ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
05-20-2022
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
May 20, 2022
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”
Plan the Best Nature Walks & Getaways Around Chicago!
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower forecasts!
Each week, we offer you opportunities to find peace during this trying time!
PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.
This is the time to be on the lookout for spectacular shows
taking place in our showcase prairies, savannas, and woodlands.
NEED THE LATEST BLOOMING NEWS, NOT JUST A PREDICTION?
THEN HELP US CROWDSOURCE IT!This FREE ChicagoNatureNOW! wildflower forecast is a prediction of the flowers that may be blooming during this week of the year. It’s driven by my one-of-a-kind proprietary database of local blooming events that I began compiling in 2003. But Mother Nature is mysterious. She follows her own secret schedule. Blooming dates can vary widely. For some of our followers, these weekly predictions will be enough. However, if you want to be rewarded with the latest news about what’s blooming where, then you must help us crowdsource that information by joining our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers crowdsourcing community. There’s no monetary cost to become a ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorer, but in return for this valuable news, you must share what you find at our showcase preserves on our private ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Just take a few pictures with your smartphone and tell us what you found. Due to the size of the group, everyone receives a lot even though each person only contributes a little. In other words, you’ll receive much more than you give. And the group is also a place to learn and ask questions about nature. CLICK HERE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR CROWDSOURCING TEAM OF EXPLORERS.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
Beautiful blooms of woodland phlox, mayapple, and wild geranium are the last big flower shows in our woodlands. And time may have already run out. However, this is also the moment to begin searching for the magnificent world-class shows of wild lupine and shooting star. These are must-see events! To learn exactly what’s happening right now, why not contribute to our vibrant crowdsourcing community? If you don’t want to miss these magnificent blooms, then click here to learn about becoming an Explorer. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
The curtain has gone down on the performances of Virginia Bluebell. And you may still catch the last act of large-flowered trillium as they take their final bow with flushed faces. This magnificent blossom puts on the best shows at Heron Rookery Trail (at Indiana Dunes National Park) and at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve that’s owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. These alabaster beauties also grow at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen, Meacham Grove in DuPage County, Harms Woods in Glenview, and Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa. And speaking of trillium, the elegant and ethereal prairie trillium also flowers in most of our woodlands.
It’s possible that you may still discover woodland shows of woodland phlox and wild geranium alongside hidden blossoms of mayapple and wild ginger. Take a closer look underneath the leaves of wild ginger to find their fuzzy burgundy flowers. And the large waxy white blossoms of mayapple should be flowering by now. To find them, look beneath the umbrellas of two-leafed plants.
The sublime light-blue plumes of wild hyacinth are usually aflower at this time in some of our savannas and woodlands, including Wolf Road Prairie, Black Partridge Woods, and Oldfield Oaks in Darien.
Shooting star and wild lupine are featured as our Plants of the Week because they put on breathtaking end-of-May performances. The former is found in overwhelming numbers at Chiwaukee Prairie. It’s absolutely spectacular. You can also experience their celestial beauty at Fermilab Prairie, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Somme Prairie Grove. At Miller Woods at Indiana Dunes National Park, the show of wild lupine is unbelievably beautiful, as the blues and purples drape across the rolling dunes sprinkled with golden hoary puccoon. Wow! Within the national park, they also bloom at Tolleston Dunes, and West Beach, but the blue-and-white blossom also shows up at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Chiwaukee Prairie.
Closer to the city, you may find a dramatic show of wild hyacinth at Wolf Road Prairie, where a savanna of feathery plumes greets you as you hop out of your car (along 31st Street). You can also catch these flowers at sites like Somme Prairie Grove, Oldfield Oaks, and Black Partridge Woods, but the flowers aren’t nearly as abundant. The month of May is also the time to find the spiraling flowerheads of wood betony at Black Partridge Woods. Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, and later in the month at Chiwaukee Prairie when the shooting stars cover the grassland pink with touches of yellow star grass, birdfoot violet, and golden Alexander. And the golden blossoms of hoary puccoon may be found in our prairies and oak savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Pembroke Savanna, Belmont Prairie, Miller Woods, and usually a little later at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Chiwaukee Prairie.
