Native plants for Pocahontas County, Iowa
34 native plants recorded in Pocahontas County, Iowa
USDA has only 54 plant records of any kind for Pocahontas County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 34 below as a floor.
By type: 10 wildflowers and herbs, 24 grasses and sedges. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 20 of them (59%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Pocahontas County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 20 | 0 | 14 |
| Half shade | 17 | 3 | 14 |
| Under trees | 13 | 7 | 14 |
| Heavy clay | 16 | 4 | 14 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 12 | 8 | 14 |
| Never watered | 10 | 10 | 14 |
| Stays soggy | 10 | 10 | 14 |
Sun all day in Pocahontas County: 20 rated natives
16 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Pocahontas County: 17 rated natives
13 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · toxicity: slight - 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 - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 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 - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) 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
Under trees in Pocahontas County: 13 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - 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 - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 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 - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) 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
Heavy clay in Pocahontas County: 16 rated natives
12 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 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 - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Pocahontas County: 12 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus) 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 - Broadleaf rosette grass (Dichanthelium latifolium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Never watered in Pocahontas County: 10 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges. 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 drought tolerance - Prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid 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 - Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Broadleaf rosette grass (Dichanthelium latifolium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Stays soggy in Pocahontas County: 10 rated natives
6 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - 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 - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate 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 - Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil · toxicity: slight - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Where to start in Pocahontas County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Pocahontas County gives you the most rated choice (20 plants), and Common cowparsnip (Heracleum maximum) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 10 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 14 unrated natives too.