Burr Oak – Quercus macrocarpa Native
Native in 32 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Iowa native plants
USDA PLANTS records 232 plants as native to Iowa (IA) and routinely sold by nurseries. Each one is mapped by county, so you can see which grow wild where you live.
Iowa native plant list
This list has 232 Iowa natives that nurseries routinely sell: 44 trees, 23 shrubs, 84 wildflowers, 72 grasses and sedges, 4 ferns and 5 vines. The most widespread include Field Horsetail, Nodding Beggartick and Big Bluestem, each recorded as native in at least 55 of Iowa's 99 counties. Checked against USDA PLANTS on June 13, 2026.
Leadplant – Amorpha canescens Native
Native in 28 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 4 ft that tolerates shade, with early summer flowers.
Nodding Beggartick – Bidens cernua Native
Native in 58 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Big Bluestem – Andropogon gerardii Native
Native in 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Field Horsetail – Equisetum arvense Native
Native in 70 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A horsetail for sun or part shade.
Riverbank Grape – Vitis riparia Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A vine for sun or part shade.
Sandbar Willow – Salix interior Native
Native in 24 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 30 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
American Plum – Prunus americana Native
Native in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 24 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Devil's Beggartick – Bidens frondosa Native
Native in 42 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Canada Wildrye – Elymus canadensis Native
Native in 53 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Western Brackenfern – Pteridium aquilinum Native
Native in 28 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A fern that tolerates shade.
American Bittersweet – Celastrus scandens Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A vine that tolerates shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Chokecherry – Prunus virginiana Native
Native in 23 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 25 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
American Black Elderberry – Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis Native
Native in 20 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 7 ft for full sun, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Pinnate Prairie Coneflower – Ratibida pinnata Native
Native in 39 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
Little Bluestem – Schizachyrium scoparium Native
Native in 45 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Water Horsetail – Equisetum fluviatile Native
Native in 13 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A horsetail for full sun and wet soil.
Virginia Creeper – Parthenocissus quinquefolia Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A vine for sun or part shade, with fall colour.
Black Cherry – Prunus serotina Native
Native in 21 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 80 ft for full sun, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
American Hazelnut – Corylus americana Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 10 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Pennsylvania Smartweed – Polygonum pensylvanicum Native
Native in 28 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual wildflower for full sun, with spring flowers.
Sideoats Grama – Bouteloua curtipendula Native
Native in 45 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Crested Woodfern – Dryopteris cristata Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A fern that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Groundnut – Apios americana Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A vine that tolerates shade and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
American Linden – Tilia americana Native
Native in 20 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers and fall colour.
Black Raspberry – Rubus occidentalis Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 6 ft for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Swamp Milkweed – Asclepias incarnata Native
Native in 28 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with fall flowers.
Yellow Indian Grass – Sorghastrum nutans Native
Native in 45 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Trumpet Vine – Campsis radicans Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A vine for full sun, with summer flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Bitternut Hickory – Carya cordiformis Native
Native in 20 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 75 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Western Snowberry – Symphoricarpos occidentalis Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 3 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Canadian Milkvetch – Astragalus canadensis Native
Native in 27 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with midsummer flowers.
Switchgrass – Panicum virgatum Native
Native in 44 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Eastern Black Walnut – Juglans nigra Native
Native in 20 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
New Jersey Tea – Ceanothus americanus Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 3 ft that tolerates shade.
Bearded Beggarticks – Bidens aristosa Native
Native in 26 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and showy fruit.
Virginia Wildrye – Elymus virginicus Native
Native in 41 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Peachleaf Willow – Salix amygdaloides Native
Native in 20 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 60 ft for full sun.
Rough-Leaf Dogwood – Cornus drummondii Native
Native in 16 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 20 ft for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Sawtooth Sunflower – Helianthus grosseserratus Native
Native in 26 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Western Wheatgrass – Pascopyrum smithii Native
Native in 37 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Slippery Elm – Ulmus rubra Native
Native in 20 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 85 ft that tolerates shade.
Smooth Sumac – Rhus glabra Native
Native in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Partridge Pea – Chamaecrista fasciculata Native
Native in 24 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual wildflower that tolerates shade, with early summer flowers.
Prairie Cordgrass – Spartina pectinata Native
Native in 35 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
Black Oak – Quercus velutina Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 80 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Gray Dogwood – Cornus racemosa Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 10 ft that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
Wild Bergamot – Monarda fistulosa Native
Native in 24 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Fall Panicgrass – Panicum dichotomiflorum Native
Native in 33 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual grass for full sun and wet soil.
Box Elder – Acer negundo Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 60 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Button Bush – Cephalanthus occidentalis Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 15 ft that tolerates shade and wet soil, with summer flowers and showy fruit.
Woolly Yarrow – Achillea tomentosa Native
Native in 24 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers.
June Grass – Koeleria macrantha Native
Native in 32 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Honey Locust – Gleditsia triacanthos Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 70 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Red Osier Dogwood – Cornus sericea sericea Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun and wet soil, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Purplestem Beggarticks – Bidens connata Native
Native in 23 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Bluejoint – Calamagrostis canadensis Native
Native in 31 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
Red Oak – Quercus rubra Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 81 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Red-Barked Dogwood – Cornus alba Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun and wet soil, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Water Knotweed – Polygonum amphibium Native
Native in 23 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Green Bulrush – Scirpus atrovirens Native
Native in 31 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun.