As the trees are leafing out in an emerald filigree, let’s appreciate the textured lushness and shapely foliage that typify vernal season: wild leek, mayapple, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with a spray of swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the woodland greenery. You should now find mayapple with leaves that resemble an open umbrella, or a closed umbrella when they first sprout. Seek out the the sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas. Great displays can be found at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. And notice the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger and its fuzzy burgundy flower hiding underneath. As an interesting history lesson, wild leek is the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.” NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant from any preserve in the Chicago region.
Another wonderful show happens sometime between late April and mid-May at Pembroke Savanna, when birdfoot violet and sand phlox carpet the sandy floor of this black oak savanna. And, if you’re lucky, the breathtaking stout blue-eye grass might be aflower.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Sometime during late April to mid-May, the preserve puts on a beautiful show of blue and white, as carpets of sapphire birdfoot violet and sparkling sand phlox flow across the savanna. Don’t leave without bending down to enjoy the fragrance of these two jewels. You may also see the white of sand cress and starry false Solomon’s seal, and the golds of two-flowered Cynthia and buds of hoary puccoon. On your visit, you’ll notice mysterious sand mounds throughout the preserves. They are the handiwork of the plains pocket gopher. This rarely seen underground gopher excavates tunnels, and the extra sand has to go somewhere.
Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park: The spectacular show of wild lupine can reach peak bloom somewhere from mid to late May. It’s a must-see event. Adding the to the blue hues are the sublime blue-eyed grass and birdfoot violet. The vibrant yellow blooms of hoary puccoon add a golden sparkle to the savanna as the buttery blooms of wood betony end their run. The red-and-yellow blossoms of wild columbine float above the understory of the savanna. And flashes of white come from wild strawberry and bastard toadflax. Keep your eyes open, and you may even find the gorgeous red Indian paintbrush. While you’re here, take the trail to the lakeshore. Along the way, the path crosses a wide gravel path that goes straight east-west. Head west, and you’ll find beaver lodges and activity. If you arrive early or remain late in the day, chances are you’ll be greeted by a beaver slapping its flat tail against the water to alert others of its kind about that human lurking about. This abandoned railroad right-of-way isn’t as intimate as the official narrow trail, but I like the views better. After your hike, consider checking out the lupines at Tolleston Dunes and West Beach. NOTE: The trail can be covered in water in some area. We recommend high boots. Or just slosh on through!
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: The preserve is putting on its finest show of the year: the performance by the spectacular shooting star. It is joined by a colorful cast: hoary puccoon, wood betony, yellow star grass, blue-eyed grass, birdfoot violet, and wild strawberry. Golden Alexander is just beginning to expose its bright yellow blossoms. And check along the edges for soon-to-bloom wild lupine. While you’re here, you should definitely visit Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, which is easily provides the best nature experience in the region.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: The spring wildflower season ends in May with shows of woodland phlox, mayapple, wild hyacinth, and wild geranium. The greatest densities of the latter two plants can be found atop the bluffs. It’s also a dreamy time to experience the lushness of the woodland. It’s so green—from the new leaves of the tiered tree canopy to the dense carpet of foliage on the woodland floor. Thanks to wild ginger that has fully leafed out, you can hardly see the ground beneath. I love the miniature forests of mayapple with their parasol-shaped leaves where you may still be able to find a lonesome waxy white blossom hiding under the plants with two umbrellas. Exciting patches of acrobatic skunk cabbage leaves add to the whimsy. Wild leek‘s emerald swords put up a defense, along with the star-like leaves of wild geranium. And look for the floating filigreed foliage of early meadow rue. A smattering of white and pink shooting star may also be found on the bluffs above. And if woodland phlox is still aflower, note its gorgeous fragrance. If you find a larger patch of phlox, you may not even have to put nose to petal to detect its fabulous scent. The combination of woodland phlox, wild geranium, and shooting star is wonderful sight.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: Though not officially a hill prairie, this gravelly prairie on a hill gets a lot of sun and also a lot of wildflowers. This is usually a good time to see hoary puccoon, wood betony, shooting star, birdfoot violet, and blue-eyed grass.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: In the oak savanna, the often-dramatic show of wild hyacinth is usually the big attraction around this time, alongside the pink blooms of wild geranium and white starry false Solomon’s seal. In the savanna, you’ll probably find more starry false Solomon’s seal, buttery wood betony, golden hoary puccoon and golden Alexander, and white blossoms of wild senna
