Welcome to our Native Seed Bank!

At Prairie Rivers of Iowa, we want to promote 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 donate or exchange native seed from your garden!

When donating seed, please have this information:

  • Common name
  • Scientific name
  • Location harvested 

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
  • Harvested: 2021
  • Host Plant: Blueberry looper, Spotted Buff Gem Moth, Calendula Plume Moth, etc
  • Can be aggressive

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 2-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Monarchs, Cecropia Moths,  White Hairstreak Butterflies

Lead Plant

Amorpha canescens

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Hoary Edge Skipper, Io Moth, Genista Broom Moth

Canada Milkvetch

Astragalus canadensis

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Wet, Moist
  • Height: ½ ft
  • Bloom: May-Jul
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: 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
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Bird Poop Moths,  the rare Silphium Borer Moth

Upright Coneflower

Ratibida columnifera

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: May-Oct
  • Harvested: 2021
  • Host Plant: Sunflower Moths
  • Consistent resource throughout the entire growing season

Purple Prairie Clover

Dalea purpurea

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Southern Dogface Butterfly

Bee Balm

Monarda fistulosa

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 2-4 ft 
  • Bloom: Jun-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Raspberry Pyrausta, Blueberry Leafroller, Hermit Sphinx

Roundheaded Bushclover

Lespedeza capitata

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 2-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Io Moths, Silver-spotted Skippers, Northern Cloudywing

Ohio Spiderwort

Tradescantia ohiensis

  • Sun: Full – Partial
  • Soil: Wet – Dry
  • Height: 1.5-2 ft 
  • Bloom: Apr- Jun
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Provides essential food resources in early spring

Black Eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 1.5-3.5 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Gorgone Checkerspots, Silvery Checkerspots, Wavy-lined Emerald Moth

Wild White Indigo

Baptisia alba

  • Sun: 
  • Soil: 
  • Height: 
  • Bloom: 
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Wild Indigo Duskwing Butterfly, Indigo Stem Borer Moth

Hoary Vervain

Verbena stricta

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 1-4 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Verbena Moths,  Fine-Lined Sallow Moths
  • Specialist Bees: Calliopsis nebraskensis, C. hirsutifrons

Greyheaded Coneflower

Ratibida pinnata

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

Pale Purple Coneflower

Echinacea pallida

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 2-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Long-Horned Bees, Leafcutter Bees, and the Brown-Belted Bumble Bee all love this native wildflower

Showy Ticktrefoil

Desmodium canadense

  • Sun: Full to Partial 
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 3-6 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Hoary Edge Skipper, Eastern Tailed Blue, and Northern Cloudywing

Illinois Bundleflower

Desmanthus illinoensis

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: May-Jul
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Bushy plant provides shade to smaller animals
  • Full of nutrients and high in protein, eaten by many wildlife

Tall Coreopsis

Coreopsis tripteris

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Wet- Dry
  • Height: 3-9 ft
  • Bloom: Jul- Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Monarchs love nectaring on this tall plant

White Prairie Clover

Dalea candida

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 1-2 ft
  • Bloom: May-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Perfect to plant near borders in gardens, as they don’t get too tall 

Prairie Cinquefoil

Drymocallis arguta

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 1-3.5 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Prefers woodland edges and meadows

Virginia Mountain Mint

Pycnanthemum virginianum

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Moist
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Curve-toothed Geometer Moths, Tobacco Budworm Moths

False Sunflower

Heliopsis helianthoides

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 2-5 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Clearwinged Moths, Ridgid Sunflower Borer Moths

Common Evening Primrose

Oenothera biennis

  • Sun: Full to Partia
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 3-5 ft
  • Bloom: May -Jun
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Fireweed Clearwing Moths, Nessus Sphinx, Pearly Wood-nymph

Rosinweed

Silphium integrifolium

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Wet-Dry
  • Height: 2-6 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Rosinweed Moth

Stiff Goldenrod

Solidago rigida

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 2-5 ft
  • Bloom: Aug-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • In fall this plant is buzzing with activity! 

Foxglove Beardtongue

Penstemon digitalis

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Wet, Dry
  • Height: 2-5 ft
  • Bloom: Jun-Jul
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Has large flowers that bumble bees love to crawl into for nectar and pollen

Smooth Blue Aster

Symphyotrichum laeve

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 3-5 ft
  • Bloom: Aug-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Pearl Cresents, Arcigera Flower Moths, and Northern Flower Moths

Golden Alexander

Zizia aurea

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Wet to Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Apr-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Sunflower Borers, Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails

Native Grasses

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 6-8 ft
  • Bloom: May-Jun
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Argos Skipper, Dusted Skipper,  Cobweb Skipper

Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Aug-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Argos Skippers, the rare Ottoe Skipper, the endangered Dakota Skipper

Indian Grass

Sorghastrum nutans

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 3-8 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: the rare Pepper & Salt Skipper

Side Oats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Patagonia Eyed Silkmoths, Hualapai Buckmoths, Dotted Skipper Butterflies

Virginia Wildrye

Elymus virginicus

  • Sun: Full to Shade
  • Soil: Wet, Moist
  • Height: 2.5 ft
  • Bloom: Mar-Apr
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Provides important hiding spots for insects and wildlife

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Wet to Dry
  • Height: 3-6 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Aug
  • Harvested: 2024
  • Host Plant: Delaware Skipper, Dotted Skipper, Leonard’s Skipper

Non Native Plants

Clasping Coneflower

Dracopis amplexicaulis

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Dry
  • Height: 2 ft 
  • Bloom: Jul-Aug
  • Harvested: 2021
  • 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
  • Harvested: 2021
  • native to USA, but not IA.
  • Pollinated by moths
  • Can be planted in rock areas and tolerates 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.

Unavailable Seed

Partridge Pea

Chamaecrista fasciculata

  • Sun: Full to Partial
  • Soil: Moist, Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jul- Sep
  • Harvested: 
  • Host Plant: Rusty Banded Adelphia Moths, Io Moth, Little Sulphur Butterflies

Prairie Blazing Star

Liatris pycnostachya

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Wet to Dry
  • Height: 2-5 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Harvested: 
  • Host Plant: Blazing Star Borer

Meadow Blazing Star

Liatris Ligulistylis

  • Sun: Full
  • Soil: Wet to Dry
  • Height: 1-3 ft
  • Bloom: Jul-Sep
  • Harvested: 
  • Attracts Monarch Butterflies and large amounts of native bees