Iowa Natives

Tiny magenta-pink flowers cover the bare branches before a single leaf appears, making this one of the first trees to bloom in spring. Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) then unfurls glossy, heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in fall, on a spreading, multi-stemmed frame that suits small yards. This native beauty feeds early bees and fits beautifully in woodland edges, cottage gardens and as a patio specimen.

Wild quinine carries pearly white button-like flower heads above coarse gray-green foliage for much of summer. The rigid stems hold their shape beautifully in prairie gardens, pollinator borders, and dried arrangements. A deep root system helps established plants perform through heat and dry spells.

White snakeroot brings clouds of bright white flowers to shaded edges when many woodland plants have finished blooming. It adapts to clay and moist soil, forming upright clumps that supply late nectar for insects. All plant parts contain toxic compounds, so place it thoughtfully around livestock and pets.

Rosinweed is a robust prairie perennial with bright yellow daisies held on strong upright stems. Its coarse foliage and substantial form provide bold structure in sunny naturalistic plantings. Deep roots help established plants endure heat and dry periods while the seedheads feed birds.

Rice Cut Grass has a wide history across world wetlands and is native to North American floodplains and pond margins. Its sharp-edged leaves explain the common name and can form dense stands. Least Skipper larvae use the grass, adults feed in its habitat, and waterfowl eat the seed. Plant in sun or partial shade on wet, preferably silty soil.

Torrey's Rush is a North American wetland perennial with round flower clusters near the tops of slender stems. Its named species has long occupied marshes, wet prairies, and pond or river margins. Fast-spreading rhizomes help stabilize shorelines and create cover for wetland insects and small animals. Give it full sun and consistently moist soil.

Silky Wild Rye is a native grass of eastern North American deciduous woods, where its nodding, bristly heads rise above the understory. Like other Elymus grasses, it grows most strongly in cool spring and fall weather and may be relatively short lived. Its stems give woodland birds and insects cover, and the grain can add forage for seed eaters. Plant in partial or full shade with medium moisture.

Riverbank Wild Rye is native to the eastern United States and has long occupied streambanks and other riparian corridors. Its roots help hold soil, making it useful in modern erosion-control plantings. Songbirds and waterfowl use the stems for cover and nesting material and feed among the seeds. Give this cool-season grass partial shade and medium to wet soil.

Illinois Bundle Flower is a native legume of central North American prairies, named for the tight bundles of seed pods that follow its fuzzy summer flowers. Small bees visit the blooms, while quail, pheasants, and Prairie Chickens feed on the nutritious seeds. Rabbits and deer may browse its fern-like foliage. Plant in full sun on medium to dry soil.

Brown Fox Sedge takes its name from the fox-tail appearance of its midsummer seed heads. This abundant North American native grows across wet meadows and other moist open habitats. Fruiting clumps provide bird forage and cover for small wetland animals. It adapts to sun or partial shade and soils ranging from wet to moderately dry.

Common Tussock Sedge is a North American wetland perennial whose raised clumps have shaped sedge meadows over generations. It offers larval food to Black Dash and Mulberry Wing skippers, Eyed Brown and Appalachian Brown butterflies, and the Bog Lithacondia moth. Birds also forage within the dense wetland stands. Grow in sun to partial shade on consistently wet ground.

Awl-fruited Sedge has several long-used names, including Prickly Sedge and Fox Sedge, reflecting its pointed seed heads. It is native to North American riverbanks, floodplain forests, and marshes and establishes quickly in disturbed wetlands. Caterpillars feed on the foliage; woodcocks, ducks, and swamp sparrows eat the seeds. Plant in sun or shade with reliably moist to wet soil.

Narrow-leaved Cattail Sedge, also called Squarrose Sedge, comes from North American wet meadows, floodplains, and lakeshores. Its cattail-like spikes rise from narrow foliage during the cool-season growth cycle. Wetland insects use sedge foliage, and waterfowl feed among the seed heads. Give it sun or partial shade and moist soil that can flood seasonally.

Lance-fruited Oval Sedge has also been called Broom Sedge, a name linked to its broom-like fruiting form. It belongs to sunny North American marshes, floodplains, and wet sandy ground. Moths and skipper caterpillars use the foliage, while waterfowl, songbirds, turtles, and small mammals eat the seeds. This clumping, cool-season perennial suits wetland gardens and restoration sites.

Broad-leaved Woolly Sedge is native to North American wet meadows and mineral-rich wetlands, where calcareous soil is common. Its broad, softly textured leaves and June seed spikes distinguish it from finer sedges. Native sedge foliage can host insects, while its seeds contribute to wetland bird forage. Plant it in sun or partial shade with consistently moist to wet, often alkaline soil.

Field Oval Sedge is a North American native of open woods, swamps, and prairies; the older name Troublesome Sedge reflects its vigorous spread. Triangular green stems carry compact, yellow-brown seed clusters. Dense growth can shelter small insects and birds in rough habitat. Use it where a strong colonizing sedge is welcome, from sun to shade and medium-moist to dry soil.