wild strawberry.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: I love this place for its springtime lushness. In early to mid May, you can find beautiful displays of pink wild geranium and blue woodland phlox. And as May progresses, dramatic plumes of false Solomon’s seal scatter across the rolling verdant landscape. The foliage on the woodland floor has fully matured as the trees are pushing out fresh delicate leaves in the canopy overhead. Spread across the woodland floor are the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and the omnipresent wild ginger. The latter two might still be blooming! A rich variety of flowers can be found at this preserve. Upon entering, you’re immediately greeted by a nice display of woodland phlox, which is the most prominent flower after the Virginia bluebells have faded away. Like the bluebell, phlox has a wonderful fragrance that you should be able to smell as you stroll by. At the same time, the pink blossoms of wild geranium rival phlox as the star of the show. You may still find some sparkle from rue anemone, false rue anemone, common blue violet, common yellow violet, and swamp buttercup. And look for Jack-in-the-pulpit and the gorgeous and shy drooping trillium. The strange and wonderful prairie trillium may be blooming in very large numbers, and you may find some that look yellow. And finally, If you take it slow and remain very quiet as you approach the bridge, you may see frogs resting along the muddy banks.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: In mid May, the prairie blooms with wood betony shooting star, and golden Alexander. The adjacent woodland may still have some grand alabaster blossoms of large-flowered trillium, floating pink blooms of wild geranium, and prominent displays of woodland phlox and golden colonies of swamp buttercup. And you may still find prairie trillium alongside the hiding blooms of mayapple and wild ginger.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. You may now find the beautiful hemi-parasitic wood betony scattered in patches across the preserve, often in the sunnier spots, along with shooting star, prairie trillium, and golden Alexander in early bloom. Look for yellow water buttercup and miniature forests of mayapple that add to the whimsy. Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, then follow the narrow trail and cross the street to Somme Prairie Grove.
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines and the flowers that cross the braes. During early to mid May, the preserve is richly green from your ankles to the fresh tree canopy above. During this time, it often offers some nice displays of pink wild geranium and blue woodland phlox amidst the white blooms of mayapple.
Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park: The peak bloom of large-flowered trillium is usually done by this time, but it may be worth a shot if you’re already in the area for the wild lupines at Miller Woods. The display of trillium is even better at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve, which is owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. Begin your stroll at the west parking lot. This woodland usually blooms earlier than most of our other preserves, but it can also be flooded by waters of the adjacent Little Calumet River. As we reach the middle of May, you might find wild geranium and woodland phlox blooming amidst a sea of green wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger. And look for the bright-yellow swamp buttercup that wade in wet and muddy areas.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Under the trees, check under the parasols of mayapple for its poisonous waxy white flower. Yet, the most prolific blooms may be happening under the sun with shining displays of wood betony and golden Alexander. Then add to that the brilliant yellow blossoms of hairy puccoon. You’ll also find ivory tones from bastard toadflax in the prairie and fluffy plumes of common cottongrass in the soggy areas. Under the protection of the savanna’s canopy, look for woodland phlox, wild geranium, shooting star, and the sublime stout blue-eyed grass.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen The shows of Virginia bluebells and large-flowered trillium should be gone by now. Yet, you may still find a beautiful show of wild geranium and possibly some woodland phlox. The maroon flowers of prairie trillium may still be hanging on, and so might the large waxy white flowers of mayapple. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid, mayapple, wild leek, and wild ginger.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: In May, this intimate remnant prairie awakens with golden bouquets of hoary puccoon alongside starry false Solomon’s seal, yellow star grass, and wild strawberry.
