Native plants for Clarke County, Iowa
38 native plants recorded in Clarke County, Iowa
USDA has only 60 plant records of any kind for Clarke County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 38 below as a floor.
By type: 7 wildflowers and herbs, 28 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 low woody plants, 1 trees. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 25 of them (66%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Clarke County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 25 | 0 | 13 |
| Half shade | 23 | 2 | 13 |
| Under trees | 18 | 7 | 13 |
| Heavy clay | 20 | 5 | 13 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 17 | 8 | 13 |
| Never watered | 9 | 16 | 13 |
| Stays soggy | 16 | 9 | 13 |
Sun all day in Clarke County: 25 rated natives
19 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. 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 - 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 - Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 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 - Bearded beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth
Half shade in Clarke County: 23 rated natives
17 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. 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 - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 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 - American plum (Prunus americana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Clarke County: 18 rated natives
15 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees. 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 - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 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 - American plum (Prunus americana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Heavy clay in Clarke County: 20 rated natives
16 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 - 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 - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Bearded beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Clarke County: 17 rated natives
13 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. 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 - 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 - Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 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 - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - American plum (Prunus americana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
Never watered in Clarke County: 9 rated natives
9 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate 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 - 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 - Porcupinegrass (Hesperostipa spartea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 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
Stays soggy in Clarke County: 16 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. 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 - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Bearded beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - American plum (Prunus americana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Where to start in Clarke County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Clarke County gives you the most rated choice (25 plants), and Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 9 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 13 unrated natives too.