Native plants for Lake County, South Dakota
68 native plants recorded in Lake County, South Dakota
USDA has only 104 plant records of any kind for Lake County, against 1,516 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 68 below as a floor.
By type: 47 wildflowers and herbs, 15 grasses and sedges, 2 shrubs, 1 low woody plants, 2 trees, 1 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 25 of them (37%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense), Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and 1 more are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Lake County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 25 | 0 | 43 |
| Half shade | 22 | 3 | 43 |
| Under trees | 12 | 13 | 43 |
| Heavy clay | 17 | 8 | 43 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 15 | 10 | 43 |
| Never watered | 7 | 18 | 43 |
| Stays soggy | 18 | 7 | 43 |
Sun all day in Lake County: 25 rated natives
13 wildflowers and herbs, 7 grasses and sedges, 2 shrubs, 2 trees, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Bristly buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Silverweed cinquefoil (Argentina anserina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · rapid 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 - 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 - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Rough bugleweed (Lycopus asper) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Lake County: 22 rated natives
10 wildflowers and herbs, 7 grasses and sedges, 2 trees, 2 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Wild mint (Mentha arvensis) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - American plum (Prunus americana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight - Cloaked bulrush (Scirpus pallidus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Torrey's rush (Juncus torreyi) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Under trees in Lake County: 12 rated natives
6 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - American plum (Prunus americana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Cloaked bulrush (Scirpus pallidus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Torrey's rush (Juncus torreyi) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · perennial - Threadleaf sedge (Carex filifolia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · perennial
Heavy clay in Lake County: 17 rated natives
11 wildflowers and herbs, 4 grasses and sedges, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Silverweed cinquefoil (Argentina anserina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Bristly buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · rapid 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 - 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 - Rough bugleweed (Lycopus asper) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Cloaked bulrush (Scirpus pallidus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Lake County: 15 rated natives
7 wildflowers and herbs, 4 grasses and sedges, 2 trees, 1 vines, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Silverweed cinquefoil (Argentina anserina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · rapid 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 - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Rough bugleweed (Lycopus asper) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - American plum (Prunus americana) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Cloaked bulrush (Scirpus pallidus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Torrey's rush (Juncus torreyi) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Never watered in Lake County: 7 rated natives
2 wildflowers and herbs, 2 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 vines, 1 trees. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Threadleaf sedge (Carex filifolia) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · perennial - Indianhemp (Apocynum cannabinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: severe - Riverbank grape (Vitis riparia) vines
USDA growing data on file · photo available · moderate growth · perennial - Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) trees
USDA growing data on file · photo available · perennial · high drought tolerance
Stays soggy in Lake County: 18 rated natives
10 wildflowers and herbs, 5 grasses and sedges, 1 trees, 1 vines, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Silverweed cinquefoil (Argentina anserina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.5 ft mature · rapid 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 - Rough bugleweed (Lycopus asper) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.1 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - 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 - Cloaked bulrush (Scirpus pallidus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Fragrant flatsedge (Cyperus odoratus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth
Where to start in Lake County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Lake County gives you the most rated choice (25 plants), and Bristly buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 7 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 43 unrated natives too.