NOTE: If you can’t make it to our showcase preserves, try McKinley Woods/Fredericks Grove in Channahon, Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and Harms Woods in Glenview, and Oldfield Oaks in Darien, and J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. You’re bound to find some good stuff.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK (Shooting Star & Wild Lupine):
Shooting Star:
In May, the beautiful blooms of shooting star can be found in prairies and woodlands, alike. The shape of the flower belies its celestial name, with five petals that trail behind its pointed tip. This springtime plant favors soil that is moist to modestly dry, but can thrive on the sunny slopes if there’s enough rain. It seems to like slopes because it doesn’t get as much competition there. The plant is also sensitive to dead vegetation that can smother it, which is why it also favors the occasional fire.*
Early to mid-May brings scenes of shooting star and woodland phlox to the bluffs of Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.”
On this May evening, shooting stars glowed in the final light of day at Fermilab Prairie in Batavia, Illinois.*
Sometime between mid-May and early June, Chiwaukee Prairie offers a spectacular display of shooting star.*
Wild Lupine:
Wild lupine, of species Lupinus perennis, seems to love poor soil,. However, in ancient times, it was believed that the lupines were creating the bad soil by wolfing down the nutrients. Hence, the name comes from the Greek word “Lupus,” or “wolf.” In reality, lupine brings nutrients to the soil just like other legumes, such as leadplant, white wild indigo, scurfy pea, and purple prairie clover. Around Chicago, lupine can be found growing in sandy soil under the trees of black oak savannas, including Miller Woods, part of Indiana Dunes National Park and Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion.
Atop this spring dune thrives wild lupine at Miller Woods, part of Indiana Dunes National Park in Gary, Indiana. While you’re in the park, you also can find them at Tolleston Dunes, and West Beach.*
Biodiversity is about the many, not the few. Here, it’s springtime in the savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, where blue lupines share precious space with hoary puccoon. But, as the season advances, both will fade, making room for an array of other species, in a cycle where each has its time in the sun and then returns to the soil.*
An exploration into the inner world of wild lupine.
PHOTO SECTION
Wood Betony:
Wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis) is also known as lousewort because it was erroneously thought to bring lice to grazing sheep and photographers who get too close. For some of its nutritional needs, the plant uses its roots to feed off of grasses, mycorrhizal fungi, and possibly other plants. I said “some” nutritional needs. Therefore, that plant is a parasite, but only partially so. Hence, it’s a hemi-parasite, more of a nibbler, as opposed to a full-fledged sap-sucking parasite. Though the leaves at the base exude a beautiful reddish tone, the green color above is the giveaway. The verdant hue shows that it’s not totally lazy, and creates its own energy through sunlight and chlorophyll production. In fact, wood betony can grow just fine even when its host plants aren’t around. Due to its nibbling nature, wood betony is known to stunt the growth of surrounding grasses. This is why it’s sometimes used in habitat restoration to quell the aggressiveness of towering grasses. In May, wood betony blooms in the best open woodlands, prairies, and savannas, like Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Chiwaukee Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois.*
On this May morning at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, wood betony awakens to the light of a red sunrise.*
Usually in early May, wood betony blooms atop the bluffs at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Woodland Phlox:
Many of our featured woodlands are home to the blue or purple, and sometimes, white woodland phlox of species Phlox divaricata laphamii, including here at Black Partridge Woods where they flow in a serpentine wave up the bluff. From a distance, the flower appears to have five petals. But it only has one deeply lobed petal. But because the petals of a flower are collectively known as the corolla, the plant is said to have a five-lobed corolla. The flowers have a beautiful fragrance that I easily detect from several feet away, though pushing your nose into the corolla would give you a much better view of its intricacies. You can also find beautiful displays of this plant at woodlands, like Fermilab Natural Areas, Johnson’s Mound, and Raccoon Grove.*
Sand Phlox:
Sand phlox of species of Phlox bifida bifida (no I didn’t stutter) has one white or pale blue-violet corolla, which is a collection of petals. But in this case, there’s only one petal with five Y-shaped lobes. As the common name suggests, this plant is often found growing in sandy soil, but it can handle mesic earth as well. This pictured colony of sand phlox surrounds a soft, sandy mound that was made by the burrowing plains pocket gopher in the black oak savanna of Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve.*
