Welcome to the Prairie Seed Bank!

At Prairie Rivers of Iowa, we want to promote planting beneficial plants. You can come into our office at 3116 South Duff Ave, Suite 201 Ames IA 50010 to see our full collection and pick out seeds. A $5 donation per seed packet is suggested. You can also donate or exchange native seed from your garden! When donating seed, please have this information: Common name, scientific name, and location it was harvested from. Thank you!

Below is the majority of seed we have. Call ahead to check exact availability. 

Native Forbs

Western Yarrow

Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 1-4 ft | Bloom: May-Jul | Year Harvested: 2021

This plant can be aggressive. This is a host plant for several species, including the blueberry looper, Spotted Buff Gem Moth, and the Calendula Plume Moth

Lead Plant

Amorpha canescens

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant is an important food source for pollinators. Monarchs love to nectar on this purple plant. It is a host plant for the Hoary Edge Skipper, Io Moth, and the Genista Broom Moth.

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 2-3 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

A wonderful plant that provides nectar to native pollinators. This is a host plant for Monarchs, Cecropia moths, and White Hairstreak Butterflies.

Canada Milkvetch

Astragalus canadensis

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Wet, Moist | Height: ½ ft | Bloom: May-Jul | Year Harvested: 2024

It supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, butterflies, hummingbirds, and moths. It is a host plant for Alexandra Sulphurs, Julia’s Dicymolomia Moths, and Wild Indigo Duskwings.

Cup Plant

Silphium perfoliatum

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist | Height: 3- 8 ft | Bloom: Jul-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This flower supports native pollinators. Monarchs love to drink the nectar, and the leaves collect water from rain, which wildlife use. This is a host plant for Bird Poop Moths, and the rare Silphium Borer Moth.

NOT AVAILABLE

Prairie Blazing Star

Liatris pycnostachya

Sun: Full | Soil: Wet – Dry | Height: 2-5 ft | Bloom: Jul-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies. Monarchs love sipping on the nectar from Liatris species. It is the host plant for the Blazing Star Borer.

Upright Coneflower

Ratibida columnifera

Sun: Full | Soil: Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: May-Oct | Year Harvested: 2021

This plant supports native pollinators. It is the host plant for Sunflower Moths. It provides consistent resources for wildlife throughout the growing season.

Bee Balm

Monarda fistulosa

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 2-4 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native pollinators. It is the host plant for Raspberry Pyraustas, Blueberry Leafrollers, and Hermit Sphinx. 

Roundheaded Bushclover

Lespedeza capitata

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Dry | Height: 2-3 ft | Bloom: Jun-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports our native polliantors. It is a host plant for Io Moths, Silver-spotted Skippers, and Northern Cloudywings.

Purple Prairie Clover

Dalea purpurea

Sun: Full | Soil: Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Jul-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, and butterflies. It is a host plant for the Southern Dogface Butterfly.

Ohio Spiderwort

Tradescantia ohiensis

Sun: Full – Partial | Soil: Wet – Dry | Height: 1.5-2 ft | Bloom: Apr- Jun | Year Harvested: 2024

They support native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, and butterflies. It provides essential food resources in early spring, when resources are hard to find for pollinators.

Black Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 1.5-3.5 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

it supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies. it’s a host plant for Gorgone Checkerspots, Silvery Checkerspots, and Wavy-lined Emerald Moths.

Hoary Vervain

Verbena stricta

Sun: Full | Soil: Dry | Height: 1-4 ft | Bloom: Jul-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports specialist bees Calliopsis nebraskensis, C. hirsutifrons and Verbena Moths, and Fine-Lined Sallow Moths.

Greyheaded Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 2-5 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports our native pollinators and wildlife. The seed heads smell like citrus.

NOT AVAILABLE

Meadow Blazing Star

Liatris Ligulistylis

Sun: Full | Soil: Wet – Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Jul-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, and butterflies. It is known to attract Monarch Butterflies and large amounts of native bees.

Wild White Indigo

Baptisia alba

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist – Dry | Height: 2.5-5 ft | Bloom: May- Jul | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, butterflies, and moths. It is a host plant for the Wild Indigo Duskwing Butterfly and the Indigo Stem Borer Moth.

Pale Purple Coneflower

Echinacea pallida

Sun: Full | Soil: Dry | Height: 2-3 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

Long-Horned Bees, Leafcutter Bees, and the Brown-Belted Bumble Bee all love this native wildflower!

NOT AVAILABLE

Partridge Pea

Chamaecrista fasciculata

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Jul- Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, butterflies, and moths. It is a host plant for Rusty Banded Adelphia Moths, Io Moth, and Little Sulphur Butterflies.

Showy Ticktrefoil

Desmodium canadense

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 3-6 ft | Bloom: Jul-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies. It is a host plant for Hoary Edge Skipper, Eastern Tailed Blue, and Northern Cloudywing.

Tall Coreopsis

Coreopsis tripteris

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Wet- Dry | Height: 3-9 ft | Bloom: Jul- Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, butterflies, and moths. Monarchs love nectaring on this tall plant.

White Prairie Clover

Dalea candida

Sun: Full | Soil: Dry | Height: 1-2 ft | Bloom: May-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, and butterflies. This plant is perfect to plant near borders in gardens, as they don’t get too tall.

