Native Groundcover of Iowa

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

Northern Dewberry

Northern Dewberry

Rubus flagellaris

Family: Rosaceae

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Bristly Dewberry

Bristly Dewberry

Rubus hispidus

Family: Rosaceae

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Dwarf Red Blackberry

Dwarf Red Blackberry

Rubus pubescens

Family: Rosaceae

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Bunchberry Dogwood

Bunchberry Dogwood

Cornus canadensis

Family: Cornaceae

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Kinnikinnick

Kinnikinnick

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Family: Ericaceae

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Virginia Strawberry

Virginia Strawberry

Fragaria virginiana

Family: Rosaceae

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Hookedspur Violet

Hookedspur Violet

Viola adunca

Family: Violaceae

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Woodland Strawberry

Woodland Strawberry

Fragaria vesca

Family: Rosaceae

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Common Blue Violet

Common Blue Violet

Viola sororia

Family: Violaceae

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Prairie Violet

Prairie Violet

Viola pedatifida

Family: Violaceae

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Arrowleaf Violet

Arrowleaf Violet

Viola sagittata

Family: Violaceae

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Small White Violet

Small White Violet

Viola macloskeyi

Family: Violaceae

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Marsh Blue Violet

Marsh Blue Violet

Viola cucullata

Family: Violaceae

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Birdfoot Violet

Birdfoot Violet

Viola pedata

Family: Violaceae

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Early Blue Violet

Early Blue Violet

Viola palmata

Family: Violaceae

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Northern Woodland Violet

Northern Woodland Violet

Viola septentrionalis

Family: Violaceae

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Striped Cream Violet

Striped Cream Violet

Viola striata

Family: Violaceae

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Bernard Violet

Bernard Violet

Viola bernardii

Family: Violaceae

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Sweet White Violet

Sweet White Violet

Viola blanda

Family: Violaceae

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Northern Bog Violet

Northern Bog Violet

Viola nephrophylla

Family: Violaceae

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Viola pratincola

Viola pratincola

Viola pratincola

Family: Violaceae

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White Violet

White Violet

Viola renifolia

Family: Violaceae

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Viola eriocarpa

Viola eriocarpa

Viola eriocarpa

Family: Violaceae

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Viola primulifolia

Viola primulifolia

Viola primulifolia

Family: Violaceae

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Twoflower Violet

Twoflower Violet

Viola viarum

Family: Violaceae

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Viola communis

Viola communis

Viola communis

Family: Violaceae

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Viola rugulosa

Viola rugulosa

Viola rugulosa

Family: Violaceae

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Viola rafinesquei

Viola rafinesquei

Viola rafinesquei

Family: Violaceae

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Viola minuscula

Viola minuscula

Viola minuscula

Family: Violaceae

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Creeping Juniper

Creeping Juniper

Juniperus horizontalis

Family: Cupressaceae

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Pinkladies

Pinkladies

Oenothera speciosa

Family: Onagraceae

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Virginia Creeper

Virginia Creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Family: Vitaceae

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Scarlet Globemallow

Scarlet Globemallow

Sphaeralcea coccinea

Family: Malvaceae

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Spotted Sandmat

Spotted Sandmat

Euphorbia maculata

Family: Euphorbiaceae

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Matted Sandmat

Matted Sandmat

Euphorbia serpens

Family: Euphorbiaceae

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Prostrate Sandmat

Prostrate Sandmat

Euphorbia prostrata

Family: Euphorbiaceae

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Euphorbia serpillifolia

Euphorbia serpillifolia

Euphorbia serpillifolia

Family: Euphorbiaceae

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Dwarf Cinquefoil

Dwarf Cinquefoil

Potentilla canadensis

Family: Rosaceae

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Common Cinquefoil

Common Cinquefoil

Potentilla simplex

Family: Rosaceae

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Potentilla supina

Potentilla supina

Potentilla supina

Family: Rosaceae

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Dwarf Crested Iris

Dwarf Crested Iris

Iris cristata

Family: Iridaceae

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Moss Phlox

Moss Phlox

Phlox subulata

Family: Polemoniaceae

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Wild Blue Phlox

Wild Blue Phlox

Phlox divaricata

Family: Polemoniaceae

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Cleft Phlox

Cleft Phlox

Phlox bifida

Family: Polemoniaceae

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Howell's pussytoes

Howell's pussytoes

Antennaria howellii

Family: Asteraceae

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Field Pussytoes

Field Pussytoes

Antennaria neglecta

Family: Asteraceae

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Poverty Rush

Poverty Rush

Juncus tenuis

Family: Juncaceae

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Woman's Tobacco

Woman's Tobacco

Antennaria plantaginifolia

Family: Asteraceae

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Small-Leaf Pussytoes

Small-Leaf Pussytoes

Antennaria parvifolia

Family: Asteraceae

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Parlin's Pussytoes

Parlin's Pussytoes

Antennaria parlinii

Family: Asteraceae

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American Alumroot

American Alumroot

Heuchera americana

Family: Saxifragaceae

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Lanceleaf Fogfruit

Lanceleaf Fogfruit

Phyla lanceolata

Family: Verbenaceae

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Trailing Arbutus

Trailing Arbutus

Epigaea repens

Family: Ericaceae

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Field Chickweed

Field Chickweed

Cerastium arvense

Family: Caryophyllaceae

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Purple Poppymallow

Purple Poppymallow

Callirhoe involucrata

Family: Malvaceae

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Twistspine Pricklypear

Twistspine Pricklypear

Opuntia macrorhiza

Family: Cactaceae

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Woodland Stonecrop

Woodland Stonecrop

Sedum ternatum

Family: Crassulaceae

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Tiny Bluet

Tiny Bluet

Houstonia pusilla

Family: Rubiaceae

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Creeping Lespedeza

Creeping Lespedeza

Lespedeza repens

Family: Fabaceae

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Saltgrass

Saltgrass

Distichlis spicata

Family: Poaceae

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Native groundcover plants of Iowa, USA — low, spreading species for shade, slopes, and lawn replacement. Refine by light, soil, or bloom time above.