Silver Maple – Acer saccharinum Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 90 ft for sun or part shade and wet soil, with early spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Redosier Dogwood – Cornus sericea sericea Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 12 ft for full sun and wet soil, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Common Sneeze Weed – Helenium autumnale Native
Native in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with fall flowers.
Prairie Dropseed – Sporobolus heterolepis Native
Native in 31 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade.
Green Ash – Fraxinus pennsylvanica Native
Native in 16 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 80 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Golden Currant – Ribes aureum Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 10 ft for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Prairie Blazing Star – Liatris pycnostachya Native
Native in 21 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with midsummer flowers.
Whitegrass – Leersia virginica Native
Native in 31 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Hophornbeam – Ostrya virginiana Native
Native in 14 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 45 ft that tolerates shade.
White Meadowsweet – Spiraea alba Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 3 ft for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers.
Wild Mint – Mentha arvensis Native
Native in 21 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with spring flowers.
Sweet Woodreed – Cinna arundinacea Native
Native in 29 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Black Willow – Salix nigra Native
Native in 13 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for full sun and wet soil.
Silver Buffaloberry – Shepherdia argentea Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 18 ft for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Littleleaf Buttercup – Ranunculus abortivus Native
Native in 20 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A plant that tolerates shade.
Fowl Mannagrass – Glyceria striata Native
Native in 28 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Eastern Cottonwood – Populus deltoides Native
Native in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 190 ft for full sun and wet soil, with showy fruit.
Woods' Rose – Rosa woodsii Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 3 ft for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
Black-Eyed Susan – Rudbeckia hirta Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A wildflower for full sun, with summer flowers.
Rice Cutgrass – Leersia oryzoides Native
Native in 23 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Eastern White Oak – Quercus alba Native
Native in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Yellow Willow – Salix lutea Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 16 ft for sun or part shade.
Canada Germander – Teucrium canadense Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Fowl Bluegrass – Poa palustris Native
Native in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade.
American Elm – Ulmus americana Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 120 ft for sun or part shade, with fall colour.
Blackhaw – Viburnum prunifolium Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub or small tree up to 16 ft that tolerates shade, with spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Common Blue Violet – Viola sororia Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A wildflower for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Fox Sedge – Carex vulpinoidea Native
Native in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Nannyberry – Viburnum lentago Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 28 ft that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Prairie Sagewort – Artemisia frigida Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 2 ft for sun or part shade.
Common Cowparsnip – Heracleum maximum Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with early summer flowers.
Mexican Muhly – Muhlenbergia mexicana Native
Native in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade.
Missouri River Willow – Salix eriocephala Native
Native in 10 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 52 ft that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Sandcherry – Prunus pumila Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 6 ft that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers and showy fruit.
Pale Purple Coneflower – Echinacea pallida Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with early summer flowers.
Sand Dropseed – Sporobolus cryptandrus Native
Native in 22 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Shagbark Hickory – Carya ovata Native
Native in 10 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 75 ft for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Western Sand Cherry – Prunus besseyi Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A shrub up to 3 ft for full sun, with early spring flowers and showy fruit.
American Water Horehound – Lycopus americanus Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Torrey's Rush – Juncus torreyi Native
Native in 19 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial rush for full sun.
Pussy Willow – Salix discolor Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 40 ft that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Butterfly Weed – Asclepias tuberosa Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with midsummer flowers and showy fruit.
Eastern Woodland Sedge – Carex blanda Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Red Mulberry – Morus rubra Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 70 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit.
Giant Goldenrod – Solidago gigantea Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with showy flowers and fall colour.
Fragrant Flatsedge – Cyperus odoratus Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A sedge for full sun.
Common Hackberry – Celtis occidentalis Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 60 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Philadelphia Daisy – Erigeron philadelphicus Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A wildflower for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Softstem Bulrush – Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani Native
Native in 18 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Quaking Aspen – Populus tremuloides Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 65 ft for full sun.
Wild Blue Phlox – Phlox divaricata Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with midsummer flowers.
Winter Bentgrass – Agrostis hyemalis Native
Native in 17 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Eastern Redcedar – Juniperus virginiana Native
Native in 7 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 50 ft for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Dotted Blazing Star – Liatris punctata Native
Native in 16 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with midsummer flowers.
Crested Sedge – Carex cristatella Native
Native in 16 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Ohio Buckeye – Aesculus glabra Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 68 ft that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Mexican Hat – Ratibida columnifera Native
Native in 16 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with midsummer flowers and showy fruit.
Blue Grama – Bouteloua gracilis Native
Native in 15 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Eastern Redbud – Cercis canadensis Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 30 ft that tolerates shade, with spring flowers and showy fruit.
Dotted Smartweed – Polygonum punctatum Native
Native in 15 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Prairie Sandreed – Calamovilfa longifolia Native
Native in 15 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Western Catalpa – Catalpa speciosa Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 60 ft for full sun, with early summer flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Jack in the Pulpit – Arisaema triphyllum Native
Native in 15 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with early summer flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Strawcolored Flatsedge – Cyperus strigosus Native
Native in 14 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun, with showy fruit.
Blackjack Oak – Quercus marilandica Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 25 ft for full sun, with fall colour.