Illinois Bundleflower

Desmanthus illinoensis

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: May-Jul | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies. This bushy plant provides shade for smaller creatures. It is full of nutrients and high in protein, which is eaten by many wildlife.

Prairie Cinquefoil

Drymocallis arguta

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 1-3.5 ft | Bloom: Jun-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports butterflies, flies, and native bees. White-tailed Deer will often munch on these blooms. it prefers woodland edges and meadows.

False Sunflower

Heliopsis helianthoides

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 2-5 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies. Monarchs love to nectar on this flower. It is a host plant for Clearwinged Moths and Ridgid Sunflower Borer Moths.

Common Evening Primrose

Oenothera biennis

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 3-5 ft | Bloom: May -Jun | Year Harvested: 2024

This flower supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This is a host plant for Fireweed Clearwing Moths, Nessus Sphinx, and Pearly Wood-nymph.

Foxglove Beardtongue

Penstemon digitalis

Sun: Full | Soil: Wet, Dry | Height: 2-5 ft | Bloom: Jun-Jul | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant has large flowers that bumble bees love to crawl into for nectar and pollen. Wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds also take advantage of the nectar resources.

Rosinweed

Silphium integrifolium

Sun: Full | Soil: Wet-Dry | Height: 2-6 ft | Bloom: Jul-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This flower supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies. This is a host plant for the Rosinweed Moth.

Virginia Mountain Mint

Pycnanthemum virginianum

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Jun-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This flower supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies. This is a host plant for Curve-toothed Geometer Moths and Tobacco Budworm Moths.

Smooth Blue Aster

Symphyotrichum laeve

Sun: Full | Soil: Dry | Height: 3-5 ft | Bloom: Aug-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This flower supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This is a host plant for Pearl Cresents, Arcigera Flower Moths, and Northern Flower Moths.

Stiff Goldenrod

Solidago rigida

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Dry | Height: 2-5 ft | Bloom: Aug-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This flower supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. In fall this plant is buzzing with activity as it is one of the few fall blooming plants.

Golden Alexander

Zizia aurea

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Wet – Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Apr-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This flower supports native bees, bumble bees, beetles, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This is a host plant for Sunflower Borers, Swallowtails, and Black Swallowtail.

Native Grasses

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Dry | Height: 6-8 ft | Bloom: May-Jun | Year Harvested: 2024

This plant is a great nesting material for bees. It is also a host plant for the Argos Skipper, Dusted Skipper, and the Cobweb Skipper.

Indian Grass

Sorghastrum nutans

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 3-8 ft | Bloom: Jul-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This grass supports butterflies and moths. It also provides great nesting material for our native bees. It is a host plant for the rare Pepper & Salt Skipper.

Side Oats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Jul-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

This grass is a great nesting material for our native bees. It is also a host plant for Patagonia Eyed Silkmoths, Hualapai Buckmoths, and Dotted Skipper Butterflies.

Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 1-3 ft | Bloom: Aug-Sep | Year Harvested: 2024

It supports butterflies and moths. It’s a great nesting material for our native bees. It is a host plant for Argos Skippers, the rare Ottoe Skipper, and the endangered Dakota Skipper.

Virginia Wildrye

Elymus virginicus

Sun: Full to Shade | Soil: Wet, Moist | Height: 2.5 ft | Bloom: Mar-Apr | Year Harvested: 2024

This grass helps provide habitat and important hiding spots for insects and wildlife. The deep roots help stabilize soil and filter pollutants from runoff.

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Sun: Full to Partial | Soil: Wet, Dry | Height: 3-6 ft | Bloom: Jul-Aug | Year Harvested: 2024

This grass provides nesting materials for our native bees and birds. It is a host plant for the Delaware Skipper, Dotted Skipper, and Leonard’s Skipper.

Non Native Plants

Clasping Coneflower

Dracopis amplexicaulis

Sun: Full | Soil: Dry | Height: 2 ft | Bloom: Jul-Aug | Year Harvested: 2021

This flower is native to the USA, but not IA. It provides nesting materials for our native bees and birds.

Missouri Primrose

Oenothera missouriensis

Sun: Full | Soil: Moist, Dry | Height: 1/2 – 1 ft | Bloom: May-Aug | Year Harvested: 2021

This plant is bushy and a great addition to your garden. While non native to Iowa, it is native to many other states in the USA. They are pollinated by moths. They can be planted in rock areas and tolerate dry, hot conditions.

Seed Mixes

Bryson Pollinator Mix

Year Harvested: 2024

This mix consists of  Illinois Bundleflower, Purple Prairie Clover, Partridge Pea, Maximillion Sunflower, Purple Coneflower, White Prairie Clover, Canada Milkvetch, Prairie Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Bee Balm, Evening Primrose, Showy Ticktrefoil, Greyheaded Coneflower, and Hoary Vervain.

Carl Curtz Pollinator Mix

Year Harvested: 2024

This mix contains Showy Ticktrefoil, White Wild Indigo, Big Bluestem, Indiangrass, Roundheaded Bushclover, Purple Prairie Clover, Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, Stiff Goldenrod, Cream Gentian, Golden Alexander, Sawtooth Sunflower, Rattlesnake Master, Canada Milkvetch, Purple Coneflower, Sky Blue Aster, False Sunflower, Rough Blazing Star, Switchgrass, Rough Dropseed, Greyheaded Coneflower, and  Mountain Mint.