Native plants for Wright County, Iowa
24 native plants recorded in Wright County, Iowa
USDA has only 39 plant records of any kind for Wright County, against 1,728 natives statewide. That is a gap in who has collected here, not a shortage of plants, so treat the 24 below as a floor.
By type: 6 wildflowers and herbs, 17 grasses and sedges, 1 shrubs. USDA has rated sun, soil and water needs for 14 of them (58%), and only those can be matched to a spot below. Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) and Common reed (Phragmites australis) are also recorded as introduced.
What fits each kind of spot in Wright County
| Spot | Rated to fit | Rated not to | Unrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun all day | 14 | 0 | 10 |
| Half shade | 13 | 1 | 10 |
| Under trees | 11 | 3 | 10 |
| Heavy clay | 13 | 1 | 10 |
| Sandy, drains fast | 9 | 5 | 10 |
| Never watered | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| Stays soggy | 7 | 7 | 10 |
Sun all day in Wright County: 14 rated natives
11 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - 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
Half shade in Wright County: 13 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · high shade tolerance - 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 - 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 - 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 Wright County: 11 rated natives
9 grasses and sedges, 1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - 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 - Prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 8 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial
Heavy clay in Wright County: 13 rated natives
10 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - 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 - 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
Sandy, drains fast in Wright County: 9 rated natives
6 grasses and sedges, 2 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 8, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - 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 - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) 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 - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Common reed (Phragmites australis) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 13 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region
Never watered in Wright County: 7 rated natives
6 grasses and sedges, 1 wildflowers and herbs. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · conspicuous flowers · photo available · about 1.2 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 - 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 - Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 3 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 2.5 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial · also listed as introduced in this region
Stays soggy in Wright County: 7 rated natives
5 grasses and sedges, 1 wildflowers and herbs, 1 shrubs. The first 7, ranked by how easy a start they make:
- 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 - Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 6 ft mature · moderate growth · perennial - Fowl bluegrass (Poa palustris) grasses and sedges
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 4 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 - Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) wildflowers and herbs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 0.9 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · toxicity: moderate - Common reed (Phragmites australis) shrubs
USDA growing data on file · photo available · about 13 ft mature · rapid growth · perennial · takes saturated soil · also listed as introduced in this region
Where to start in Wright County
If you have only one spot to fill, sun all day is where Wright County gives you the most rated choice (14 plants), and Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) is the easiest start on that list. Stays soggy is the hard one here: 7 rated plants, so for that spot it is worth asking a local native-plant society about the 10 unrated natives too.