Native plants for Fayette County, Iowa
45 native plants recorded in Fayette County, Iowa
USDA has only 60 plant records of any kind for Fayette County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 45 below as a floor.
By type: 39 wildflowers and herbs, 4 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 trees. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 16 of them (36%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Common reed (Phragmites australis) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Fayette County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 16 | 0 | 29 |
| Half shade | 10 | 6 | 29 |
| Under trees | 3 | 13 | 29 |
| Heavy clay | 9 | 7 | 29 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 14 | 2 | 29 |
| Never watered | 4 | 12 | 29 |
| Stays soggy | 7 | 9 | 29 |
Sun all day in Fayette County: 16 rated natives
13 wildflowers and herbs, 2 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Drummond's rockcress (Arabis drummondii) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - 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 - Crowned beggarticks (Bidens coronata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.4 ft mature · rapid growth
Half shade in Fayette County: 10 rated natives
9 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - Drummond's rockcress (Arabis drummondii) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Crowned beggarticks (Bidens coronata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.4 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 - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate
Under trees in Fayette County: 3 rated natives
2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - Common reed (Phragmites australis) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 13 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region
Heavy clay in Fayette County: 9 rated natives
7 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - Crowned beggarticks (Bidens coronata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.4 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 - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Fringed brome (Bromus ciliatus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · 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
Sandy, drains fast in Fayette County: 14 rated natives
11 wildflowers and herbs, 2 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Drummond's rockcress (Arabis drummondii) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - 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 - Crowned beggarticks (Bidens coronata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.4 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
Never watered in Fayette County: 4 rated natives
3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 4, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - 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 Fayette County: 7 rated natives
6 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Crowned beggarticks (Bidens coronata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.4 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 - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - 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 - Common reed (Phragmites australis) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 13 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil · also listed as introduced in this region
Natives Fayette County has that most of Iowa does not
7 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Iowa's 99 counties. A few of them:
- Drummond's rockcress (Arabis drummondii): 2 counties
- Showy lady's slipper (Cypripedium reginae): 2 counties
- Meadow willow (Salix petiolaris): 2 counties
- Adam and Eve (Aplectrum hyemale): 3 counties
- Threebirds (Triphora trianthophora): 3 counties
- Longbract frog orchid (Dactylorhiza viridis): 4 counties
- Purple cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea): 4 counties
Where to start in Fayette County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Fayette County gives you the most rated choice (16 plants), and Drummond's rockcress (Arabis drummondii) is the easiest start on that list. Under trees is the hard one here: 3 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 29 unrated natives too.