Disclaimer
The photos used below are the property of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the individual photographers of the USDA, and respective individual contributors of the Wikimedia Commons. The usage of these photos are for education purposes only. The University of Iowa Office of Sustainability does not claim credit to any of the photo sources.
Forbs
Forbs are flowering, non-grassy “herbaceous” plants, which means they produce seeds and have stems and leaves that die back at the end of each growing season (versus woody plants, whose stems remain year after year). Informally, forbs are what most people call wildflowers.
Meadow Garlic
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Prairie Indian Plantain
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Rose or Swamp Milkweed
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Common Milkweed
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Butterfly Milkweed
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Whorled Milkweed
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Canadian Milkvetch
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
White Wild Indigo
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Long-bract Wild Indigo
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
False Boneset
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Scarlet Indian Paintbrush
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Partridge Pea
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Stiff Tickseed or Prairie Coreopsis
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Arrowhead Rattlebox
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
White Prairie Clover
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Purple Prairie Clover
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Prairie Cinquefoil
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Narrow-leaved Coneflower
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Cinnamon Willow Herb
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Annual Fleabane
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Philadelphia Fleabane
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Daisy Fleabane
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Rattlesnake Master
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Tall Boneset
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Flowering Spurge
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Flat-top Goldenrod
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Bottle Gentian
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Cream Gentian
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Spotted or Dotted St. John’s Wort
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Round-headed Bush Clover
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Tall or Button Blazing Star
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Prairie Blazing Star
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Great Blue Lobelia
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Pale Spiked Lobelia
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Wild Bergamot
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Spotted Bee Balm
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Prairie Sundrops or Meadow Evening Primrose
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Riddell’s Goldenrod
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Stiff Goldenrod
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Wild Quinine
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Wood Betony
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Swamp Lousewort or Marsh Betony
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Foxglove Beardtongue
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Wild Sweet William
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Slender Mountain Mint
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Mountain Mint
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Long-headed Coneflower
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Black-eyed Susan
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Canada Goldenrod
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Sky Blue Aster
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Willow Aster
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Silky Aster
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Goat’s Rue
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Ohio Spiderwort or Bluejacket
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Hoary Vervain
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
White Vervain
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Prairie Violet
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Heart-leaf Golden Alexanders
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: Yes
Golden Alexanders
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Shrubs
A shrub is a woody plant that is typically less than 8 meters tall. Unlike a tree, shrubs have several stems and vary widely in size; some shrubs are less than 2 meters high (e.g., rose bushes), while others are around 6 to 8 meters tall (e.g., evergreen hedges such as Leylandii).
Hemp Dogbane
Plant type: Shrub
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Lead Plant
Plant type: Shrub
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
New Jersey Tea
Plant type: Shrub
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Prairie Wild Rose
Plant type: Shrub
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Pasture Rose
Plant type: Shrub
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Grasses, Sedges, and Rushes
Grasses, rushes, and sedges look a lot alike. They all have narrow leaves that grow from the base, and they all produce flowers. But each belongs to a different botanical family. To learn more on how to tell them apart, click here.
Side-oats Grama
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Blue Joint Grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Small Yellow Fox Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Copper-shouldered Oval Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Plains Oval Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Long-awned Bracted Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Porcupine Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Awl-fruited Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Common Tussock Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Awl-fruited Oval Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Brown Fox Sedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: Yes
Bald Spikerush
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Virginia Wildrye
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Fowl Manna Grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Canadian Rush
Plant type: Rush
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Inland Rush
Plant type: Rush
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Torrey’s Rush
Plant type: Rush
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
June Grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Scribner’s Panic Grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Switchgrass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Prairie Wedge Grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Spring 2020
Observed: No
Prairie Dropseed
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Native
Sowed: Fall 2021
Observed: No
Invasive Species
Invasive species are a serious threat to native plants and animals because they disrupt the structure and function of ecosystems. The control and management of invasive species requires multiple tools and techniques which include but are not limited to herbicides, mowing, mechanical removal, and prescribed burning. To achieve the maximum and desired effects, these management techniques are employed at specific times and rates during the year. The following invasive species were observed in or adjacent to the Ashton Prairie Living Lab.
Velvetleaf
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Redtop grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Black Mustard
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Redroot Amaranth
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Smooth brome
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Creeping thistle
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Yellow nutsedge
Plant type: Sedge
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Queen Anne's Lace
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Barnyardgrass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Prickly lettuce
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Perennial rye grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Wild parsnip
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Reed canary grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Timothy Grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Greater Plantain
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Kentucky bluegrass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Curly dock
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Giant Foxtail
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Yellow foxtail grass
Plant type: Grass
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Perennial Sow Thistle
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Field Penny-Cress
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
Red (purple) clover
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes
White Clover
Plant type: Forb
Native/Invasive: Invasive
Sowed: Self-seeded
Observed: Yes