Wild Geranium:
You can find wild geranium in all of our featured “sandless” woodlands and at many other preserves across the Chicago region. Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, the pink flower hovers above their celestial star-shaped foliage.*
At Raccoon Grove, as evening nears in this beautiful spring woodland, the final streaks of sunlight penetrate the emerald canopy. The shining rays highlight the broad leaves of false Solomon’s seal and animate the soft, pink blooms of wild geranium, making all that is illuminated stand apart from the surrounding foliage.*
May brings glorious displays of wild geranium to Oldfield Oaks in Darien, Illinois, part of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.*
Wild Hyacinth:
Wild hyacinth at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Each May, wild hyacinth blooms in woodlands and oak savannas across the Chicago region including, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Each May, wild hyacinth blooms in woodlands and oak savannas across the Chicago region including, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Starry False Solomon’s Seal:
The geometric beauty of starry false Solomon’s seal at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Stout Blue-Eyed Grass
The sublime blooms of stout blue-eye grass may now be aflower at Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park, Illinois. And they bloom at these other preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Chiwaukee Prairie, Miller Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Mayapple:
In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. At the moment, mayapples are either just sprouting or just starting to open their umbrellas.*
Wild Ginger:
The green foliage is the star of the springtime show. Here you see the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger alongside a single blooming mayapple. The flowers of both plants can be found hiding beneath the leaves. All of our featured woodlands feature both of these plants.*
Large-flowered Trillium:
At Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park, large-flowered trillium is a site to behold.*
Large-flowered trillium of species Trillium grandiflorum covers the woodland floor in a spectacular annual display at J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. This is not on our list of showcase preserves, but it’s a wonderful supplement to your visit to nearby Heron Rookery Trail.*
Sometime between mid-April and early May, large-flowered trillium will appear at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen. Their bloom usually coincides with that of Virginia bluebell.*
Large-flowered trillium carpet the floor of Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, Illinois.*
The blooming in the northern suburbs lags behind the southern ones, so it takes a little longer for the large-flowered trillium to appear at Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Metawa, and here, at Harms Woods in Glenview. Notice how the flowers turn pink as they fade.*
Large-Flowered Bellwort:
Look for beautiful populations of large-flowered bellwort at Black Partridge Woods, Johnson’s Mound, and Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve.*
Prairie Trillium:
At O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, prairie trillium rises as the sun sets.*
Skunk Cabbage:
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone like me, who finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down. You’ll find many at Pilcher Park Nature Center, Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, and O’Hara Woods.*
Shoe Factory Road Prairie:
At Shoe Factory Road Prairie, hoary puccoon and birdfoot violet glow in the morning light at this prairie-on-a-hill.*
Pembroke Savanna:
Between late April and mid-May, Pembroke Savanna is home to blooms of white sand phlox and rare birdfoot violet.”
In 2013 and in many years since, sand phlox spread across the black oak savanna of Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park, Illinois.*
Chiwaukee Prairie’s May Show of Shooting Star:
Shooting star, hoary puccoon, yellow star grass, and others are blooming in profusion at Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. You can also find the plant at Black Partridge Woods, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
05-13-2022
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
May 13, 2022
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”
Plan the Best Nature Walks & Getaways Around Chicago!
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower forecasts!
Each week, we offer you opportunities to find peace during this trying time!
PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.
The month of May brings new layers of greenery and wildflowers
to our woodlands and the first blooms in our prairies and savannas.
NEED THE LATEST BLOOMING NEWS, NOT JUST A PREDICTION?
