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Native plants · Iowa

Native plants of Ringgold County

197 plant species are recorded as native to Iowa in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Ringgold County by USDA PLANTS. 87 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 1 more species is listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Ringgold County, Iowa

Native species
197 Typical Iowa county: 44 (median of 99 counties)
Garden-ready natives
87 Typical Iowa county: 24
Share by type (all 197 native species)
Percent of the 197 native species in each growth type
Tree 10% (20)
Shrub 5% (10)
Wildflower (forb) 66% (131)
Grass or grass-like 13% (25)
Vine 4% (8)
Fern 2% (3)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (66%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (13%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zone 5b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Cold hardiness is estimated from each plant’s PLANTS minimum temperature. How we estimate it.

Garden-ready natives 87

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Ringgold County, Iowa
PlantType HeightLight Water useHardy to
American hazelnut Corylus americana Shrub 10 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
American water horehound Lycopus americanus Wildflower (forb) 1.8 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3b
American water plantain Alisma subcordatum Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun High Zone 4a
big bluestem Andropogon gerardii Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Low Zone 2b
bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Tree 75 ft Sun Medium Zone 2b
black cherry Prunus serotina Tree 80 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
black oak Quercus velutina Tree 80 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
black raspberry Rubus occidentalis Shrub 6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
black walnut Juglans nigra Tree 100 ft Sun High Zone 4b
blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Wildflower (forb) 1 ft Sun Medium Zone 5a
broadfruit bur-reed Sparganium eurycarpum Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides Grass or grass-like 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
bur oak Quercus macrocarpa Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Canada goldenrod Solidago altissima Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4b
Canada goldenrod Solidago canadensis Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
Canada wildrye Elymus canadensis Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3a
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis Wildflower (forb) 6 in Sun Medium Zone 3b
chinquapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
common evening primrose Oenothera biennis Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius Shrub 10 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris Wildflower (forb) 1.5 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Shrub 2 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 5a
crested sedge Carex cristatella Grass or grass-like 3 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 4a
cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
devil's darning needles Clematis virginiana Vine 15 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
dotted smartweed Polygonum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
downy arrowwood Viburnum rafinesqueanum Shrub 6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun High Zone 5a
eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana Tree 50 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum Grass or grass-like 3.3 ft Sun High Zone 3a
fringeleaf wild petunia Ruellia humilis Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea Wildflower (forb) 8.2 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
gray dogwood Cornus racemosa Shrub 10 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 2b
gray goldenrod Solidago nemoralis Wildflower (forb) 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
groundnut Apios americana Vine 1 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 5a
honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos Tree 70 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Tree 45 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans Grass or grass-like 6 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
Indianhemp Apocynum cannabinum Wildflower (forb) 3.3 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 3a
Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Wildflower (forb) 9.8 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 3a
knotted rush Juncus nodosus Grass or grass-like 2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
leadplant Amorpha canescens Shrub 4 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 3b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium Grass or grass-like 3 ft Sun Low Zone 3b
Maryland senna Senna marilandica Wildflower (forb) 6.6 ft Sun–part shade Low Zone 5b
New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus Shrub 3 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4b
nimblewill Muhlenbergia schreberi Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum Fern 1.3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b
partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata Wildflower (forb) 2.4 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 7a
Pennsylvania smartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Sun Medium Zone 10b
pickerelweed Pontederia cordata Wildflower (forb) 3.2 ft Sun High Zone 5a
pinnate prairie coneflower Ratibida pinnata Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
prairie blazing star Liatris pycnostachya Wildflower (forb) 3.5 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata Grass or grass-like 8 ft Sun High Zone 3b
prairie crab apple Malus ioensis Tree 25 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
prairie fleabane Erigeron strigosus Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Medium Zone 4b
quaking aspen Populus tremuloides Tree 65 ft Sun High Zone 1a
river birch Betula nigra Tree 70 ft Sun High Zone 4a
roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata Wildflower (forb) 2.6 ft Sun Low Zone 4b
sandbar willow Salix interior Tree 30 ft Sun — Zone 1a
sawtooth sunflower Helianthus grosseserratus Wildflower (forb) 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
shagbark hickory Carya ovata Tree 75 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
shingle oak Quercus imbricaria Tree 45 ft Sun Medium Zone 5b
slippery elm Ulmus rubra Tree 85 ft Shade-tolerant High Zone 3a
smooth blue aster Symphyotrichum laeve Wildflower (forb) 4 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
spotted St. Johnswort Hypericum punctatum Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
stiff goldenrod Oligoneuron rigidum Wildflower (forb) 3.6 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus Grass or grass-like 3.2 ft Sun Medium Zone 4a
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun High Zone 3b
sweet woodreed Cinna arundinacea Grass or grass-like 4.9 ft Shade-tolerant Low Zone 4a
switchgrass Panicum virgatum Grass or grass-like 5 ft Sun Medium Zone 3a
tall cinquefoil Potentilla arguta Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi Grass or grass-like 3.1 ft Sun Medium Zone 3b
twoheaded water-starwort Callitriche heterophylla Wildflower (forb) — Sun High Zone 4a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans Grass or grass-like 3.5 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
Virginia threeseed mercury Acalypha virginica Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 10b
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus Grass or grass-like 2.5 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4b
water knotweed Polygonum amphibium Wildflower (forb) 1 in Sun High Zone 5a
white avens Geum canadense Wildflower (forb) 3.9 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 4a
white doll's daisy Boltonia asteroides Wildflower (forb) 8 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3b
white meadowsweet Spiraea alba Shrub 3 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 4a
white oak Quercus alba Tree 100 ft Sun–part shade Medium Zone 3a
white sagebrush Artemisia ludoviciana Wildflower (forb) 3 ft Sun Low Zone 4a
wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa Wildflower (forb) 4.9 ft Sun–part shade High Zone 4a
wirestem muhly Muhlenbergia frondosa Grass or grass-like 2 ft Shade-tolerant Medium Zone 3b

