Wildflowers of the Iowa Prairie: Find These 10 Wildflowers!

The prairie is in bloom! So, it’s the perfect time to spot Iowa wildflowers on your outdoor adventures. You can find these beauties while hiking and biking (and even along roadsides). But, of course, visiting local prairies is an excellent way to see Iowa wildflowers.

Restored prairies are ideal for an Iowa wildflowers scavenger hunt! And, if you want to go out and see them in bloom, we got you covered. Below are ten common prairie wildflowers to see in the summertime in Iowa.

First, Fun Facts

Did you know Iowa was once predominantly prairie? Before European settlers came to Iowa, 80% of the land was prairie. But, things have changed. Iowa now has only .1% of that prairie.¹ Thankfully, many conservation groups are working on prairie restorations throughout the state.
What exactly are wildflowers? Native or introduced flowers that grow without human cultivation or intervention.

Find These Wildflowers of Iowa Prairies

Below are some of the more common Iowa wildflowers we see in the prairies. We’ll list some information on each one that can help you with identification. But if you want to do a deep dive on Iowa’s wildflowers, we offer further resources at the end of the article.

Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

Legume family
1½ – 2½ feet tall
Hairy stem
Narrow, alternate leaves
Elongated, thimble-shaped flower with small purple flowers & yellow stamens; blooms bottom to top
Blooms July-August

Gray-headed Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

3-5 feet tall
Hairy stem
Alternate, lobed leaves
Drooping yellow flowers, gray to brown center “cone”
Blooms early July – August

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta L)

1-2 feet tall
Alternate, oval leaves
Hairy stems
2-3 “ yellow, daisy-like flowers with brown cone-shaped center disks
Blooms mid-June – mid-July

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa L.)

Also called Beebalm or Horsemint
2-4 feet tall
Four-angled, smooth stem
Opposite, oval leaves, rounded base with a pointed tip, serrated
Purple or pink, irregular, pom-pom shaped flowers above leafy bracts
Blooms July – early August

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa L.)

Also called butterfly weed or pleurisy-root
2 – 3 feet tall
Hairy stems
Long, smooth, alternate leaves
2-5 inch clusters of bright orange flowers with small petals
Blooms mid-June to mid-August

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.)

Member of the Aster family
3 – 6 feet tall
Large, four-angled, smooth stem
Large, sturdy leaves that form a “cup” that can hold water
Flowers each have 20-30, 2-inch yellow rays, with a darker yellow-green center of tiny flowers
Blooms July-September

Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium)

Also called Prairie Dock
Member of the Daisy family
3 – 5’ tall
Smooth, sturdy stem
Opposite, rough, cupped leaves
Yellow, sunflower-like flowers, 2-3” across, with a yellow center disk
Blooms mid-July to August

Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum)

Aster family
4 – 6 feet tall
Thick, center stem with white hairs
Large, lobed leaves stand vertical to face east-west
Flowers are 3-4 inches wide and look like sunflowers
Blooms July – August

Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya Michx.)

3 – 4 feet tall
Stiff, hairy, leafy stem (doesn’t branch)
Alternate, narrow, smooth leaves that get shorter as they go up the stem
A cluster of small, purple, round flowers form a spike at the top of the stem; blooms from the top down
Blooms late July – August