Jerusalem Artichoke – Helianthus tuberosus Native
Native in 15 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Inland Rush – Juncus interior Native
Native in 13 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade.
Osage-Orange – Maclura pomifera Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 35 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Ditch Stonecrop – Penthorum sedoides Native
Native in 14 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade.
Poverty Rush – Juncus tenuis Native
Native in 13 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade.
Plains Cottonwood – Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 85 ft for full sun, with showy fruit.
Pale Touch-Me-Not – Impatiens pallida Native
Native in 14 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual that tolerates shade.
Bicknell's Sedge – Carex bicknellii Native
Native in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade.
White Ash – Fraxinus americana Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 90 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
American Water Plantain – Alisma subcordatum Native
Native in 13 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Green Needlegrass – Nassella viridula Native
Native in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Butternut – Juglans cinerea Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 80 ft for full sun, with showy fruit and fall colour.
Cutleaf Coneflower – Rudbeckia laciniata Native
Native in 13 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Upright Sedge – Carex stricta Native
Native in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade.
Cockspur Hawthorn – Crataegus crus-galli Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 30 ft for full sun, with late spring flowers, showy fruit and fall colour.
Downy Paintedcup – Castilleja sessiliflora Native
Native in 13 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with mid-spring flowers.
Annual Wildrice – Zizania aquatica Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual grass for full sun and wet soil.
River/Red Birch – Betula nigra Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 70 ft for full sun.
Bristly Buttercup – Ranunculus hispidus Native
Native in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with early spring flowers.
Fringed Brome – Bromus ciliatus Native
Native in 10 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass that tolerates shade.
Pawpaw – Asimina triloba Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 25 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Broadleaf Cattail – Typha latifolia Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade and wet soil, with showy fruit.
Northern Reedgrass – Calamagrostis stricta subsp. inexpansa Native
Native in 10 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for sun or part shade and wet soil, with fall colour.
Pin Cherry – Prunus pensylvanica Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 30 ft for full sun, with mid-spring flowers and showy fruit.
Canada Goldenrod – Solidago canadensis Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with late summer flowers.
Oval-Leaf Sedge – Carex cephalophora Native
Native in 10 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Pin Oak – Quercus palustris Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft for full sun, with fall colour.
Common Duckmeat – Spirodela polyrrhiza Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with late summer flowers.
Eastern Gamagrass – Tripsacum dactyloides Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Balsam Poplar – Populus balsamifera Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 80 ft for full sun.
Common Duckweed – Lemna minor Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Blunt Broom Sedge – Carex tribuloides Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Shellbark Hickory – Carya laciniosa Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft that tolerates shade, with showy fruit.
Longleaf Pondweed – Potamogeton nodosus Native
Native in 11 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Wheat Sedge – Carex atherodes Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Sugar Maple – Acer saccharum Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A tree up to 100 ft that tolerates shade, with fall colour.
Broadfruit Bur-Reed – Sparganium eurycarpum Native
Native in 10 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Hop Sedge – Carex lupulina Native
Native in 7 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Common Goldstar – Hypoxis hirsuta Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with early spring flowers.
Knotted Rush – Juncus nodosus Native
Native in 7 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial rush for full sun.
Illinois Bundleflower – Desmanthus illinoensis Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with early summer flowers.
Needle Spikerush – Eleocharis acicularis Native
Native in 7 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A sedge for full sun.
White Doll's Daisy – Boltonia asteroides Native
Native in 9 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with midsummer flowers.
Rufous Bulrush – Scirpus pendulus Native
Native in 7 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Broadleaf Arrowhead – Sagittaria latifolia Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Troublesome Sedge – Carex molesta Native
Native in 7 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Common Selfheal – Prunella vulgaris Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with midsummer flowers.
Awlfruit Sedge – Carex stipata Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Crowned Beggarticks – Bidens coronata Native
Native in 8 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual wildflower for sun or part shade, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Gray's Sedge – Carex grayi Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
American Lotus – Nelumbo lutea Native
Native in 7 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with midsummer flowers and showy fruit.
Bebb's Sedge – Carex bebbii Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Coon's Tail – Ceratophyllum demersum Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for sun or part shade and wet soil.
California Field Sedge – Carex praegracilis Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Star Duckweed – Lemna trisulca Native
Native in 6 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Greater Straw Sedge – Carex normalis Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Arumleaf Arrowhead – Sagittaria cuneata Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with showy flowers.
Broom Sedge – Carex scoparia Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Blue Eyed Grass – Sisyrinchium angustifolium Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Ravenfoot Sedge – Carex crus-corvi Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade.
Marsh Marigold – Caltha palustris Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with mid-spring flowers.
Cloaked Bulrush – Scirpus pallidus Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Maryland Senna – Senna marilandica Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with summer flowers.
Needle and Thread – Hesperostipa comata comata Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun, with showy fruit.
Nodding Lady's Tresses – Spiranthes cernua Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late summer flowers.
Needle and Thread Grass – Stipa comata Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun, with showy fruit.
Rough Avens – Geum laciniatum Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers.
Water Sedge – Carex aquatilis Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Smooth Hedgenettle – Stachys tenuifolia Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Hairy Sedge – Carex lacustris Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Swamp Smartweed – Polygonum hydropiperoides Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Panicled Bulrush – Scirpus microcarpus Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Virginia Iris – Iris virginica Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade and wet soil, with spring flowers.
