Native Plants of Iowa
Native plants of Iowa once formed vast tallgrass prairies. These deep-rooted species build soil, prevent erosion, and support pollinators.
American plum
Prunus americana
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Bottle gentian
Gentiana andrewsii
Butterfly milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa
Common boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Common buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Common milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Common ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Common sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
Culver's root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Cutleaf coneflower
Rudbeckia laciniata
Eastern bottlebrush grass
Elymus hystrix
Eastern waterleaf
Hydrophyllum virginianum
Field thistle
Cirsium discolor
Foxglove beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Fragrant sumac
Rhus aromatica
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Gray-headed coneflower
Ratibida pinnata
Great blue lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Jewelweed
Impatiens capensis
Leadplant
Amorpha canescens
Little bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
New England aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
New Jersey tea
Ceanothus americanus
Obedient plant
Physostegia virginiana
Pale purple coneflower
Echinacea pallida
Partridge pea
Chamaecrista fasciculata
Prairie blazing star
Liatris pycnostachya
Prairie dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Prairie ironweed
Vernonia fasciculata
Prairie Junegrass
Koeleria macrantha
Prairie phlox
Phlox pilosa
Prairie willow
Salix humilis
Purple prairie clover
Dalea purpurea
Rattlesnake master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Red columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Round-headed bush clover
Lespedeza capitata
Showy goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Shrubby St. Johnswort
Hypericum prolificum
Smooth blue aster
Symphyotrichum laeve
Smooth oxeye
Heliopsis helianthoides
Smooth Solomon's seal
Polygonatum biflorum
Spotted geranium
Geranium maculatum
Stiff goldenrod
Solidago rigida ssp. rigida
Swamp milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Virginia iris
Iris virginica
Virginia mountainmint
Pycnanthemum virginianum
White prairie clover
Dalea candida
White wild indigo
Baptisia alba
Wild bergamot
Monarda fistulosa