Native plants for Benton County, Iowa
14 native plants recorded in Benton County, Iowa
USDA has only 21 plant records of any kind for Benton County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 14 below as a floor.
By type: 13 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 6 of them (43%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Benton County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| Half shade | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| Under trees | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Heavy clay | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| Never watered | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Stays soggy | 3 | 3 | 8 |
Sun all day in Benton County: 6 rated natives
5 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants. The first 6, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region - Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed
Half shade in Benton County: 4 rated natives
3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants. The first 4, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: moderate - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · also listed as introduced in this region - Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed
Under trees in Benton County: 2 rated natives
1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants. The first 2, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region
Heavy clay in Benton County: 3 rated natives
3 wildflowers and herbs. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed
Sandy, drains fast in Benton County: 4 rated natives
3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants. The first 4, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Western brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region - Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed
Never watered in Benton County: 2 rated natives
1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 low woody plants. The first 2, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Western brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance · also listed as introduced in this region
Stays soggy in Benton County: 3 rated natives
3 wildflowers and herbs. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · takes saturated soil - Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil · toxicity: moderate - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate
Where to start in Benton County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Benton County gives you the most rated choice (6 plants), and Common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 2 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 8 unrated natives too.