Native Grasses of Iowa

🌿 Start with your zip code or city & country, then add what you want — light, soil, height, bloom time, wildlife.

Switchgrass

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Family: Poaceae

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Wiry Panicgrass

Wiry Panicgrass

Panicum flexile

Family: Poaceae

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Witchgrass

Witchgrass

Panicum capillare

Family: Poaceae

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Fall Panicgrass

Fall Panicgrass

Panicum dichotomiflorum

Family: Poaceae

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Hillman's Panicgrass

Hillman's Panicgrass

Panicum hillmanii

Family: Poaceae

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Philadelphia Panicgrass

Philadelphia Panicgrass

Panicum philadelphicum

Family: Poaceae

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Gattinger's Panicgrass

Gattinger's Panicgrass

Panicum gattingeri

Family: Poaceae

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Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

Family: Poaceae

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Sand Bluestem

Sand Bluestem

Andropogon hallii

Family: Poaceae

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Green Bulrush

Green Bulrush

Scirpus atrovirens

Family: Cyperaceae

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Woolgrass

Woolgrass

Scirpus cyperinus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Blackgirdle Bulrush

Blackgirdle Bulrush

Scirpus atrocinctus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Cloaked Bulrush

Cloaked Bulrush

Scirpus pallidus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Panicled Bulrush

Panicled Bulrush

Scirpus microcarpus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Rufous Bulrush

Rufous Bulrush

Scirpus pendulus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Stalked Bulrush

Stalked Bulrush

Scirpus pedicellatus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Georgia Bulrush

Georgia Bulrush

Scirpus georgianus

Family: Cyperaceae

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little bluestem

little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Family: Poaceae

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Common Rush

Common Rush

Juncus effusus

Family: Juncaceae

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Canadian Rush

Canadian Rush

Juncus canadensis

Family: Juncaceae

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Poverty Rush

Poverty Rush

Juncus tenuis

Family: Juncaceae

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Greater Poverty Rush

Greater Poverty Rush

Juncus anthelatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Knotted Rush

Knotted Rush

Juncus nodosus

Family: Juncaceae

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Vasey's Rush

Vasey's Rush

Juncus vaseyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Greene's Rush

Greene's Rush

Juncus greenei

Family: Juncaceae

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Toad Rush

Toad Rush

Juncus bufonius

Family: Juncaceae

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Indiangrass

Indiangrass

Sorghastrum nutans

Family: Poaceae

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Dudley's Rush

Dudley's Rush

Juncus dudleyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Torrey's Rush

Torrey's Rush

Juncus torreyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Inland Rush

Inland Rush

Juncus interior

Family: Juncaceae

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Arctic Rush

Arctic Rush

Juncus arcticus

Family: Juncaceae

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Northern Green Rush

Northern Green Rush

Juncus alpinoarticulatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Tapertip Rush

Tapertip Rush

Juncus acuminatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Grassleaf Rush

Grassleaf Rush

Juncus marginatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Blue Grama

Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis

Family: Poaceae

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Saltgrass

Saltgrass

Distichlis spicata

Family: Poaceae

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Eastern Bottlebrush Grass

Eastern Bottlebrush Grass

Elymus hystrix

Family: Poaceae

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Deertongue

Deertongue

Dichanthelium clandestinum

Family: Poaceae

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Southern Crabgrass

Southern Crabgrass

Digitaria ciliaris

Family: Poaceae

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Hairy Sedge

Hairy Sedge

Carex lacustris

Family: Cyperaceae

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Canada Wildrye

Canada Wildrye

Elymus canadensis

Family: Poaceae

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Sideoats Grama

Sideoats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Family: Poaceae

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Thermal Bent

Thermal Bent

Agrostis scabra

Family: Poaceae

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Upland Bentgrass

Upland Bentgrass

Agrostis perennans

Family: Poaceae

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Pennsylvania Sedge

Pennsylvania Sedge

Carex pensylvanica

Family: Cyperaceae

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Crested Sedge

Crested Sedge

Carex cristatella

Family: Cyperaceae

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Foxtail Barley

Foxtail Barley

Hordeum jubatum

Family: Poaceae

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Cosmopolitan Bulrush

Cosmopolitan Bulrush

Bolboschoenus maritimus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Buffalograss

Buffalograss

Bouteloua dactyloides

Family: Poaceae

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Softstem Bulrush

Softstem Bulrush

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

Family: Cyperaceae

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Slimflower Muhly

Slimflower Muhly

Muhlenbergia tenuiflora

Family: Poaceae

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Southeastern Wildrye

Southeastern Wildrye

Elymus virginicus

Family: Poaceae

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Winter Bentgrass

Winter Bentgrass

Agrostis hyemalis

Family: Poaceae

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Emory's Sedge

Emory's Sedge

Carex emoryi

Family: Cyperaceae

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James' Sedge

James' Sedge

Carex jamesii

Family: Cyperaceae

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White Bear Sedge

White Bear Sedge

Carex albursina

Family: Cyperaceae

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Reed Canarygrass

Reed Canarygrass

Phalaris arundinacea

Family: Poaceae

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Foxtail Sedge

Foxtail Sedge

Carex alopecoidea

Family: Cyperaceae

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Common Reed

Common Reed

Phragmites australis

Family: Poaceae

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Cypress Panicgrass

Cypress Panicgrass

Dichanthelium dichotomum

Family: Poaceae

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Native grasses and grass-like plants of Iowa, USA — for meadows, erosion control, and lawn alternatives. Many host skipper butterflies and shelter ground-nesting wildlife. Refine by light or soil above.