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 over 20 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
Black Eyed Susan
Up to 15” x 10”
Full sun to partial shade
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Yellow
Deer resistant. Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
Blue Violet
4” x 4”
Full sun to partial shade to shade
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Purple
Deer resistant. Flowers and young leaves are edible
Blue Wild Indigo
4’ x 3’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium-Wet, Medium
Blue
Deer resistant. The dried stems with seed pods are ideal for floral arrangements.
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.
Downy Sunflower
5’ x 3′
Full sun to partial shade
Medium, Medium-Dry
Yellow
Deer resistant. Aggressive flower works well in larger spaces but may not be appropriate for smaller spaces.
Foxglove Beardtongue
4’ x 18”
Full sun to partial shade
Medium, Medium-Dry
White
Deer resistant. AKA Mississippi Penstemon, Smooth White Beardtongue, Talus Slope Penstemon, and Beardtongue.
Golden Alexander
2’ x 2’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Yellow
Deer resistant. Easy to grow, early bloomers give gardens a pop of spring color
Great Blue Lobelia
3’ x 18”
Full sun to partial shade
Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium
Blue
Deer resistant. The deep blue-violet flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
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
New England Aster
5’ x 3’
Full sun
Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Purple
Not deer resistant. Potentially aggressive, works well in larger spaces, but may not be appropriate for smaller spaces.
Prairie Blazing Star
4’ x 2’
Full sun
Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium
Purple
Not deer resistant. Excellent cut flower; attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
Prairie Dropseed
2’ x 3’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Grass
Deer resistant. Great for landscaping. Excels in hot, dry conditions where it can soak up the sun
Purple Coneflower
4’ x 2’
Full sun to partial shade
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Deer resistant. Beloved by bees. May re-bloom if dead-headed early in the season
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.
Swamp Milkweed
4’ x 3’
Full sun to partial shade
Wet, Medium-Wet, Medium
Pink
Deer resistant. Recommended for home landscaping, lovely vanilla fragrance
Sweet Joe Pye Weed
7’ x 4’
Partial shade
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Pink
Deer resistant. A butterfly favorite. Easy to grow, and its vanilla-scented flowers are irresistible for Monarchs and Swallowtails
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
Wild Petunia
12” x 18”
Full sun
Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Purple
Not deer resistant. Excellent addition to a bed with other short plants as it can spread quite vigorously.
*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.