THEN HELP US CROWDSOURCE IT!This FREE ChicagoNatureNOW! wildflower forecast is a prediction of the flowers that may be blooming during this week of the year. It’s driven by my one-of-a-kind proprietary database of local blooming events that I began compiling in 2003. But Mother Nature is mysterious. She follows her own secret schedule. Blooming dates can vary widely. For some of our followers, these weekly predictions will be enough. However, if you want to be rewarded with the latest news about what’s blooming where, then you must help us crowdsource that information by joining our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers crowdsourcing community. There’s no monetary cost to become a ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorer, but in return for this valuable news, you must share what you find at our showcase preserves on our private ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Just take a few pictures with your smartphone and tell us what you found. Due to the size of the group, everyone receives a lot even though each person only contributes a little. In other words, you’ll receive much more than you give. And the group is also a place to learn and ask questions about nature. CLICK HERE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR CROWDSOURCING TEAM OF EXPLORERS.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
May brings great lushness to the woodlands and a new group of flowers. And the savannas and prairie begin to put on their first performances. To learn exactly what’s happening right now by contributing to our vibrant crowdsourcing community. If you don’t want to miss these magnificent blooms, then click here to learn about becoming an Explorer. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
The spectacular shows of Virginia Bluebell should be gone by now, but stunning performances of large-flowered trillium may still be underway. These magnificent blossoms put on the best shows at Heron Rookery Trail (at Indiana Dunes National Park) and at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve that’s owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. These alabaster beauties also grow at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen, Meacham Grove in DuPage County, Harms Woods in Glenview, and Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa. And speaking of trillium, the elegant and ethereal prairie trillium also flowers in most of our woodlands.
The newest flowers to be found in our woodlands are woodland phlox and wild geranium alongside hidden blossoms of mayapple and wild ginger. Take a close look underneath the leaves of wild ginger to find their fuzzy burgundy flowers. And the large waxy white blossoms of mayapple may also be flowering. To find them, look beneath the umbrellas of two-leafed plants. In the woodlands, the earliest of our spring ephemerals should mostly be gone. Many them are colored white, including bloodroot, false rue anemone, rue anemone, spring cress, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort. Spring beauty is white with pink stripes, and sharp-lobed hepatica offers a beautiful palette ranging from white to lavender to purple. You should be able to see some some red in the form of prairie trillium. And as for the hues of blues, our common blue violet is extremely beautiful when growing in a clump amidst its heart-shaped foliage.The yellow blossoms of marsh marigold are also gone or well on their way out. You may still find yellow violet, swamp buttercup, yellow trout lily, and the shy drooping blossoms of large-flowered bellwort with beautiful colonies along the bluffs of Johnson’s Mound and Black Partridge Woods. Shooting star and spiraling wood betony (our Plant of the Week) also grows in some woodlands, including Black Partridge Woods. But these two flowers are also on display in some of our savannas and prairies, including Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, and later in the month at Chiwaukee Prairie when the shooting stars cover the grassland pink with touches of yellow star grass, birdfoot violet, and golden Alexander. And the golden blossoms of hoary puccoon may be found in our prairies and oak savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Pembroke Savanna, Belmont Prairie, Miller Woods, and usually a little later at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Chiwaukee Prairie.
Wild hyacinth also make their debut at the start of May with the best displays at Wolf Road Prairie and atop the bluffs at Black Partridge Woods.
And let’s not forget the textured lushness and shapely foliage that typify vernal season: wild leek, mayapple, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with a spray of swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the woodland greenery. You should now find mayapple with leaves that resemble an open umbrella, or a closed umbrella when they first sprout. Seek out the the sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas. Great displays can be found at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. And notice the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger and its fuzzy burgundy flower hiding underneath. As an interesting history lesson, wild leek is the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.” NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant from any preserve in the Chicago region.
Another wonderful show happens sometime between late April and mid-May at Pembroke Savanna, when birdfoot violet and sand phlox (one of our Plants of the Week) carpet the sandy floor of this black oak savanna. And, if you’re lucky, the breathtaking stout blue-eye grass might be aflower.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville: The spectacular display of Virginia bluebells may be past bloom, but it’s worth the trip to find out. This is the top preserve to visit when the Virginia bluebells reach their peak. The preserve was once called Dynamite Woods because the site stored explosives during World War II. You can still see the crumbling bunkers, but they’re being taken over by woodland plants. Around this time, the white flowers of cutleaf toothwort should be exploding like sparklers across the woodland floor. Walk towards the stream along the south end of the preserve, and you’ll find Dutchman’s breeches (that look like white, puffy overalls), spring beauty, skunk cabbage, mayapple, wild leek (Chicago’s namesake), and Virginia bluebells.
Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet: The spectacular show of Virginia bluebells often takes place around this time, though it can vary between April 2 and May 10. Begin your hike at the nature center where you may find a lush understory of spring wildflowers. Depending on when you visit, you may find sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, purple cress, and Dutchman’s breeches. Just as beautiful as the flowers are the fresh green leaves of wild leek, mayapple, and skunk cabbage. My favorite flower-of-the-moment is marsh marigold. Look for its yellow blossoms in the low, muddy areas of the site. You can find them near the nature center and around the trail after the bridge at this GPS coordinate: 41.532780, -88.016478. While you’re there (and just about anywhere with mud), look for the large fanning foliage of skunk cabbage. They’re hard to miss.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Under the trees of the oak savanna, wild hyacinth often reaches peak bloom around this time alongside nice pink displays of wild geranium. In the prairie, look for the buttery blossoms of wood betony, the golds of hoary puccoon and golden Alexander, and lots of white starry false Solomon’s seal.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: A very nice show of Virginia bluebells often takes place around this time on the west side of the preserve, though it can vary between April 2 and May 10. When May comes, the woodland floor turns to an emerald dream covered in varied textures. And it gets even greener as the canopy above fills in. Thanks to wild ginger, which spreads to fill in the remaining empty spaces, you can hardly see the carpet of bronze leaves that dominated the scene just a few weeks earlier. Check deep underneath the leaves of wild ginger to find a fuzzy burgundy blossom. My favorite show at this preserve comes from the miniature forests of mayapple with their parasol-shaped leaves where you can now find a lonesome waxy white blossom hiding under the plants with two umbrellas. Exciting patches of acrobatic skunk cabbage leaves add to the whimsy. Wild leek‘s emerald swords put up a defense, and check for the star-like leaves of wild geranium that lends to the air its heavenly pink flower around this time. Hidden amongst the jade hues, try to find the beautiful floating foliage of early meadow rue. Nice displays of woodland phlox often coincide with the flowering of wild geranium, and keep an eye out for the white and pink shooting star that bloom atop the bluff. If you find a good patch of phlox, pay attention to its fabulous scent. You may not even have to put nose to petal. The combination of woodland phlox, wild geranium, and shooting star is a wonderful sight. The shimmering highlights of white false rue anemone, rue anemone, and the pinkish spring beauty add to the springtime experience. And you may still find a smattering of prairie trillium and common blue violet. The spiraling buttery blooms of wood betony may be fading, while the shy yellow blooms of large-flowered bellwort are likely still hanging on as they cling to the sides of the bluffs. Finally, see if you can still spot the shimmering petals of bloodroot, sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, and the occasional Dutchman’s breeches.
Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park: The peak bloom of large-flowered trillium usually happens around this time, but it can be earlier or later depending on the whims of Mother Nature. The display of trillium is even better at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve, which is owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. Begin your stroll at the west parking lot. This woodland usually blooms earlier than most of our other preserves, but it can also be flooded by waters of the adjacent Little Calumet River. You may find sparkles of sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone and false rue anemone, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort, purple cress, bloodroot, and spring beauty. Look for patches of spear-like foliage that resemble green spotted trout. In there, you may find magnificent blooms of yellow trout lily. The otherworldly burgundy prairie trillium may also be flowering by now, and so might the bright-yellow swamp buttercup that wade in wet and muddy areas . The lush, sprawling foliage of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger greatly enhance the springtime experience.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: The spectacular show of Virginia bluebells often takes place around this time, though it can vary between April 2 and May 10. And the peak bloom of large-flowered trillium usually coincides. This preserve exudes that green and luxuriant feeling of spring. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid, mayapple, wild leek, and wild ginger. The most common blossoms that bloom in early spring are spring beauty, cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, false rue anemone, white trout lily, and prairie trillium.