Salt Grass – Distichlis spicata Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun and wet soil.
Virginia Water Horehound – Lycopus virginicus Native
Native in 5 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with summer flowers and showy fruit.
Sand Lovegrass – Eragrostis trichodes Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Longbeak Buttercup – Ranunculus longirostris Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers.
Tapertip Rush – Juncus acuminatus Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial rush for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Pennsylvania Buttercup – Ranunculus pensylvanicus Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A wildflower that tolerates shade, with midsummer flowers.
Woolgrass – Scirpus cyperinus Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade, with showy fruit.
Showy Milkweed – Asclepias speciosa Native
Native in 4 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with early summer flowers and showy fruit.
Common Spikerush – Eleocharis palustris Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil.
Scarlet Indian Paintbrush – Castilleja coccinea Native
Native in 3 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual wildflower that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Dwarf Spikerush – Eleocharis parvula Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A sedge for full sun and wet soil.
American Eelgrass – Vallisneria americana Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Limestone Meadow Sedge – Carex granularis Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge that tolerates shade and wet soil.
Golden Tickseed – Coreopsis tinctoria Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A wildflower for sun or part shade, with late spring flowers.
Longhair Sedge – Carex comosa Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Halberdleaf Rosemallow – Hibiscus laevis Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with midsummer flowers.
Sand Bluestem – Andropogon hallii Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial grass for full sun.
Nodding Waternymph – Najas flexilis Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual for sun or part shade and wet soil.
Tall Cottongrass – Eriophorum angustifolium Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial sedge for full sun and wet soil, with fall colour.
Purpleleaf Willowherb – Epilobium coloratum Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade and wet soil, with summer flowers.
Toad Rush – Juncus bufonius Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. An annual rush for full sun and wet soil.
Silverweed – Potentilla anserina Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with spring flowers.
Silverweed Cinquefoil – Argentina anserina Native
Native in 2 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with spring flowers.
American Speedwell – Veronica americana Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with midsummer flowers.
Atlantic Camas – Camassia scilloides Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with mid-spring flowers.
Cardinalflower – Lobelia cardinalis Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with summer flowers.
Closed Bottle Gentian – Gentiana andrewsii Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for sun or part shade, with midsummer flowers and fall colour.
Foxglove Beardtongue – Penstemon digitalis Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with late spring flowers.
Largeleaf Pondweed – Potamogeton amplifolius Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial for full sun and wet soil.
Mexican Cardinal Flower – Lobelia fulgens Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade, with summer flowers.
Missouri Ironweed – Vernonia missurica Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun, with late summer flowers and fall colour.
Pickerelweed – Pontederia cordata Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower for full sun and wet soil, with late spring flowers.
Sharpwing Monkeyflower – Mimulus alatus Native
Native in 1 of Iowa’s 99 counties. A perennial wildflower that tolerates shade and wet soil, with summer flowers.
No plant on this page matches that.
USDA records 228 of these 232 plants as native in fewer than half of Iowa’s counties. The map on each card shows where. A county with no record may never have been surveyed for that plant, so look at the counties around yours too, or use the county checker for an address-level answer.
Iowa’s own list regulates 23 plants. None of them is on this page. Iowa noxious weeds has each one, with the rule cited.
Want to check a plant by photo or county?
Use our “Is it native” tool for free.Compiled from USDA PLANTS, retrieved June 13, 2026. If you spot a plant we have wrong, tell us at [email protected].
The same list as a table
| Plant | Scientific name | Type | Light | Native counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Bittersweet | Celastrus scandens | Vine | Tolerates shade | 9 of 99 |
| American Black Elderberry | Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 20 of 99 |
| American Eelgrass | Vallisneria americana | Perennial | Full sun | 2 of 99 |
| American Elm | Ulmus americana | Tree | Sun or part shade | 11 of 99 |
| American Hazelnut | Corylus americana | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 19 of 99 |
| American Linden | Tilia americana | Tree | Tolerates shade | 20 of 99 |
| American Lotus | Nelumbo lutea | Wildflower | Full sun | 7 of 99 |
| American Plum | Prunus americana | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 22 of 99 |
