Help ID Iowa wildflowers or weeds

10 years ago

I live in western Iowa zone 5A and have alot of beautiful what I think are wildflowers. Even if they are weeds, they still brighten my day and support alot of insects and wildlife so I won't be getting rid of them by any means. All of these are blooming right now in full sun and I'm curious as to the identification of any of them. None have been planted by anyone so I'm guessing they're native? The land was farmed a long time ago and has been fallow and uninhabited for the last 30+ years. I didn't take individual pictures of each plant in the wild because my download is very slow, so hopefully you can see enough of each plant to ID. The only one I do know is black-eyed susan in pic #2. Thank you.

pic #1

pic #2

Featured Answer

User

10 years ago

I new it were a verVENa I jist diddunt no what flavor verVENa it were so I went an googled it and then went an copied that spellin wrong I reckon. You say hastata I say hastada, you say tomato and I say tomatoe.....

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (14)

wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Picture 1) The white and green leafed one is Snow on the Mountain AKA Euphorbia marginata. The yellow looks like Cleome lute. The range does not show western Iowa but that does not mean it is not there. The maps are sometimes wrong. Also LBJ's list of Native cleomes is not always totally complete so I could not see if there were other yellow cleome's . I can't see the purple well enough but it could be a penstemon.

Picture 2) the tall coned one with the purple at the base could be Dalea purpurea. My guess is that the other purple one is an ironweed but there are so many of them in the different areas of the country so I am not going to guess at the exact species. The yellow looks like a rudbeckia and the white could be a feverfew or a fleabane. Again there are many species of these plants and I am not from your area.

Nice arrangements

If you want more exact IDs, one could take some of the sprigs out of the arrangement and take pictures so people can see the leaves, how they attach and more detail of the flower and plant overall. If you still do not get the answer you need, take the photos to the Name that Plant forum here. Those guys can be good and quick. Some of the good guys at natives do hang out here also.
User
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
The spiked purple ones in the second photo look like Verbena hastada

The white looks like some kind of Fleabane but its hard to see.

http://www.delawarewildflowers.org/plant.php?id=2089&mode=F&famid=167

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=z370
Related Discussions
Please help me ID this weed/wildflower/surprise plant
Q
Comments (3)
WELL...last night someone on name that plant forum indicated that it was called Yellowrocket, which led to finding that it is probably a very close relative of Yellowrocket: Wild Radish. Whis is a very close relative to Wild Mustard :-) The only reason it can't be Yellowrocket is because the stems and leaves have tiny hairs, which indicates it is Wild Radish. However. I have seen pics of Wild Radish now on Google Images that don't look like this plant, and some that show Yellowrocket looking dead-on accurate, save for the leaves. Ha. At any rate, I'm pulling them up...tis' not to be... Thanks so much for your help, timbu and fammsimm. Now I am also familiar with two other kinds of weeds, so if I spot them, I'll know right away :-) Joanna
...See More
Plant (flower or weed?) ID help
Q
Comments (3)
Pokeweed/poke berry is a native plant that provides berries for birds. The berries ripen at different times meaning it provides berries over a long period of time. If memory serves, it is one of the few plants that continue to flower while it is already producing berries. I can understand not wanting it in a more formal landscape, but I think it has a place in a more wild area. I'm growing it in my restoration project. It is great in a hedgerow.
...See More
ID these Iowa wildflowers?
Q
Comments (5)
Thanks for the photo tip and for the ID on the Prunus Serotina. I think you're right! :) Thanks so much for putting an end to the mystery! I've been trying to ID that photo since May. Any ideas on the first wildflower? ~Errin
...See More
new wildflowers I need help IDing!
Q
Comments (4)
Hi Megan, if you haven't done so already, try posting this in the Name That Plant! forum. It gets a lot more traffic, and they really know their stuff there.
...See More
dbarron
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
The yellow *may* be a mustard as well. The blue *could* be a bellflower (aka campanula).

This is why (despite what you said), individual closeups are important for id.
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
that was Cleome lutea but auto spell altered it. The mustard flowers solves the mystery of the cleome being out of natural range.
pcfarm
Original Author
10 years ago
I looked up your suggestions and it looks like definite matches for rudbeckia, snow on the mountain, campanula, verbena hastada, ironweed, and fleabane. I'm not sure on the yellow one. Thank you everyone! It's overwhelming when searching for these on the wildflower websites and trying to narrow it down so thanks for your expertise.
ZachS. z5 Platteville, Colorado
10 years ago
The yellow ones in the top picture are almost certainly a type of mustard. There are numerous wild, naturalized, and weed species in the U.S.

Also, it is not safe to assume that because land has been left fallow and untouched for several decades that it is inhabited by only native plants.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
10 years ago
pcfarm - Campanula isn't really a meaningful id since there are hundreds of Campanula species. Without a better picture it isn't even possible to be sure it is a Campanula. Could you post separate photos?
wisconsitom
10 years ago
Verbena hastata.............not hastada. Picky much? ;^)
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
It would be a miracle if I don't misspell something somewhere.
pcfarm
Original Author
10 years ago
Zach, are the identified plants native?

I'll go take pics of the yellow (mustard?) and the blue (campanula) in the field for verification.
way2maykids2003
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
The Campanula species looks to be Campanula americana
pcfarm
Original Author
10 years ago
Here's one more I'm wondering about. It looks very similar to pokeweed which is nearby but the seed heads are different, not drooping like pokeweed. Any ideas?

Last two pics are better pics of the yellow and blue ones. Thank you!

way2--yes, it does look like a match!
dbarron
10 years ago
Elderberry