Common Lake Sedge is a historic component of North American lake margins and marshes, spreading through underground rhizomes. Its tall stands provide wetland cover, and its leaves host Broad-Winged Skipper and brown butterfly caterpillars. Waterfowl and songbirds eat its seeds, while some wetland mammals browse the roots. Reserve this vigorous sedge for large, wet restoration sites.

Porcupine Sedge is a native of North American fens, marshes, sedge meadows, and wet prairies, also known as Bottlebrush Sedge. Its bristly seed heads give the common names their character. Wetland insects use its foliage and waterfowl forage for sedge seeds among the stems. Grow it in full sun and wet soil that may flood for short periods.

Pale Sedge has long been part of North American wet meadows and limestone-rich wetlands; its other name, Limestone Meadow Sedge, describes that habitat. It grows in cool weather and carries pale spring to early-summer flower spikes above narrow leaves. Like other sedges, its growth supports small wetland insects and seed-foraging birds. Choose moist to wet, often alkaline soil in sun or shade.

Fringed Sedge is a North American streamside and pond-edge perennial whose large glossy clumps have long anchored wetland soils. Its drooping seed spikes mature from pale green to tan. Caterpillars of the Eyed Brown butterfly and several skippers use sedges like this, and wetland birds forage among the foliage. Grow in wet clay or other consistently moist ground in sun to shade.

Hairy Wood Chess, also known as Hairy Woodland Brome, is a cool-season native grass of North American woodlands; it was once grouped with other Bromus species. Its dark leaves and tall clumps give structure to lightly shaded, moderately moist sites. Wild Turkeys, Ruffed Grouse, and small mammals eat its seeds, while deer and rabbits browse young growth. Plant it where a woodland edge needs a taller native grass.

River Bulrush has long occupied shallow-water margins of North American lakes, rivers, and marshes; older botanical names placed it in Scirpus and Schoenoplectus. Its tall stems and spreading rhizomes make dense cover for wetland invertebrates and waterbirds. This vigorous perennial is suited to large restoration areas rather than a small ornamental bed. Grow it in full sun with consistently wet soil or standing water.

Wild Four O'Clock (Mirabilis nyctaginea) is a distinctive North American native plant. Magenta-purple flowers open later in the day on branching plants, offering nectar to evening-active pollinators. It matures at approximately 48 inches tall and flowers from late spring to early summer through early to mid summer through mid to late summer. Plant it in full sun, in dry to medium conditions, with loamy soil, sandy soil or dry soil. Space plants 24–36 inches apart for healthy growth and airflow.

Round-headed Bush Clover (Lespedeza capitata) is a distinctive North American native plant. Rounded greenish flower clusters mature into seed valued by wild turkey, while deep roots help this native legume handle drought. It matures at approximately 48 inches tall and flowers from mid to late summer. Plant it in full sun to partial shade, in dry to medium conditions, with loamy soil, sandy soil or dry soil. Space plants 18–24 inches apart for healthy growth and airflow.

Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) is a distinctive North American native plant. Broad leaves and large white umbels give this imposing biennial a strong presence in moist meadows and woodland edges. It matures at approximately 96 inches tall and flowers from late spring to early summer through early to mid summer. Plant it in full sun to partial shade, in medium to medium-wet conditions, with loamy soil, clay soil or wet soil. Space plants 24–36 inches apart for healthy growth and airflow.

Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba) is a distinctive North American native plant. Branched stems carry an abundance of small yellow flowers with dark centers, and the short-lived plants readily reseed where conditions suit them. It matures at approximately 60 inches tall and flowers from mid to late summer through early to mid fall. Plant it in full sun to partial shade, in dry-medium through medium-wet conditions, with loamy soil or sandy soil.

Early Figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata) is a native perennial valued for its nectar-rich red and green flowers. Upright plants reach about 5 feet tall and bloom from late spring through midsummer, attracting bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial insects. This adaptable wildflower grows in full sun through shade and tolerates loamy or sandy soils across a broad moisture range. Seed requires 60 days of cold, moist stratification and light for germination.

Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata), also called dotted horsemint, is a North American native perennial with stacked flower whorls, yellow-spotted blooms, and showy pink to lavender bracts. Its aromatic foliage and long midsummer-to-fall display add distinctive color and texture to meadows, pollinator gardens, and cut-flower plantings. Plants thrive in full sun and lean, well-drained soil, becoming drought tolerant once established. Nectar-rich flowers welcome native bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects, while deer resistance and low-maintenance growth make this variety an easy habitat-building choice.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is an eastern North American perennial prized for vivid red flower spikes from midsummer into fall. It grows best in consistently moist soil in full sun to partial light and is well suited to rain gardens, pond edges, and wet meadows. The tubular flowers are especially attractive to hummingbirds and also draw butterflies and bees. Mature plants commonly reach 3 to 5 feet tall.

Purple Love Grass grows low to the ground in dense tufts, 8-18" tall. In late summer the fine-textured, stiff inflorescence appears like reddish-purple clouds hovering at ground level. Eventually this inflorescence breaks off and floats around like a tumbleweed.

The Divaricata Phlox is a beautiful blue to lavender colored variety that gives off a wonderful aroma, making it a home garden favorite! This fragrant variety is a showstopper in any garden, container or vase!