| American Speedwell | Veronica americana | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| American Water Horehound | Lycopus americanus | Perennial | Tolerates shade | 17 of 99 |
| American Water Plantain | Alisma subcordatum | Wildflower | Full sun | 13 of 99 |
| Annual Wildrice | Zizania aquatica | Grass | Full sun | 11 of 99 |
| Arumleaf Arrowhead | Sagittaria cuneata | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 99 |
| Atlantic Camas | Camassia scilloides | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Awlfruit Sedge | Carex stipata | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 6 of 99 |
| Balsam Poplar | Populus balsamifera | Tree | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Bearded Beggarticks | Bidens aristosa | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 26 of 99 |
| Bebb's Sedge | Carex bebbii | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 5 of 99 |
| Bicknell's Sedge | Carex bicknellii | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 12 of 99 |
| Big Bluestem | Andropogon gerardii | Grass | Full sun | 55 of 99 |
| Bitternut Hickory | Carya cordiformis | Tree | Full sun | 20 of 99 |
| Black Cherry | Prunus serotina | Tree | Full sun | 21 of 99 |
| Black Oak | Quercus velutina | Tree | Sun or part shade | 19 of 99 |
| Black Raspberry | Rubus occidentalis | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 19 of 99 |
| Black Willow | Salix nigra | Tree | Full sun | 13 of 99 |
| Black-Eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta | Wildflower | Full sun | 19 of 99 |
| Blackhaw | Viburnum prunifolium | Shrub or small tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Blackjack Oak | Quercus marilandica | Tree | Full sun | 4 of 99 |
| Blue Eyed Grass | Sisyrinchium angustifolium | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 5 of 99 |
| Blue Grama | Bouteloua gracilis | Grass | Full sun | 15 of 99 |
| Bluejoint | Calamagrostis canadensis | Grass | Full sun | 31 of 99 |
| Blunt Broom Sedge | Carex tribuloides | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 8 of 99 |
| Box Elder | Acer negundo | Tree | Tolerates shade | 19 of 99 |
| Bristly Buttercup | Ranunculus hispidus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 12 of 99 |
| Broadfruit Bur-Reed | Sparganium eurycarpum | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 10 of 99 |
| Broadleaf Arrowhead | Sagittaria latifolia | Wildflower | Full sun | 8 of 99 |
| Broadleaf Cattail | Typha latifolia | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 11 of 99 |
| Broom Sedge | Carex scoparia | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 4 of 99 |
| Burr Oak | Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | Sun or part shade | 32 of 99 |
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | Wildflower | Full sun | 17 of 99 |
| Butternut | Juglans cinerea | Tree | Full sun | 3 of 99 |
| Button Bush | Cephalanthus occidentalis | Shrub or small tree | Tolerates shade | 9 of 99 |
| California Field Sedge | Carex praegracilis | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 5 of 99 |
| Canada Germander | Teucrium canadense | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 19 of 99 |
| Canada Goldenrod | Solidago canadensis | Wildflower | Full sun | 11 of 99 |
| Canada Wildrye | Elymus canadensis | Grass | Tolerates shade | 53 of 99 |
| Canadian Milkvetch | Astragalus canadensis | Wildflower | Full sun | 27 of 99 |
| Cardinalflower | Lobelia cardinalis | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | Tree | Full sun | 23 of 99 |
| Cloaked Bulrush | Scirpus pallidus | Sedge | Full sun | 3 of 99 |
| Closed Bottle Gentian | Gentiana andrewsii | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 1 of 99 |
| Cockspur Hawthorn | Crataegus crus-galli | Tree | Full sun | 3 of 99 |
| Common Blue Violet | Viola sororia | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 18 of 99 |
| Common Cowparsnip | Heracleum maximum | Wildflower | Full sun | 18 of 99 |
| Common Duckmeat | Spirodela polyrrhiza | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 11 of 99 |
| Common Duckweed | Lemna minor | Perennial | Full sun | 11 of 99 |
| Common Goldstar | Hypoxis hirsuta | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 9 of 99 |
| Common Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | Tree | Tolerates shade | 8 of 99 |
| Common Selfheal | Prunella vulgaris | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 8 of 99 |
| Common Sneeze Weed | Helenium autumnale | Wildflower | Full sun | 22 of 99 |
| Common Spikerush | Eleocharis palustris | Sedge | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Coon's Tail | Ceratophyllum demersum | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 6 of 99 |
| Crested Sedge | Carex cristatella | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 16 of 99 |
| Crested Woodfern | Dryopteris cristata | Fern | Tolerates shade | 3 of 99 |
| Crowned Beggarticks | Bidens coronata | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 8 of 99 |
| Cutleaf Coneflower | Rudbeckia laciniata | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 13 of 99 |
| Devil's Beggartick | Bidens frondosa | Annual | Sun or part shade | 42 of 99 |
| Ditch Stonecrop | Penthorum sedoides | Perennial | Sun or part shade | 14 of 99 |
| Dotted Blazing Star | Liatris punctata | Wildflower | Full sun | 16 of 99 |
| Dotted Smartweed | Polygonum punctatum | Wildflower | Full sun | 15 of 99 |
| Downy Paintedcup | Castilleja sessiliflora | Wildflower | Full sun | 13 of 99 |
| Dwarf Spikerush | Eleocharis parvula | Sedge | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Eastern Black Walnut | Juglans nigra | Tree | Full sun | 20 of 99 |
