YardNatives

Native plants for Perkins County, Nebraska

99 native plants recorded in Perkins County, Nebraska

USDA has only 148 plant records of any kind for Perkins County, against 1,531 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 99 below as a floor.

By type: 56 wildflowers and herbs, 29 grasses and sedges, 3 shrubs, 9 low woody plants, 1 trees, 1 vines. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 30 of them (30%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) are also recorded as introduced.

What fits each kind of spot in Perkins County

SpotRated to fitRated not toUnrated
Sun all day30069
Half shade28269
Under trees22869
Heavy clay171369
Sandy, drains fast24669
Never watered22869
Stays soggy72369

Sun all day in Perkins County: 30 rated natives

13 grasses and sedges, 10 wildflowers and herbs, 3 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 1 trees, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Textile onion (Allium textile) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. 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
  6. Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
  7. Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
  8. Broadbeard beardtongue (Penstemon angustifolius) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate

Half shade in Perkins County: 28 rated natives

12 grasses and sedges, 10 wildflowers and herbs, 3 low woody plants, 1 shrubs, 1 trees, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
  2. 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
  3. Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  4. Textile onion (Allium textile) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  5. 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
  6. Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight
  7. Broadbeard beardtongue (Penstemon angustifolius) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: moderate
  8. Crested pricklypoppy (Argemone polyanthemos) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: moderate

Under trees in Perkins County: 22 rated natives

11 grasses and sedges, 7 wildflowers and herbs, 2 low woody plants, 1 shrubs, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. 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
  3. Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
  4. Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
  5. Broadbeard beardtongue (Penstemon angustifolius) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate
  6. Crested pricklypoppy (Argemone polyanthemos) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate
  7. 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
  8. Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial

Heavy clay in Perkins County: 17 rated natives

7 wildflowers and herbs, 6 grasses and sedges, 2 low woody plants, 1 shrubs, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Textile onion (Allium textile) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  2. 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
  3. Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
  4. Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
  5. Broadbeard beardtongue (Penstemon angustifolius) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate
  6. Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  7. Prairie sagewort (Artemisia frigida) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  8. Needle spikerush (Eleocharis acicularis) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.7 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial

Sandy, drains fast in Perkins County: 24 rated natives

9 wildflowers and herbs, 8 grasses and sedges, 3 low woody plants, 2 shrubs, 1 trees, 1 vines. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  2. Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  3. Textile onion (Allium textile) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  4. Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. 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
  6. Dotted blazing star (Liatris punctata) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2 ft mature · perennial
  7. Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
  8. Broadbeard beardtongue (Penstemon angustifolius) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate

Never watered in Perkins County: 22 rated natives

10 grasses and sedges, 7 wildflowers and herbs, 3 low woody plants, 2 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  2. Textile onion (Allium textile) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  3. Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) shrubs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance
  4. Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. Broadbeard beardtongue (Penstemon angustifolius) low woody plants
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance · toxicity: moderate
  8. Crested pricklypoppy (Argemone polyanthemos) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high drought tolerance · toxicity: moderate

Stays soggy in Perkins County: 7 rated natives

3 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 vines, 1 trees. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:

  1. Disk waterhyssop (Bacopa rotundifolia) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 0.1 ft mature · perennial · takes saturated soil
  2. Tapertip flatsedge (Cyperus acuminatus) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  3. Threepetal bedstraw (Galium trifidum) vines
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil
  4. Needle spikerush (Eleocharis acicularis) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.7 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
  5. Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
  6. Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
    USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth
  7. Peachleaf willow (Salix amygdaloides) trees
    USDA growing data on file · photo available · rapid growth · perennial

Natives Perkins 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:

Where to start in Perkins County

If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Perkins County gives you the most rated choice (30 plants), and Hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca villosa) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 7 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 69 unrated natives too.