YardNatives

Native plants for Colfax County, Nebraska

95 native plants recorded in Colfax County, Nebraska

USDA has only 144 plant records of any kind for Colfax County, against 1,531 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 95 below as a floor.

By type: 47 wildflowers and herbs, 25 grasses and sedges, 2 shrubs, 5 low woody plants, 12 trees, 4 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 56 of them (59%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia) and 4 more are also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Colfax County

SpotRated to fitRated not toUnrated
Sun all day56039
Half shade48839
Under trees292739
Heavy clay431339
Sandy, drains fast302639
Never watered263039
Stays soggy352139

Sun all day in Colfax County: 56 rated natives

23 wildflowers and herbs, 16 grasses and sedges, 11 trees, 3 low woody plants, 2 vines, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Common blue violet (Viola sororia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 9.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. Valley redstem (Ammannia coccinea) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth

Half shade in Colfax County: 48 rated natives

22 wildflowers and herbs, 12 grasses and sedges, 9 trees, 3 low woody plants, 1 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  2. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  3. Common blue violet (Viola sororia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Valley redstem (Ammannia coccinea) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth · high shade tolerance
  8. Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 9.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Under trees in Colfax County: 29 rated natives

12 grasses and sedges, 9 wildflowers and herbs, 7 trees, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Valley redstem (Ammannia coccinea) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth
  4. Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Redroot flatsedge (Cyperus erythrorhizos) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth
  8. Common sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: severe

Heavy clay in Colfax County: 43 rated natives

19 wildflowers and herbs, 11 grasses and sedges, 9 trees, 3 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Common blue violet (Viola sororia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Valley redstem (Ammannia coccinea) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth
  8. Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Colfax County: 30 rated natives

12 wildflowers and herbs, 9 trees, 8 grasses and sedges, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 9.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  6. Prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Redroot flatsedge (Cyperus erythrorhizos) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Never watered in Colfax County: 26 rated natives

8 trees, 7 wildflowers and herbs, 7 grasses and sedges, 2 low woody plants, 1 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  3. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 9.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  5. 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
  6. Western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  7. Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  8. Valley redstem (Ammannia coccinea) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth

Stays soggy in Colfax County: 35 rated natives

14 wildflowers and herbs, 11 grasses and sedges, 7 trees, 2 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  2. Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  3. Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. American water horehound (Lycopus americanus) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  6. 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
  7. Valley redstem (Ammannia coccinea) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.6 ft mature · moderate growth
  8. Cloaked bulrush (Scirpus pallidus) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil

Natives Colfax County has that most of Nebraska does not

3 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Nebraska's 93 counties. A few of them:

Where to start in Colfax County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Colfax County gives you the most rated choice (56 plants), and Common blue violet (Viola sororia) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 26 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 39 unrated natives too.