| Eastern Cottonwood | Populus deltoides | Tree | Full sun | 12 of 99 |
| Eastern Gamagrass | Tripsacum dactyloides | Grass | Full sun | 9 of 99 |
| Eastern Redbud | Cercis canadensis | Tree | Tolerates shade | 5 of 99 |
| Eastern Redcedar | Juniperus virginiana | Tree | Sun or part shade | 7 of 99 |
| Eastern White Oak | Quercus alba | Tree | Sun or part shade | 12 of 99 |
| Eastern Woodland Sedge | Carex blanda | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 18 of 99 |
| Fall Panicgrass | Panicum dichotomiflorum | Grass | Full sun | 33 of 99 |
| Field Horsetail | Equisetum arvense | Horsetail | Sun or part shade | 70 of 99 |
| Fowl Bluegrass | Poa palustris | Grass | Sun or part shade | 22 of 99 |
| Fowl Mannagrass | Glyceria striata | Grass | Tolerates shade | 28 of 99 |
| Fox Sedge | Carex vulpinoidea | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 22 of 99 |
| Foxglove Beardtongue | Penstemon digitalis | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Fragrant Flatsedge | Cyperus odoratus | Sedge | Full sun | 18 of 99 |
| Fringed Brome | Bromus ciliatus | Grass | Tolerates shade | 10 of 99 |
| Giant Goldenrod | Solidago gigantea | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 17 of 99 |
| Golden Currant | Ribes aureum | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 4 of 99 |
| Golden Tickseed | Coreopsis tinctoria | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Gray Dogwood | Cornus racemosa | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 11 of 99 |
| Gray's Sedge | Carex grayi | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 6 of 99 |
| Greater Straw Sedge | Carex normalis | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 5 of 99 |
| Green Ash | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Tree | Tolerates shade | 16 of 99 |
| Green Bulrush | Scirpus atrovirens | Sedge | Full sun | 31 of 99 |
| Green Needlegrass | Nassella viridula | Grass | Full sun | 12 of 99 |
| Groundnut | Apios americana | Vine | Tolerates shade | 8 of 99 |
| Hairy Sedge | Carex lacustris | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 2 of 99 |
| Halberdleaf Rosemallow | Hibiscus laevis | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Honey Locust | Gleditsia triacanthos | Tree | Full sun | 19 of 99 |
| Hop Sedge | Carex lupulina | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 7 of 99 |
| Hophornbeam | Ostrya virginiana | Tree | Tolerates shade | 14 of 99 |
| Illinois Bundleflower | Desmanthus illinoensis | Wildflower | Full sun | 9 of 99 |
| Inland Rush | Juncus interior | Rush | Sun or part shade | 13 of 99 |
| Jack in the Pulpit | Arisaema triphyllum | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 15 of 99 |
| Jerusalem Artichoke | Helianthus tuberosus | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 15 of 99 |
| June Grass | Koeleria macrantha | Grass | Tolerates shade | 32 of 99 |
| Knotted Rush | Juncus nodosus | Rush | Full sun | 7 of 99 |
| Largeleaf Pondweed | Potamogeton amplifolius | Perennial | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Leadplant | Amorpha canescens | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 28 of 99 |
| Limestone Meadow Sedge | Carex granularis | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | Grass | Full sun | 45 of 99 |
| Littleleaf Buttercup | Ranunculus abortivus | Plant | Tolerates shade | 20 of 99 |
| Longbeak Buttercup | Ranunculus longirostris | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 4 of 99 |
| Longhair Sedge | Carex comosa | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 1 of 99 |
| Longleaf Pondweed | Potamogeton nodosus | Perennial | Full sun | 11 of 99 |
| Marsh Marigold | Caltha palustris | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 99 |
| Maryland Senna | Senna marilandica | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 5 of 99 |
| Mexican Cardinal Flower | Lobelia fulgens | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Mexican Hat | Ratibida columnifera | Wildflower | Full sun | 16 of 99 |
| Mexican Muhly | Muhlenbergia mexicana | Grass | Sun or part shade | 22 of 99 |
| Missouri Ironweed | Vernonia missurica | Wildflower | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Missouri River Willow | Salix eriocephala | Tree | Tolerates shade | 10 of 99 |
| Nannyberry | Viburnum lentago | Tree | Tolerates shade | 11 of 99 |
| Needle and Thread | Hesperostipa comata comata | Grass | Full sun | 3 of 99 |
| Needle and Thread Grass | Stipa comata | Grass | Full sun | 3 of 99 |
| Needle Spikerush | Eleocharis acicularis | Sedge | Full sun | 7 of 99 |
| New Jersey Tea | Ceanothus americanus | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 17 of 99 |
| Nodding Beggartick | Bidens cernua | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 58 of 99 |
| Nodding Lady's Tresses | Spiranthes cernua | Wildflower | Full sun | 5 of 99 |
| Nodding Waternymph | Najas flexilis | Annual | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Northern Reedgrass | Calamagrostis stricta subsp. inexpansa | Grass | Sun or part shade | 10 of 99 |
| Ohio Buckeye | Aesculus glabra | Tree | Tolerates shade | 6 of 99 |
| Osage-Orange | Maclura pomifera | Tree | Full sun | 4 of 99 |
| Oval-Leaf Sedge | Carex cephalophora | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 10 of 99 |
| Pale Purple Coneflower | Echinacea pallida | Wildflower | Full sun | 18 of 99 |
| Pale Touch-Me-Not | Impatiens pallida | Annual | Tolerates shade | 14 of 99 |
| Panicled Bulrush | Scirpus microcarpus | Sedge | Full sun | 2 of 99 |
