–Jul), Scarlet Gilia — Trumpet-shaped scarlet (Jun–Aug) |
| White | Common Yarrow — White (wild form) (May–Aug) |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
All 36 native plants for Nevada
| Plant | Type | Sun | Soil moisture | Height | Typical bloom (U.S.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 2–4 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Sideoats Grama Bouteloua curtipendula | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Blue Grama Bouteloua gracilis | Ornamental grass | Full sun | Dry | 8–20 in | Jun–Aug |
| Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 6–16 in | Apr–May |
| California Poppy Eschscholzia californica | Perennial / reseeding annual | Full sun | Dry | 8–18 in | Mar–Jun |
| Rocky Mountain Penstemon Penstemon strictus | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–2.5 ft | May–Jul |
| Firecracker Penstemon Penstemon eatonii | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1.5–3 ft | Mar–May |
| Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata | Perennial / reseeding annual | Full sun | Dry | 12–18 in | Mar–Oct |
| Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis | Small tree | Full sun | Dry | 15–25 ft | May–Sep |
| Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa | Shrub | Full sun | Dry | 3–6 ft | Apr–Sep |
| Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa | Perennial wildflower | Part sun / Shade | Medium | 1.5–3 ft | Apr–Jul |
| Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1.5–3 ft | May–Aug |
| Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Wet / Medium | 6–9 ft | May–Jun |
| Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–6 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Oregon Grape Berberis aquifolium | Evergreen shrub | Part sun / Shade / Full sun | Dry / Medium | 3–6 ft | Mar–Apr |
| Common Camas Camassia quamash | Perennial bulb | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | Apr–May |
| Oceanspray Holodiscus discolor | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 5–15 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Western Serviceberry Amelanchier alnifolia | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 6–15 ft | Apr–May |
| Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2 ft | Apr–May |
| Twinberry Honeysuckle Lonicera involucrata | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 4–8 ft | May–Jul |
| Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii | Evergreen conifer | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 40–80 ft | Apr–May |
| Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata | Evergreen shrub | Full sun | Dry | 2–6.7 ft | Aug–Oct |
| Oregon Sunshine Eriophyllum lanatum | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 8–16 in | May–Jul |
| Broadleaf Lupine Lupinus latifolius | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 1.5–3 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Western White Pine Pinus monticola | Evergreen conifer | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 50–100 ft | May–Jun |
| Idaho Fescue Festuca idahoensis | Ornamental grass | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 0.8–2 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Blue Flax Linum lewisii | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Antelope Bitterbrush Purshia tridentata | Shrub | Full sun | Dry | 2–6 ft | Apr–May |
| Silky Lupine Lupinus sericeus | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1–2 ft | May–Jul |
| Wood's Rose Rosa woodsii | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 2–6 ft | Jun–Jul |
| Wax Currant Ribes cereum | Shrub | Full sun / Part sun | Dry | 2–5 ft | Apr–May |
| Munro's Globemallow Sphaeralcea munroana | Perennial wildflower | Full sun | Dry | 1–2 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis aggregata | Biennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Dry / Medium | 1–3 ft | Jun–Aug |
| Rocky Mountain Iris Iris missouriensis | Perennial wildflower | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Wet | 1–2 ft | May–Jun |
| Sulphur Buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum | Perennial subshrub | Full sun | Dry | 6–12 in | Jun–Jul |
| Chokecherry Prunus virginiana | Large shrub or small tree | Full sun / Part sun | Medium / Dry | 10–20 ft | May–Jun |
Bloom months are a typical window across the species' U.S. range, not a local calendar — the same plant opens weeks later in the north and at altitude than it does in the south. Use it for ordering the season, and let the plants in front of you set the dates.
Confirm any plant is native to your county with your state Native Plant Society before planting.
The Nevada natives worth asking for
The natives worth asking for in Nevada — with the botanical name to say at the counter, so you get the plant that feeds something.
The complete Native Plants of Nevada
The native plants that belong in your yard — what to plant for pollinators, by zone, with bloom timing and a species table.
Want it on paper? See the printable Native Plants of Nevada.