Native plants for Calhoun County, Iowa
35 native plants recorded in Calhoun County, Iowa
USDA has only 60 plant records of any kind for Calhoun County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 35 below as a floor.
By type: 8 wildflowers and herbs, 27 grasses and sedges. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 23 of them (66%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Calhoun County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 23 | 0 | 12 |
| Half shade | 18 | 5 | 12 |
| Under trees | 16 | 7 | 12 |
| Heavy clay | 17 | 6 | 12 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 18 | 5 | 12 |
| Never watered | 10 | 13 | 12 |
| Stays soggy | 12 | 11 | 12 |
Sun all day in Calhoun County: 23 rated natives
18 grasses and sedges, 5 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Nodding fescue (Festuca subverticillata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Calhoun County: 18 rated natives
14 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Calhoun County: 16 rated natives
13 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Heavy clay in Calhoun County: 17 rated natives
13 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Calhoun County: 18 rated natives
15 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Nodding fescue (Festuca subverticillata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Never watered in Calhoun County: 10 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Stays soggy in Calhoun County: 12 rated natives
8 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil · toxicity: moderate - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sweet woodreed (Cinna arundinacea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Where to start in Calhoun County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Calhoun County gives you the most rated choice (23 plants), and Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 10 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 12 unrated natives too.