Perennials/Iowa Natives/Pollinators
Interested in planting perennials, Iowa natives and/or pollinators?
Visit GROW at Kazimour Farm & Orchard! Every purchase supports our mission and contributes to a healthier local ecosystem.
Perennials, native plants, and pollinators play a vital role in sustaining our environment, helping landscapes provide the life support all species depend on. At GROW, we cultivate many varieties of plants and ornamental grasses, each chosen for their ecological value.
Planting native plants and pollinators can benefit the environment in multiple ways, including:
- Food for pollinators: Native plants are a reliable source of nectar and pollen for pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths.
- Habitat for pollinators: Native plants provide shelter for native insects.
- Ecosystem health: Native plants are well-adapted to their local climate and soil, and they require little to no fertilizer or pesticides.
- Water conservation: Native plants require less water than lawns, and their deep root systems help prevent erosion and flooding.
- Wildlife: Native plants are a food source for wildlife and are naturally beautiful.
Want to learn more about the power of pollinators? Check out these excellent resources:
Variety
Height & Spread
Sun
Soil Moisture
Color
Notes
Butterfly Weed
2’ x 3’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Orange
Deer resistant. Larval host plants for the monarch butterfly.
Cardinal Flower
36″ x 18″
Full sun to partial shade
Wet, Medium-Wet
Red
Deer resistant. Scarlet flowers are an important nectar source for hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies.
Lead Plant
3’ x 2’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Deer resistant but may need protection
early on. Plants take several years to mature, but are worth the wait as the blooms are spectacular
Little Bluestem
3’ x 3’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Green, Blue
Deer resistant. After the first frost, Little Bluestem turns beautiful shades of brown, copper, and crimson lasting all winter long
Orange Coneflower
Height: 18″ – 22″
Width: 16″ – 20″
Full to partial Sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Orange
Leave the flowers intact into winter to watch birds come to eat!
Prairie Phlox
Height: 4″- 6″
Width: 15″ – 18″
Full sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Blue
Low-growing, mats of evergreen foliage
Purple Prairie Clover
Height: 12″-24″
Full to partial Sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Excellent Pollinator
Purple Queen
Height: 8″ to 12″
Width: 12″ to 15″
Full sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Easy-to-grow colorful ground cover
Rose Milkweed
Height: Up to 4′
Width: 18″-36″
Full to partial Sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Rose
Lovely vanilla fragrance
Rough Blazing Star
Height: 36″ to 48″
Width: 15″ – 18″
Full to partial Sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Showy Goldenrod
5’ x 3’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Yellow
Deer resistant. Myth buster – Golden rod pollen is large and sticky and cannot become airborne to trigger hay fever
Showy Milkweed
3’ x 3’
Full sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Deer resistant. Well suited in garden settings because it spreads less aggressively than common Milkweed.
Tradescantia
Height: 6″ -11″
Width: 12″ to 36″
Full sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
White
Borders, Groundcovers, Hanging Baskets
Wild Bergamot
4’ x 3’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Deer resistant. AKA Bee Balm or Horsemint – lovely lavender blossoms are distinctively aromatic
*Deer Resistant: Deer may browse on any plant if food is scarce, but plants marked as deer resistant typically aren’t palatable for deer. Deer shy away from plants with rough texture, milky sap or minty, citrus, or onion aroma.