Which plants are endangered in WA? Here’s where to find them and how to help
When it comes to environmental protection effects, wildflowers don’t tend to get as much attention as whales and wolves.
“Two in five plant species are at risk of extinction worldwide,” the Center for Plants Conservation said.
In addition to helping define “our sense of place and our cultural heritage,” the plant conservation network said, “Plants have great economic value — providing food, shelter, medicine and the basis of our livelihoods.”
In addition to endangered animals, a handful of endangered plants call Washington state home.
Here’s what to know:
How do plants become endangered?
One of the key factors that impacts plant populations is a loss of habitat, according to the U.S. Forest Service
“Many scientists make a point of distinguishing between species that naturally occur in small, isolated populations and those that have been fragmented and diminished by human activity,” the Forest Service said on its website. “Plant species that were once widespread, interbreeding and diverse are most sensitive to declines in genetic variation associated with restrictions in range or population size.”
Plants can also face extinction due to a lack of pollinators, such as honeybees.
“Bees are at risk of extinction largely due to human activities,” conservation organization Fair Planet said. “Large-scale changes in land use, industrialized agricultural practices like monocultures and the detrimental use of pesticides have all contributed to destroying their habitats and reducing their available food sources.”
It’s worth noting that not all rare plants are endangered.
An “endangered” plant species is “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range,” federal officials said, while a “threatened” species is “likely become endangered within the foreseeable future.”
What plants in Washington are endangered?
A member of the forget-me-not family, the showy stickseed is “one of the ratest plants in the state of Washington,” according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
The plant, which has clusters of white flowers, only grows naturally at one site on the steep, sandy slopes of the Cascade Mountains near Leavenworth, federal officials said.
According to the Center for Plant Conservation, showy stickseed plants grow on an “extremely unstable” that’s “susceptible to landslides and disturbance by hikers and potential plant collectors.”
The Wenatchee Mountains checker-mallow grows in the wetlands and meadows of the Wenatchee Mountains in central Washington.
This rare plant has been impacted by agriculture, logging and high-intensity wildfires, federal officials said.
“Clusters of bright pink flowers adorn the showy plant when it blooms in summer,” the Forest Service said.
Other rare plants in Washington state have federal protection as threatened species.
Kincaid’s lupine can be found in Lewis County in Washington state and the Willamette and Umpqua valleys in Oregon, according to the Center for Plant Conservation.
This pretty flower, which boasts vibrant purple flowers that turn white, faces threats including habitat loss and invasive grasses, the federal Fish & Wildlife Service said.
Spalding’s catchfly gets its name from the “dense sticky hairs” covering its leaves and stems that “ensnare insects and dust,” according to the Center for Plant Conservation.
It’s found predominantly in grasslands, sagebrush steps and pine stands in southeast Washington as well as Oregon and Idaho, federal officials said.
“Unfortunately for this catchfly, the deep loamy soils typical of its preferred habitat were also preferred by white settlers for farming,” the Center for Plant Conservation said, resulted into lands being converted for agricultural use and urban development.
How can I protect endangered plants?
What can you do to help Washington state’s rare and endangered plants? The solution is as simple as growing more native species.
“If we are to curb plant extinction, there is an urgent need to involve more people in good plant conservation practice,” the Center for Plant Conservation said.
The center’s Rare Plant Academy is dedicated to “learning, sharing, and discovery for the plant conservation community.”
The program offers educational videos and other resources highlighting the best ways to help conservation endangered plants in your area.
This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Which plants are endangered in WA? Here’s where to find them and how to help."