Native plants for Warren County, Iowa
68 native plants recorded in Warren County, Iowa
USDA has only 105 plant records of any kind for Warren County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 68 below as a floor.
By type: 20 wildflowers and herbs, 46 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs, 1 trees. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 35 of them (51%), 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 Warren County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 35 | 0 | 33 |
| Half shade | 24 | 11 | 33 |
| Under trees | 15 | 20 | 33 |
| Heavy clay | 26 | 9 | 33 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 19 | 16 | 33 |
| Never watered | 11 | 24 | 33 |
| Stays soggy | 21 | 14 | 33 |
Sun all day in Warren County: 35 rated natives
27 grasses and sedges, 6 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 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 - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 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 - Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) 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
Half shade in Warren County: 24 rated natives
18 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 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 - 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 - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Under trees in Warren County: 15 rated natives
12 grasses and sedges, 1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 trees, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) 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 - 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 - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 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 · toxicity: slight
Heavy clay in Warren County: 26 rated natives
21 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) 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 - Nodding beggartick (Bidens cernua) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 3.2 ft mature · rapid growth - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Wirestem muhly (Muhlenbergia frondosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 ft mature · moderate 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
Sandy, drains fast in Warren County: 19 rated natives
15 grasses and sedges, 3 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial - Marsh muhly (Muhlenbergia racemosa) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 1.3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) 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 - Woodland bluegrass (Poa sylvestris) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial
Never watered in Warren County: 11 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 1 trees. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high drought tolerance - Sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) 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 - 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
Stays soggy in Warren County: 21 rated natives
16 grasses and sedges, 4 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. 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 · takes saturated soil - Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4.9 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Fowl mannagrass (Glyceria striata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 5.7 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Upland bentgrass (Agrostis perennans) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · takes saturated soil - Winter bentgrass (Agrostis hyemalis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3.5 ft mature · moderate 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 - Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2 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
Natives Warren County has that most of Iowa does not
2 natives here are on file in no more than 5 of Iowa's 99 counties. A few of them:
- Missouri sedge (Carex missouriensis): 3 counties
- Tumble windmill grass (Chloris verticillata): 5 counties
Where to start in Warren County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Warren County gives you the most rated choice (35 plants), and Canada wildrye (Elymus canadensis) is the easiest start on that list. Never watered is the hard one here: 11 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 33 unrated natives too.