Native plants for Merrick County, Nebraska
204 native plants recorded in Merrick County, Nebraska
The USDA plant database has 305 plants recorded growing wild in Merrick County. 204 of them are native to the lower 48, and 28 are introduced species that this page leaves out.
By type: 105 wildflowers and herbs, 59 grasses and sedges, 9 shrubs, 10 low woody plants, 14 trees, 7 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 85 of them (42%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Arctic rush (Juncus arcticus), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and 6 more are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Merrick County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 84 | 0 | 120 |
| Half shade | 71 | 13 | 120 |
| Under trees | 48 | 36 | 120 |
| Heavy clay | 64 | 21 | 119 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 55 | 30 | 119 |
| Never watered | 39 | 46 | 119 |
| Stays soggy | 50 | 35 | 119 |
Sun all day in Merrick County: 84 rated natives
33 grasses and sedges, 32 wildflowers and herbs, 9 trees, 4 low woody plants, 4 shrubs, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) 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 - Threetooth ragwort (Packera tridenticulata) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 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 - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Merrick County: 71 rated natives
29 grasses and sedges, 27 wildflowers and herbs, 7 trees, 4 low woody plants, 3 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Threetooth ragwort (Packera tridenticulata) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 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 - Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid 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 - Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Merrick County: 48 rated natives
25 grasses and sedges, 14 wildflowers and herbs, 4 trees, 3 low woody plants, 2 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Threetooth ragwort (Packera tridenticulata) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial - Purple locoweed (Oxytropis lambertii) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: severe - Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid 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
Heavy clay in Merrick County: 64 rated natives
26 wildflowers and herbs, 25 grasses and sedges, 6 trees, 3 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Threetooth ragwort (Packera tridenticulata) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 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 - Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid 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 - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 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
Sandy, drains fast in Merrick County: 55 rated natives
22 grasses and sedges, 17 wildflowers and herbs, 7 trees, 5 shrubs, 3 low woody plants, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Threetooth ragwort (Packera tridenticulata) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - American black currant (Ribes americanum) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · perennial - Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial - Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 9.8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Sandcherry (Prunus pumila) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · perennial - Purple locoweed (Oxytropis lambertii) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: severe
Never watered in Merrick County: 39 rated natives
17 grasses and sedges, 9 wildflowers and herbs, 5 trees, 3 low woody plants, 3 shrubs, 2 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Threetooth ragwort (Packera tridenticulata) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - American black currant (Ribes americanum) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 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 - 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 - Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
Stays soggy in Merrick County: 50 rated natives
23 wildflowers and herbs, 17 grasses and sedges, 6 trees, 2 low woody plants, 2 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Nodding lady's tresses (Spiranthes cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · moderate 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 - Dotted smartweed (Polygonum punctatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - 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 - Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Golden tickseed (Coreopsis tinctoria) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Natives Merrick County has that most of Nebraska does not
2 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Nebraska's 93 counties. A few of them:
- Hoary frostweed (Helianthemum bicknellii): 5 counties
- Hairy pinweed (Lechea mucronata): 5 counties
Where to start in Merrick County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Merrick County gives you the most rated choice (84 plants), and Common goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 39 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 119 unrated natives too.