Seedling ID Field Guide

Location:	Minnesota
Posted:	Dec 18, 2025
Due:	Jan 15, 2026
Agency:	State Government of Minnesota
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	F - Natural Resources and Conservation Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Brief Description: MnDOT is working to improve the establishment of roadside vegetation on construction projects. This requires more frequent monitoring of newly planted roadsides and more pro-active adaptive management. That, in turn, requires an inspection workforce that is skilled in identifying plant species at the seedling stage. This project will develop a field guide for identification of seedlings in MnDOT standard seed mixes, seedlings of common weed species, and evaluation of overall stand establishment.

Date posted: 12/18/2025
Due date: 01/15/2026

Attachment Preview

MnDOT Contract No. 1061699

Exhibit A: Specifications, Duties, and Scope of Work

Scope of Work for Seedling Identification Field Guide

Background and Goal

Successful Responder will develop a field reference manual to aid in evaluating the establishment of vegetation

when planted from seed, particularly on construction projects. The field guide will contain detailed photos and

descriptions of seedlings. The seedlings will be of species commonly found in MnDOT standard seed mixes and

of common weed species. The field guide will also contain a two-page guide for each type of seed mix that

shows what plantings should look like at various stages of development. The target audience will be people with

responsibility to assess the progress of newly planted vegetation but with little experience in plant

identification. The field guide will be printed in a format for ease of use in the field.

Timeline

Project start date: February 2026

Project end date: June 2027

Content

Successful Responder will develop a field guide that can allow users with relatively little experience in plant

identification to identify plant species as seedlings and to visually evaluate the progress of plantings. Include

species common to MnDOT standard seed mixes and common weed species as listed below. Use plain language

rather than technical botanical terminology to the extent practical. When technical terms cannot be avoided,

clearly define them using both text and illustrations. MnDOT will assume all rights to use all content created for

and included in the field guide, including illustrations, with the exception of content that is already in the public

domain.

Include the following sections:

Introductory identification information

1. Simple explanations and line drawings teaching the reader the basic plant anatomy and terms needed to

use and understand the seedling identity document (ID) portion of the guide

2. Guidance for the reader on the organization of the manual and how to use the key or flow chart for

identification

3. A note on the importance of vegetation establishment to allow roadsides to serve their infrastructure

functions and provide added benefits such as aesthetics, habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, etc.

This information can be borrowed from existing MnDOT materials.

Seedling ID

1. A key or flow chart to help the user narrow down the possible options and match the seedling in

question with its correct identity.

MnDOT Contract No. 1061699

Exhibit A: Specifications, Duties, and Scope of Work

2. Images and descriptions of each species, describing and showing characteristics that differentiate each

species. Organize these according to physical similarities based on the key or flow chart used for

identification.

3. Images must be close-up or macro photographs taken in strong lighting that clearly shows useful

identifying characteristics. Annotate photos and/or supplement photos with line drawings as needed to

further accentuate important characteristics. Include a scale reference to indicate the size of seedlings.

4. Brief written descriptions of each species listing the most important identifying features and tips for

differentiating each species from look-alike species

Evaluating Vegetation Establishment

1. Successful Responder will create a two-page guide for each type of seed mix showing the following:

a. Photos showing what the plantings typically look like at various stages of development.

Development stages should be approximately 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years after

planting.

b. Photos of five or six indicator species for the seed mix or type of seed mix.

c. Indicator species should be those that emerge quickly and are relatively easy to identify. At

least some of the indicator species should be unique to that seed mix or group of mixes, when

possible.

d. Descriptions for all photos to help with identification

e. Guides can be modeled after those shown in Appendix B of the MnDOT Seeding Manual, but

need not include cost estimates, functions, and maintenance information.

2. The following list shows the seed mixes or seed mix groups that need guides, plus possible indicator

species.

a. Boulevard and turfgrass mixes – fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, alkali grass, tall fescue, white

clover

b. Inslope mixes – red clover, white clover, alfalfa, white prairie clover, hairy golden aster

c. Wet Ditch – big bluestem, virginia wild rye, boneset, joe pye-weed, green bulrush, sawtooth

sunflower

d. NE Roadside – yarrow, black-eyed susan, virginia wild rye, large-leaved aster, golden alexanders,

common evening primrose

e. Shortgrass Roadside (NW & S) – prairie sage, black-eyed susan, side-oats grama, purple prairie

clover, prairie coneflower, purple coneflower

f. Tallgrass Roadside (NW & S) – yarrow, black-eyed susan, big bluestem, switchgrass, prairie

dropseed, Canada tick trefoil, early sunflower

Glossary

Successful Responder will define plant anatomy and classification terms used in the book. This should

complement the labeled diagrams in the Introductory Identification section.

MnDOT Contract No. 1061699

Exhibit A: Specifications, Duties, and Scope of Work

Index

Include species by both common and scientific name.

