Native plants for Scott County, Iowa
29 native plants recorded in Scott County, Iowa
USDA has only 41 plant records of any kind for Scott County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 29 below as a floor.
By type: 27 wildflowers and herbs, 2 grasses and sedges. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 12 of them (41%), and only those can be matched to a spot below.
What fits each kind of spot in Scott County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 12 | 0 | 17 |
| Half shade | 9 | 3 | 17 |
| Under trees | 3 | 9 | 17 |
| Heavy clay | 8 | 4 | 17 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 9 | 3 | 17 |
| Never watered | 1 | 11 | 17 |
| Stays soggy | 10 | 2 | 17 |
Sun all day in Scott County: 12 rated natives
11 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Rattlesnake fern (Botrychium virginianum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.4 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Woodland bluegrass (Poa sylvestris) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 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 - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Western brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - 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
Half shade in Scott County: 9 rated natives
9 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 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 · high shade tolerance · 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 - Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed - Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed · toxicity: moderate
Under trees in Scott County: 3 rated natives
3 wildflowers and herbs. The first 3, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Smooth horsetail (Equisetum laevigatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed - Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed · toxicity: moderate
Heavy clay in Scott County: 8 rated natives
8 wildflowers and herbs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) 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 - Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed - Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed - Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed · toxicity: moderate
Sandy, drains fast in Scott County: 9 rated natives
8 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Woodland bluegrass (Poa sylvestris) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 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 - Purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · rapid growth - Western brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight - 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 - Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · needs saturated soil (pond or bog), not a regular bed
Never watered in Scott County: 1 rated natives
1 wildflowers and herbs. The first 1, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Western brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6.6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · toxicity: slight
Stays soggy in Scott County: 10 rated natives
9 wildflowers and herbs, 1 grasses and sedges. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Stalkless yellowcress (Rorippa sessiliflora) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.5 ft mature · rapid growth · takes saturated soil - Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Woodland bluegrass (Poa sylvestris) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - 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 - 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 - Threelobe beggarticks (Bidens tripartita) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.5 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
Natives Scott County has that most of Iowa does not
1 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Iowa's 99 counties. A few of them:
- Mead's milkweed (Asclepias meadii): 3 counties
Where to start in Scott County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Scott County gives you the most rated choice (12 plants), and Rattlesnake fern (Botrychium virginianum) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 1 rated plant, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 17 unrated natives too.