| Partridge Pea | Chamaecrista fasciculata | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 24 of 99 |
| Pawpaw | Asimina triloba | Tree | Tolerates shade | 2 of 99 |
| Peachleaf Willow | Salix amygdaloides | Tree | Full sun | 20 of 99 |
| Pennsylvania Buttercup | Ranunculus pensylvanicus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 4 of 99 |
| Pennsylvania Smartweed | Polygonum pensylvanicum | Wildflower | Full sun | 28 of 99 |
| Philadelphia Daisy | Erigeron philadelphicus | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 17 of 99 |
| Pickerelweed | Pontederia cordata | Wildflower | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Pin Cherry | Prunus pensylvanica | Tree | Full sun | 2 of 99 |
| Pin Oak | Quercus palustris | Tree | Full sun | 2 of 99 |
| Pinnate Prairie Coneflower | Ratibida pinnata | Wildflower | Full sun | 39 of 99 |
| Plains Cottonwood | Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera | Tree | Full sun | 4 of 99 |
| Poverty Rush | Juncus tenuis | Rush | Sun or part shade | 13 of 99 |
| Prairie Blazing Star | Liatris pycnostachya | Wildflower | Full sun | 21 of 99 |
| Prairie Cordgrass | Spartina pectinata | Grass | Full sun | 35 of 99 |
| Prairie Dropseed | Sporobolus heterolepis | Grass | Sun or part shade | 31 of 99 |
| Prairie Sagewort | Artemisia frigida | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 1 of 99 |
| Prairie Sandreed | Calamovilfa longifolia | Grass | Full sun | 15 of 99 |
| Purpleleaf Willowherb | Epilobium coloratum | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Purplestem Beggarticks | Bidens connata | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 23 of 99 |
| Pussy Willow | Salix discolor | Tree | Tolerates shade | 9 of 99 |
| Quaking Aspen | Populus tremuloides | Tree | Full sun | 8 of 99 |
| Ravenfoot Sedge | Carex crus-corvi | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 4 of 99 |
| Red Mulberry | Morus rubra | Tree | Tolerates shade | 9 of 99 |
| Red Oak | Quercus rubra | Tree | Sun or part shade | 18 of 99 |
| Red Osier Dogwood | Cornus sericea sericea | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 6 of 99 |
| Red-Barked Dogwood | Cornus alba | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 6 of 99 |
| Redosier Dogwood | Cornus sericea sericea | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 6 of 99 |
| Rice Cutgrass | Leersia oryzoides | Grass | Full sun | 23 of 99 |
| River/Red Birch | Betula nigra | Tree | Full sun | 3 of 99 |
| Riverbank Grape | Vitis riparia | Vine | Sun or part shade | 17 of 99 |
| Rough Avens | Geum laciniatum | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 5 of 99 |
| Rough-Leaf Dogwood | Cornus drummondii | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 16 of 99 |
| Rufous Bulrush | Scirpus pendulus | Sedge | Full sun | 7 of 99 |
| Salt Grass | Distichlis spicata | Grass | Full sun | 2 of 99 |
| Sand Bluestem | Andropogon hallii | Grass | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Sand Dropseed | Sporobolus cryptandrus | Grass | Full sun | 22 of 99 |
| Sand Lovegrass | Eragrostis trichodes | Grass | Full sun | 2 of 99 |
| Sandbar Willow | Salix interior | Tree | Full sun | 24 of 99 |
| Sandcherry | Prunus pumila | Shrub | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Sawtooth Sunflower | Helianthus grosseserratus | Wildflower | Full sun | 26 of 99 |
| Scarlet Indian Paintbrush | Castilleja coccinea | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 3 of 99 |
| Shagbark Hickory | Carya ovata | Tree | Sun or part shade | 10 of 99 |
| Sharpwing Monkeyflower | Mimulus alatus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Shellbark Hickory | Carya laciniosa | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Showy Milkweed | Asclepias speciosa | Wildflower | Full sun | 4 of 99 |
| Sideoats Grama | Bouteloua curtipendula | Grass | Full sun | 45 of 99 |
| Silver Buffaloberry | Shepherdia argentea | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Silver Maple | Acer saccharinum | Tree | Sun or part shade | 18 of 99 |
| Silverweed | Potentilla anserina | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 2 of 99 |
| Silverweed Cinquefoil | Argentina anserina | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 2 of 99 |
| Slippery Elm | Ulmus rubra | Tree | Tolerates shade | 20 of 99 |
| Smooth Hedgenettle | Stachys tenuifolia | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 5 of 99 |
| Smooth Sumac | Rhus glabra | Shrub or small tree | Full sun | 12 of 99 |
| Softstem Bulrush | Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | Sedge | Full sun | 18 of 99 |
| Star Duckweed | Lemna trisulca | Perennial | Full sun | 6 of 99 |
| Strawcolored Flatsedge | Cyperus strigosus | Sedge | Full sun | 14 of 99 |
| Sugar Maple | Acer saccharum | Tree | Tolerates shade | 1 of 99 |
| Swamp Milkweed | Asclepias incarnata | Wildflower | Full sun | 28 of 99 |
| Swamp Smartweed | Polygonum hydropiperoides | Perennial | Full sun | 5 of 99 |
| Sweet Woodreed | Cinna arundinacea | Grass | Tolerates shade | 29 of 99 |
| Switchgrass | Panicum virgatum | Grass | Full sun | 44 of 99 |
| Tall Cottongrass | Eriophorum angustifolium | Sedge | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Tapertip Rush | Juncus acuminatus | Rush | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Toad Rush | Juncus bufonius | Rush | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Torrey's Rush | Juncus torreyi | Rush | Full sun | 19 of 99 |
| Troublesome Sedge | Carex molesta | Sedge | Full sun | 7 of 99 |
| Trumpet Vine | Campsis radicans | Vine | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Upright Sedge | Carex stricta | Sedge | Tolerates shade | 12 of 99 |
