Native plants for Hancock County, Iowa
29 native plants recorded in Hancock County, Iowa
USDA has only 41 plant records of any kind for Hancock County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 29 below as a floor.
By type: 11 wildflowers and herbs, 15 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 2 trees. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 15 of them (52%), 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 Hancock County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| Half shade | 12 | 3 | 14 |
| Under trees | 9 | 6 | 14 |
| Heavy clay | 12 | 3 | 14 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 12 | 3 | 14 |
| Never watered | 3 | 12 | 14 |
| Stays soggy | 10 | 5 | 14 |
Sun all day in Hancock County: 15 rated natives
8 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 2 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
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 - Rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fowl bluegrass (Poa palustris) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Half shade in Hancock County: 12 rated natives
8 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. 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 shade tolerance - Rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Rufous bulrush (Scirpus pendulus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Small floating mannagrass (Glyceria borealis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Fowl bluegrass (Poa palustris) 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
Under trees in Hancock County: 9 rated natives
7 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 wildflowers and herbs. 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 - Rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Rufous bulrush (Scirpus pendulus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Small floating mannagrass (Glyceria borealis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 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 - 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 Hancock County: 12 rated natives
7 grasses and sedges, 2 trees, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Rufous bulrush (Scirpus pendulus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Small floating mannagrass (Glyceria borealis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fowl bluegrass (Poa palustris) 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 Hancock County: 12 rated natives
6 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 2 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
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 - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Rufous bulrush (Scirpus pendulus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Small floating mannagrass (Glyceria borealis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 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
Never watered in Hancock County: 3 rated natives
2 grasses and sedges, 1 trees. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate 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
Stays soggy in Hancock County: 10 rated natives
6 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 15 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Rufous bulrush (Scirpus pendulus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Small floating mannagrass (Glyceria borealis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fowl bluegrass (Poa palustris) 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
Natives Hancock 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:
- Philadelphia panicgrass (Panicum philadelphicum): 4 counties
- Small floating mannagrass (Glyceria borealis): 5 counties
Where to start in Hancock County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Hancock County gives you the most rated choice (15 plants), and Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) 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 14 unrated natives too.