Other native species recorded here 110

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

  • Allegheny monkeyflower Mimulus ringens
  • amberique-bean Strophostyles helvola
  • Baldwin's ironweed Vernonia baldwinii
  • bigbract verbena Verbena bracteata
  • blackseed plantain Plantago rugelii
  • bristly greenbrier Smilax tamnoides
  • brittle bladderfern Cystopteris fragilis
  • browneyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba
  • buffalobur nightshade Solanum rostratum
  • button eryngo Eryngium yuccifolium
  • Canadian anemone Anemone canadensis
  • Canadian clearweed Pilea pumila
  • Canadian honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis
  • Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
  • Canadian woodnettle Laportea canadensis
  • candle anemone Anemone cylindrica
  • Carolina horsenettle Solanum carolinense
  • carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
  • clammy hedgehyssop Gratiola neglecta
  • common boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
  • common moonseed Menispermum canadense
  • common pricklyash Zanthoxylum americanum
  • compassplant Silphium laciniatum
  • curlytop knotweed Polygonum lapathifolium
  • cutleaf watermilfoil Myriophyllum pinnatum
  • dwarf chinquapin oak Quercus prinoides
  • dwarf horseweed Conyza ramosissima
  • eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
  • elmleaf goldenrod Solidago ulmifolia
  • feverwort Triosteum perfoliatum
  • flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
  • fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
  • golden zizia Zizia aurea
  • great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
  • great ragweed Ambrosia trifida
  • green milkweed Asclepias hirtella
  • grooved flax Linum sulcatum
  • groovestem Indian plantain Arnoglossum plantagineum
  • hairy hedgenettle Stachys pilosa
  • hairy sunflower Helianthus hirsutus
  • hedge false bindweed Calystegia sepium
  • hoary frostweed Helianthemum bicknellii
  • hoary verbena Verbena stricta
  • Illinois ticktrefoil Desmodium illinoense
  • Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
  • jumpseed Polygonum virginianum
  • lanceleaf buckthorn Rhamnus lanceolata
  • lanceleaf figwort Scrophularia lanceolata
  • lesser yellow lady's slipper Cypripedium parviflorum
  • longflower beeblossom Oenothera filiformis
  • lowland yellow loosestrife Lysimachia hybrida
  • manyfruit primrose-willow Ludwigia polycarpa
  • mapleleaf goosefoot Chenopodium simplex
  • mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
  • narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
  • neckweed Veronica peregrina
  • Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
  • pale dock Rumex altissimus
  • paleleaf woodland sunflower Helianthus strumosus
  • plain gentian Gentiana alba
  • pointedleaf ticktrefoil Desmodium glutinosum
  • poverty dropseed Sporobolus vaginiflorus
  • prairie ironweed Vernonia fasciculata
  • prairie rose Rosa arkansana
  • prairie threeawn Aristida oligantha
  • puffsheath dropseed Sporobolus neglectus
  • purple meadow-rue Thalictrum dasycarpum
  • purple milkweed Asclepias purpurascens
  • rabbit-tobacco Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium
  • red columbine Aquilegia canadensis
  • rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
  • rough rattlesnakeroot Prenanthes aspera
  • roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
  • Seneca snakeroot Polygala senega
  • sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
  • shortbeak arrowhead Sagittaria brevirostra
  • sixweeks fescue Vulpia octoflora
  • slender yellow woodsorrel Oxalis dillenii
  • slimflower scurfpea Psoralidium tenuiflorum
  • small skullcap Scutellaria parvula
  • smooth forked nailwort Paronychia canadensis
  • smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides
  • soft agrimony Agrimonia pubescens
  • spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
  • spotted water hemlock Cicuta maculata
  • stiff sunflower Helianthus pauciflorus
  • swamp verbena Verbena hastata
  • sweetscented joe pye weed Eutrochium purpureum
  • tall blazing star Liatris aspera
  • tall thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
  • tall thistle Cirsium altissimum
  • tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
  • tall tickseed Coreopsis tripteris
  • toothed spurge Euphorbia dentata
  • tufted lovegrass Eragrostis pectinacea
  • violet lespedeza Lespedeza violacea
  • Virginia bunchflower Veratrum virginicum
  • Virginia mountainmint Pycnanthemum virginianum
  • Virginia pepperweed Lepidium virginicum
  • white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
  • white vervain Verbena urticifolia
  • wholeleaf rosinweed Silphium integrifolium
  • whorled milkweed Asclepias verticillata
  • widowsfrill Silene stellata
  • wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata
  • wild yam Dioscorea villosa
  • winged lythrum Lythrum alatum
  • wingstem Verbesina alternifolia
  • woodland lettuce Lactuca floridana
  • yellow giant hyssop Agastache nepetoides
Also listed as native and introduced here 1

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

  • annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia

Compared with Iowa

The typical county is the median of the 99 Iowa counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Ringgold County and Iowa
MeasureRinggold CountyTypical countyStatewide
Native species 197 44 1,374
Garden-ready natives 87 24 496
Tree 20 — 110
Shrub 10 — 72
Wildflower (forb) 131 — 779
Grass or grass-like 25 — 298
Vine 8 — 55
Fern 3 — 60

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Ringgold County.

Look up another ZIP

Matches your ZIP to the county it mostly lies in, then lists the plants recorded as native to your state (Kew’s World Checklist and USDA PLANTS) and recorded in that county by USDA PLANTS.

Source & data date

Source
USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).
Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.
USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation
USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.
Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date
Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope
Ringgold County (county FIPS 19159), Iowa. 197 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method
A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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