Native plants for Clinton County, Iowa
30 native plants recorded in Clinton County, Iowa
USDA has only 43 plant records of any kind for Clinton County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 30 below as a floor.
By type: 22 wildflowers and herbs, 7 grasses and sedges, 1 low woody plants. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 15 of them (50%), and only those can be matched to a spot below.
What fits each kind of spot in Clinton County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Half shade | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| Under trees | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| Heavy clay | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| Never watered | 3 | 12 | 15 |
| Stays soggy | 8 | 7 | 15 |
Sun all day in Clinton County: 15 rated natives
12 wildflowers and herbs, 3 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Arctic brome (Bromus kalmii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) wildflowers and herbs
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 - Rattlesnake fern (Botrychium virginianum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 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 - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth
Half shade in Clinton County: 9 rated natives
8 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · high shade tolerance - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - Devil's beggartick (Bidens frondosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · rapid growth
Under trees in Clinton County: 3 rated natives
3 wildflowers and herbs. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth - Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed
Heavy clay in Clinton County: 9 rated natives
7 wildflowers and herbs, 2 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 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 - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Gray's sedge (Carex grayi) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - 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
Sandy, drains fast in Clinton County: 9 rated natives
8 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Arctic brome (Bromus kalmii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 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 - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - 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 - Devil's beggartick (Bidens frondosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · rapid growth
Never watered in Clinton County: 3 rated natives
2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Arctic brome (Bromus kalmii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid 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
Stays soggy in Clinton County: 8 rated natives
6 wildflowers and herbs, 2 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Gray's sedge (Carex grayi) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial · takes saturated soil - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - Devil's beggartick (Bidens frondosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · rapid growth
Natives Clinton County has that most of Iowa does not
2 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Iowa's 99 counties. A few of them:
- Blackfoot quillwort (Isoetes melanopoda): only here
- Virginia tephrosia (Tephrosia virginiana): 5 counties
Where to start in Clinton County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Clinton County gives you the most rated choice (15 plants), and Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 3 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 15 unrated natives too.