Native plants for Poweshiek County, Iowa
43 native plants recorded in Poweshiek County, Iowa
USDA has only 63 plant records of any kind for Poweshiek County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 43 below as a floor.
By type: 35 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 4 low woody plants, 2 trees. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 20 of them (47%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) and Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Poweshiek County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 20 | 0 | 23 |
| Half shade | 13 | 7 | 23 |
| Under trees | 7 | 13 | 23 |
| Heavy clay | 7 | 13 | 23 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 14 | 6 | 23 |
| Never watered | 9 | 11 | 23 |
| Stays soggy | 8 | 12 | 23 |
Sun all day in Poweshiek County: 20 rated natives
17 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs, 1 trees, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Bulbous bittercress (Cardamine bulbosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - White doll's daisy (Boltonia asteroides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Common ladyfern (Athyrium filix-femina) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Half shade in Poweshiek County: 13 rated natives
11 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - White doll's daisy (Boltonia asteroides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Bearded beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Poweshiek County: 7 rated natives
5 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 low woody plants. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · perennial - Black cherry (Prunus serotina) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: severe - Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) low woody plants
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region
Heavy clay in Poweshiek County: 7 rated natives
7 wildflowers and herbs. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Bulbous bittercress (Cardamine bulbosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 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 - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Bearded beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate
Sandy, drains fast in Poweshiek County: 14 rated natives
11 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs, 1 trees, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - White doll's daisy (Boltonia asteroides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 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 - Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.4 ft mature · rapid growth · toxicity: slight
Never watered in Poweshiek County: 9 rated natives
6 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs, 1 trees, 1 low woody plants. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Leadplant (Amorpha canescens) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Common blue wood aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 2.4 ft mature · rapid growth · toxicity: slight - Roundhead lespedeza (Lespedeza capitata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.6 ft mature · perennial · high drought tolerance - Black cherry (Prunus serotina) trees
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: severe
Stays soggy in Poweshiek County: 8 rated natives
8 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Bulbous bittercress (Cardamine bulbosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - White doll's daisy (Boltonia asteroides) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Bearded beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil · toxicity: moderate - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Devil's beggartick (Bidens frondosa) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 ft mature · rapid growth
Where to start in Poweshiek County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Poweshiek County gives you the most rated choice (20 plants), and Bulbous bittercress (Cardamine bulbosa) is the easiest start on that list. Heavy clay is the hard one here: 7 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 23 unrated natives too.