Native plants for Dickinson County, Iowa
195 native plants recorded in Dickinson County, Iowa
The USDA plant database has 281 plants recorded growing wild in Dickinson County. 195 of them are native to the lower 48, and 21 are introduced species that this page leaves out.
By type: 100 wildflowers and herbs, 74 grasses and sedges, 4 shrubs, 5 low woody plants, 5 trees, 7 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 93 of them (48%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and 3 more are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Dickinson County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 93 | 0 | 102 |
| Half shade | 73 | 20 | 102 |
| Under trees | 47 | 46 | 102 |
| Heavy clay | 70 | 23 | 102 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 52 | 41 | 102 |
| Never watered | 35 | 58 | 102 |
| Stays soggy | 51 | 42 | 102 |
Sun all day in Dickinson County: 93 rated natives
42 grasses and sedges, 40 wildflowers and herbs, 5 trees, 3 shrubs, 2 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Arumleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Longbeak buttercup (Ranunculus longirostris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canada germander (Teucrium canadense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Dickinson County: 73 rated natives
33 grasses and sedges, 32 wildflowers and herbs, 3 shrubs, 3 trees, 1 vines, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Arumleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Under trees in Dickinson County: 47 rated natives
26 grasses and sedges, 17 wildflowers and herbs, 2 shrubs, 1 vines, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Arumleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
Heavy clay in Dickinson County: 70 rated natives
32 wildflowers and herbs, 32 grasses and sedges, 4 trees, 1 low woody plants, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Arumleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Longbeak buttercup (Ranunculus longirostris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Dickinson County: 52 rated natives
22 wildflowers and herbs, 21 grasses and sedges, 4 trees, 2 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sawtooth sunflower (Helianthus grosseserratus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
Never watered in Dickinson County: 35 rated natives
17 grasses and sedges, 10 wildflowers and herbs, 3 trees, 2 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- American vetch (Vicia americana) vines
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance - Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance - Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - 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
Stays soggy in Dickinson County: 51 rated natives
25 wildflowers and herbs, 23 grasses and sedges, 2 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Arumleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Cursed buttercup (Ranunculus sceleratus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Lesser bladderwort (Utricularia minor) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - American licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Canada germander (Teucrium canadense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Longbeak buttercup (Ranunculus longirostris) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Natives Dickinson County has that most of Iowa does not
21 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Iowa's 99 counties. A few of them:
- Lesser bladderwort (Utricularia minor): only here
- Starved panicgrass (Dichanthelium depauperatum): only here
- Yellow widelip orchid (Liparis loeselii): only here
- Brazilian watermeal (Wolffia brasiliensis): only here
- Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis): 2 counties
- American eelgrass (Vallisneria americana): 2 counties
- Fries' pondweed (Potamogeton friesii): 2 counties
- Richardson's pondweed (Potamogeton richardsonii): 2 counties
- Kalm's hawkweed (Hieracium kalmii): 3 counties
- Columbian watermeal (Wolffia columbiana): 3 counties
Where to start in Dickinson County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Dickinson County gives you the most rated choice (93 plants), and American vetch (Vicia americana) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 35 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 102 unrated natives too.