Prairie Plant Identification

Identification of plants that have either germinated or gone to flower in the prairie took place over the course of the summer.  The following list includes every native plant that has been found in the reconstruction.

Phase 2 Seed List Planted Spring 2009

Agastache foeniculum Anise Hyssop
Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone
Artemisia ludoviciana Prairie Sage
Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed
Aster laevis Smooth Blue Aster
Aster novae-angliae New Englad Aster
Aster ptarmicoides Upland White Aster
Astragalus canadensis Canada Milkvetch
Baptisia leucantha White Wild Indigo
Boltonia asteroides False Aster
Cassia fasciculata Partridge Pea
Coreopsis lanceolata Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis palmata Prairie Coreopsis
Desmodium canadense Showy Tick Trefoil
Echinacea pallida Pale Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower
Eupatorium coelestinum Mist Flower
Eupatorium purpureum Sweet Joe Pye Weed
Heliopsis helianthoides Ox Eye Sunflower
Kuhnia eupatoriodes False Boneset
Liatris aspera Button Blazingstar
Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot
Monarda punctata Dotted Mint
Penstemon digitalis Foxglove Beardtongue
Petalostemum candidum White Prairie Clover
Petalostemum purpureum Purple Prairie Clover
Pycnanthemum virginianum Mountain Mint
Ratibida pinnata Yellow Coneflower
Rudbeckia hirta Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia subtomentosa Sweet Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia triloba Brown-Eyed Susan
Silphium lacinatum Compass Plant
Silphium perfoliatum Cup Plant
Solidago ohiensis Ohio Goldenrod
Solidago riddellii Riddell's Goldenrod
Solidago rigida Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa Showy Goldenrod
Verbena stricta Hoary Vervain
Vernonia fasciculata Ironweed
Zizea aurea Golden Alexanders

Grasses
Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem
Andropogon scoparium Little Bluestem
Bouteloua curtipendula Sideoats Grama
Elymus canadensis Canada Wild Rye
Sorghastrum nutans Indiangrass

First Soil Test

Table 1. Results of the soil chemistry analysis.

Students enrolled in the Introductory Chemistry course at Valley High School completed soil tests at several locations within the prairie reconstruction site. Figure 1 shows the analysis location points. Table 1 indicates the results. The data will be used to get a more accurate idea of appropriate seed selection for sections of the reconstruction.

2009 (Fall)

The plant science students were able to continue the collaboration with Polk County Conservation by harvesting Virginia Wild Rye (Elymus virginicus) seed out at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt. The students also helped remove some tree species.

By the fall, the first phase of the prairie reconstruction showcased the asters (Aster laevis, Aster novae-angliae), goldenrod (Solidago rigida), and early sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides). Eleven species of forbs were seen to bloom by the end of its second year.

2009 (Summer)

First summer's growth

Second summer's growth

2009 (Spring)

The students enrolled in plant science conducted germination experiments on several species of native seeds. They monitored the growth of the plants in the greenhouse and transplanted the successes out into the reconstructed prairie. Other projects for the semester included native plant identification in the prairie as well as invasive species removal.

Due to the fundraising conducted by the environmental club, a whole acre was prepared and the seed was hand broadcast by the 80 some students. Cover seed that was harvested the previous fall was also added to the mixture to ensure some early blooming in the new plot. The cover seed included black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta), partridge pea (Cassia fasciculata), yellow headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) and the ox-eye sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides).

2008 (Fall)

The collaboration continued with Polk County Conservation. The plant science students attended a service learning field trip that gave them the opportunity to identify and remove invasive willow trees and harvest prairie seed that would be used in future prairie plantings of which Polk County Conservation is in charge. Students worked at Engeldinger Marsh, one of the few remaining prairie potholes in Polk County.

2008 (Fall)

Upon the return to school, the Valley High School Environmental Club took on the prairie reconstruction as their senior project. They began by eliciting help from community organizations for donations that would cover the seed cost. That fall they received monetary donations from Mid-American Energy, Iowa Network Services, and the student council. The money they raised was enough to cover the remaining cost to prepare and seed the entire site.

The plant science students continued to work in the prairie by removing noxious weeds and identifying the plants that had leafed out or were in bloom. They also harvested seed from the black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta), partridge pea (Cassia fasciculata), and the ox-eye sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides).