Iowa Roadside Management

Some red, white, and blue flowers (well, purplish-red/magenta since it's hard to find pure red right now) that are blooming in Iowa prairies and roadsides: purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum), and Ohio spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis).

Can you spot the monarch caterpillar on this roadside common milkw**d? It's part of the first generation of monarch caterpillars for this year.

Did you know Iowa's REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection) program helps support roadside vegetation programs and various conservation, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation projects around the state? Visit your local REAP assembly to share ideas for how REAP can benefit your community.

With all the recent rain, the grass is certainly growing. Did you know Iowa has a mowing law that restricts roadside mowing until July 15 to protect ground-nesting birds? There are some exceptions related to safety or pest or w**d control. This Gazette article explains more about the purpose of the law.

Curious Iowa: Why can’t Iowans mow roadsides before July 15? Curious Iowa looks into why Iowa’s mowing law was put in place, what it aims to protect and the requirements for haying roadside grasses.

Welcome to the roadside community, Charles!