Native Plantings

    Prairie Blazing Star - Liatris pycnostachya
    Pollinator Habitat

    Cultivating Native Plantings in Our Parks

    Waterloo Leisure Services is dedicated to adding and maintaining areas of native plantings throughout our parks to support native species of butterflies, bees and other pollinators.
    A photo of the prairie at Lloyd Randall Park.

    Lloyd Randall Park

    On the north side of the park bordering the bike path and E Shaulis Rd there is a 4 acre prairie planted in the Fall of 2019. This site was seeded with Cedar Valley Monarch Zones 52 species seed mix as a part of the Cedar Valley Monarch Zones project.

    A photo of the prairie at Tibits Park.

    Tibbitts Park

    Our largest prairie planting is located here south of the softball fields and west of the playground. 13 acres of the uphill section was seeded with Cedar Valley Monarch Zones 52 species seed mix as a part of the Cedar Valley Monarch Zones project.

    A photo of the prairie at Greenbelt Lake.

    Greenbelt Lake

    Located a short walk from the Greenbelt Lake parking lot is an addition to the Katoski Greenbelt trail that circles 5 acres of prairie planted in the Spring of 2021. This site was seeded with Cedar Valley Monarch Zones 52 species seed mix as a part of the Cedar Valley Monarch Zones project.

    A photo of the prairie at the Katoski Greenbelt.

    W Ridgeway Shelter – Katoski Greenbelt

    Located north of the W Ridgeway shelter in the Katoski Greenbelt is 5 acres of native plantings. The West planting is a mature grass prairie while the East planting is a 54 species pollinator habitat planting.

    Lloyd Randall Park Plantings

    Katoski Greenbelt Plantings

    Greenbelt Lake Plantings

    Tibbits Park

    Examples of Native Vegetation

    Example photo of Big Bluestem, Andropogon gerardii.
    Big Bluestem
    Example photo of Stiff Goldenrod, Solidago rigida.
    Stiff Goldenrod
    Example photo of Sky Blue Aster, Symphyotrichum oolentangiense.
    Sky Blue Aster
    Example photo of Prairie Blazingstar, Liatris pycnostachya.
    Prairie Blazingstar
    Example photo of Ohio Spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis.
    Ohio Spiderwort
    Example photo of Wild Bergamont, Monarda fistulosa.
    Wild Bergamont
    Example photo of Rattlesnake Master, Eryngium yuccifolium.
    Rattlesnake Master
    Example photo of Great Blue Lobelia, Lobelia siphilitica.
    Great Blue Lobelia
    Example photo of Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca.
    Common Milkweed
    Example photo of Butterfly Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa.
    Butterfly Milkweed