Species List

Include the following species:

Common Name

Common Yarrow

Blue Giant Hyssop

Big Bluestem

Prairie Sage

Milkweeds

Canada Milkvetch

Side-oats Grama

Blue Grama

Fringed Brome

Smooth Brome

Kalm's Brome

Partridge Pea

White Prairie Clover

Purple Prairie clover

Canada Tick Trefoil

Narrow-leaved Purple Coneflower

Nodding Wild Rye

Slender Wheatgrass

Virginia Wild Rye

Boneset

Large-leaved Aster

Spotted Joe Pye Weed

Creeping Red Fescue

Blanketflower

Autumn Sneezeweed

Sawtooth Sunflower

Maximilian's Sunflower

Stiff Sunflower

Early Sunflower

Hairy Golden Aster

Round-headed Bushclover

Great Lobelia

Perennial Ryegrass

Alfalfa

Scientific Name

Achillea millefolium

Agastache foeniculum

Andropogon gerardii

Artemesia ludoviciana

Asclepias species

Astragalus canadensis

Bouteloua curtipendula

Bouteloua gracilis

Bromus ciliatus

Bromus inermis

Bromus kalmii

Chamaecrista fasciculata

Dalea candida

Dalea purpurea

Desmodium canadense

Echinacea angustifolia

Elymus canadensis

Elymus trachycaulus

Elymus virginicus

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Eurybia macrophylla

Eutrochium maculatum

Festuca rubra

Gaillardia aristata

Helenium autumnale

Helianthus grosseserratus

Helianthus maximilianii

Helianthus pauciflorus

Heliopsis helianthoides

Heterotheca villosa

Lespedeza capitata

Lobelia siphilitica

Lolium perenne

Medicago sativa

Source

Seed Mix

MnDOT Contract No. 1061699

Exhibit A: Specifications, Duties, and Scope of Work

Wild Bergamot

Common Evening Primrose

Switchgrass

Timothy

Kentucky Bluegrass

Weeping Alkaligrass

Prairie Coneflower

Tall Yellow Coneflower

Black-eyed Susan

Tall Fescue

Little Bluestem

Dark Green Bulrush

Compass Plant

Zigzag Goldenrod

Stiff Goldenrod

Indian Grass

Prairie Dropseed

Smooth Blue Aster

New England Aster

Red Clover

White Clover

Blue Vervain

Hoary Vervain

Heart-leaved Golden Alexanders

Golden Alexanders

Velvet Leaf

Pigweed

Common Ragweed

Giant Ragweed

Wormwood

Hoary Alyssum

Mustk Thistle

Spotted Knapweed

Lamb's Quarters

Canada Thistle

Bull Thistle

Queen Anne's Lace

Crabgrass

Barnyard Grass

Quackgrass

Wooly Cupgrass

Oxeye Daisy

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Monarda fistulosa

Oenothera biennis

Panicum virgatum

Phleum pratense

Poa pratensis

Puccinellia distans

Ratibida columnifera

Ratibida pinnata

Rudbeckia hirta

Schedonorus arundinaceus

Schizachyrium scoparium

Scirpus atrovirens

Silphium laciniatum

Solidago flexicaulis

Solidago rigida

Sorghastrum nutans

Sporobolus heterolepis

Symphyotrichum laeve

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Trifolium pratense

Trifolium repens

Verbena hastata

Verbena stricta

Zizia aptera

Zizia aurea

Abutilon theophrasti

Amaranthus retroflexus

Ambrosia artemisifolia

Ambrosia trifida

Artemesia absinthium

Berteroa incana

Carduus nutans

Centaurea maculosa

Chenopodium album

Cirsium arvense

Cirsium vulgare

Daucus carota

Digitaria species

Echinochloa crusgalli

Elytrigia repens

Eriochloa villosa

Leucanthemum vulgare

Lotus corniculatus

Seed Mix

Weed

MnDOT Contract No. 1061699

Exhibit A: Specifications, Duties, and Scope of Work

Sweet Clovers

Wild Parsnip

Curly Dock

Crown Vetch

Foxtails

Melilotus officinalis and M. alba

Pastinaca sativa

Rumex crispus

Securigera varia

Setaria species

Weed

References

The following resources can serve as examples for developing the seedling ID field guide specific to MnDOT seed

mixes. Annotations below each citation list their strengths and weaknesses relative to what is desired for this

project.

1. Bismark Plant Materials Center. Year unknown. Forb Seedling Identification. United States Department

of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service.

o Good photos showing plenty of detail for most species, but not all. Descriptions are too basic.

Does not annotate key features in photos, does not include comparisons to similar species, does

not include weed species, does not include diagram of basic plant anatomy or an identification

key.

2. Bockenstedt, Paul. ~2005. Prairie Seedling and Seeding Evaluation Guide. Created by Stantec for the

Iowa DOT Living Roadway Trust Fund, among other supporters. See also Bockenstedt, Paul. ~2010.

Iowa Wetland Seedling Guide. Created by Stantec for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT)

Living Roadway Trust Fund, among other supporters.

o Both contain good descriptions. Include comparisons to look-alike species and common weeds.

Prairie guide includes info and photos of plantings at various stages. Photos and illustrations do

not highlight key identifying features as well as Williams’s book. Does not include a diagram of

basic plant anatomy or an identification key.

3. Elsberry Plant Materials Center. 1995. Conservation Plants – Pocket ID Guide. United States

Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service

o Good line drawings showing key features and good descriptions. Includes illustrations of basic

plant anatomy. Does not include comparisons to look-alike species or common weed species.

Not focused on seedlings.

4. Williams, Dave. 2010. The Tallgrass Prairie Center Guide to Seed and Seedling Identification in the

Upper Midwest. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City.

o Excellent photos and illustrations, excellent key and descriptions. Provides comparisons to

look-alike species. Includes diagrams introducing basic plant anatomy. Does not include

comparisons to common weeds.

Tasks

Task 1: Grow the seedlings

Successful Responder will grow seedlings of all species that need to be photographed. It is assumed that this

will include all species in the species list above but if some species can be effectively illustrated using pre-

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

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