Native plants for Sac County, Iowa
39 native plants recorded in Sac County, Iowa
USDA has only 64 plant records of any kind for Sac County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 39 below as a floor.
By type: 10 wildflowers and herbs, 27 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 trees. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 22 of them (56%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and Common reed (Phragmites australis) are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Sac County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 22 | 0 | 17 |
| Half shade | 18 | 4 | 17 |
| Under trees | 14 | 8 | 17 |
| Heavy clay | 16 | 6 | 17 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 14 | 8 | 17 |
| Never watered | 11 | 11 | 17 |
| Stays soggy | 9 | 13 | 17 |
Sun all day in Sac County: 22 rated natives
15 grasses and sedges, 5 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 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 - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Nodding fescue (Festuca subverticillata) 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
Half shade in Sac County: 18 rated natives
12 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - 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 - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - 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 - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid 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 - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance
Under trees in Sac County: 14 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 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 - Rough bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid 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
Heavy clay in Sac County: 16 rated natives
11 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. 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 - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 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 bentgrass (Agrostis scabra) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Sandy, drains fast in Sac County: 14 rated natives
9 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Nodding fescue (Festuca subverticillata) 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 - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Never watered in Sac County: 11 rated natives
9 grasses and sedges, 1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4 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 - Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 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 - Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Stays soggy in Sac County: 9 rated natives
5 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. 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 - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - 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 - Whitegrass (Leersia virginica) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fall panicgrass (Panicum dichotomiflorum) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.3 ft mature · rapid growth · takes saturated soil - 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
Where to start in Sac County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Sac County gives you the most rated choice (22 plants), and Pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 9 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 17 unrated natives too.