| Virginia Creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | Vine | Sun or part shade | 9 of 99 |
| Virginia Iris | Iris virginica | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 5 of 99 |
| Virginia Water Horehound | Lycopus virginicus | Wildflower | Tolerates shade | 5 of 99 |
| Virginia Wildrye | Elymus virginicus | Grass | Tolerates shade | 41 of 99 |
| Water Horsetail | Equisetum fluviatile | Horsetail | Full sun | 13 of 99 |
| Water Knotweed | Polygonum amphibium | Perennial | Full sun | 23 of 99 |
| Water Sedge | Carex aquatilis | Sedge | Full sun | 3 of 99 |
| Western Brackenfern | Pteridium aquilinum | Fern | Tolerates shade | 28 of 99 |
| Western Catalpa | Catalpa speciosa | Tree | Full sun | 5 of 99 |
| Western Sand Cherry | Prunus besseyi | Shrub | Full sun | 1 of 99 |
| Western Snowberry | Symphoricarpos occidentalis | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 19 of 99 |
| Western Wheatgrass | Pascopyrum smithii | Grass | Full sun | 37 of 99 |
| Wheat Sedge | Carex atherodes | Sedge | Full sun | 8 of 99 |
| White Ash | Fraxinus americana | Tree | Full sun | 4 of 99 |
| White Doll's Daisy | Boltonia asteroides | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 9 of 99 |
| White Meadowsweet | Spiraea alba | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 3 of 99 |
| Whitegrass | Leersia virginica | Grass | Tolerates shade | 31 of 99 |
| Wild Bergamot | Monarda fistulosa | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 24 of 99 |
| Wild Blue Phlox | Phlox divaricata | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 17 of 99 |
| Wild Mint | Mentha arvensis | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 21 of 99 |
| Winter Bentgrass | Agrostis hyemalis | Grass | Sun or part shade | 17 of 99 |
| Woods' Rose | Rosa woodsii | Shrub | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Woolgrass | Scirpus cyperinus | Sedge | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
| Woolly Yarrow | Achillea tomentosa | Wildflower | Sun or part shade | 24 of 99 |
| Yellow Indian Grass | Sorghastrum nutans | Grass | Full sun | 45 of 99 |
| Yellow Willow | Salix lutea | Shrub or small tree | Sun or part shade | 2 of 99 |
Where this comes from
- Native range
- USDA PLANTS county distribution layer, the same records behind the county checker.
- Sold by nurseries
- USDA PLANTS plant characteristics, Commercial Availability “Routinely Available”. It is a national flag, so a plant here can still be hard to find at a garden centre near you.
- Plant details
- USDA PLANTS: growth habit and duration from the plant profile; shade and wet-soil tolerance, bloom period, mature height and showy flowers, fruit or fall colour from the plant characteristics.
- Left out
- Any plant a state regulates as invasive or noxious, or that GRIIS flags as invasive in the lower 48, even where it is native. So is any species USDA records as both native and introduced in the lower 48, because the form nurseries sell is usually the introduced one.
- Photos
- Public domain, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-SA, credited under each photo.
- Citation
- USDA, NRCS. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov), retrieved June 13, 2026. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.
Questions
What plants are native to Iowa?
This page lists the 232 plants that USDA PLANTS records as native to Iowa and routinely available from nurseries: 44 trees, 23 shrubs, 84 wildflowers, 72 grasses and sedges, 4 ferns and 5 vines. They are a small part of Iowa's native flora, chosen because you can buy them. Each one carries a map of the Iowa counties where USDA records it growing wild.
What trees are native to Iowa?
This page lists 44 trees native to Iowa that nurseries routinely sell. The most widespread include Burr Oak, Sandbar Willow and Chokecherry, each recorded as native in at least 23 of Iowa's 99 counties.
What shrubs are native to Iowa?
This page lists 23 shrubs native to Iowa that nurseries routinely sell. The most widespread include Leadplant, American Plum and American Black Elderberry, each recorded as native in at least 20 of Iowa's 99 counties.
What wildflowers are native to Iowa?
This page lists 84 wildflowers native to Iowa that nurseries routinely sell. The most widespread include Nodding Beggartick, Devil's Beggartick and Pinnate Prairie Coneflower, each recorded as native in at least 39 of Iowa's 99 counties.
Is my plant native to Iowa?
Search this page by common or scientific name. A plant missing from it can still be native to Iowa: the page lists only natives that nurseries routinely sell, and it leaves out any plant a state regulates as invasive. For a county-level answer on any plant, enter its name in Ezina's checker. Every answer links the record it came from.
Is a plant native to Iowa native everywhere in Iowa?
Not necessarily. USDA records nativity county by county, and 228 of the 232 plants on this page are recorded as native in fewer than half of Iowa's 99 counties. A county with no record may simply never have been surveyed for that plant, so read each card's map as where the plant is known to grow wild rather than as a boundary.
Grow natives easily with Ezina
How it works
We provide the tools you need to succeed.
010.1Identify
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
010.2Care
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
010.3Plan
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Compiled from peer-reviewed research, USDA documentation,
and direct scientific observation across the United States.