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines that sparkle white with dense white colonies of false rue anemone that flow across the braes. But you’ll also see many other plants as well, like cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches. sharp-lobed hepatica, wild leek, mayapple, prairie trillium, common blue violet, and the sublime large-flowered bellwort that also grows in colonies. In late April or early May, look for drooping trillium and large-flowered trillium.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Sometime during late April to mid-May, the preserve puts on a beautiful show of blue and white, as carpets of sapphire birdfoot violet and sparkling sand phlox flow across the savanna. Don’t leave without bending down to enjoy the fragrance of these two jewels. You may also see the white of sand cress and starry false Solomon’s seal, and the golds of two-flowered Cynthia and buds of hoary puccoon. On your visit, you’ll notice mysterious sand mounds throughout the preserves. They are the handiwork of the plains pocket gopher. This rarely seen underground gopher excavates tunnels, and the extra sand has to go somewhere.
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: The preserve puts on a show with a rich variety of flowers throughout the month of April and into the second half of May. Look for the whitish pink expanse of spring beauty and myriad other wildflowers, including Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, rue anemone, bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, and surprisingly large colonies of flowering white trout lily. Adding to the color palette, you may see common blue violet, the golden hues of common yellow violet and swamp buttercup, and the strange and wonderful maroon tones of prairie trillium. Also, experience the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger that add to the springtime mix. This preserve offers a nice display of Virginia bluebells, but not an overwhelming ocean like other preserves. Note that many spring flowers don’t open up at the break of day. They are awakened by the light. On cloudy days, they may remain enclosed safely in their buds. Fortunately, when closed, the Dutchman’s breeches cannot close and the white petals of toothwort are still visible and continue to twinkle.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: The woodland adjacent to the prairie is rich in springtime ephemerals. In late April or early May, the grand alabaster blossoms of large-flowered trillium steal the show amidst floating pink blossoms of wild geranium. Depending on the date of your visit, you’ll find many of the usual suspects in bloom: cutleaf toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, prairie trillium, and yellow colonies of swamp buttercup. And of course, these flowers will fall against a verdant backdrop of mayapple, wild ginger, and some wild leek. In the prairie, look for wood betony and shooting star.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: Though not officially a hill prairie, this gravelly prairie on a hill gets a lot of sun and also a lot of wildflowers. This may be a good time to see its first blooms of the season from hoary puccoon, wood betony, shooting star, birdfoot violet, and blue-eyed grass.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Early in the spring, the transcendent yellow blossoms of marsh marigold should be flowering alongside fresh lush colonies of skunk cabbage. Soon after, you should also find miniature canopies of mayapple and a small number of spring ephemerals. And under the shade of the oaks in the savanna, you’ll find small patches of false rue anemone. For the best views of marsh marigold and skunk cabbage, visit Trout Park for dense populations of these plants in an intimate setting. The preserve features a trail that takes you up and down the bluffs that includes a wooden boardwalk that carefully guides you through sensitive wet areas. While on the boardwalk, look for Chicago’s only native evergreen tree, the northern white cedar. Atop the bluff, you’ll find other spring wildflowers.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. Along your stroll, you should discover spring beauty, white trout lily, some bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, and others. You may now find the beautiful hemi-parasitic wood betony scattered in patches across the preserve, often in the sunnier spots, along with shooting star, prairie trillium, and golden Alexander in early bloom. Look for yellow water buttercup and miniature forests of mayapple that add to the whimsy. Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, then follow the narrow trail and cross the street to Somme Prairie Grove.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: In May, this intimate remnant prairie awakens with golden bouquets of hoary puccoon alongside starry false Solomon’s seal, yellow star grass, and wild strawberry.
NOTE: If you can’t make it to our showcase preserves, try McKinley Woods/Fredericks Grove in Channahon, Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and Harms Woods in Glenview, and Oldfield Oaks in Darien, and J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. You’re bound to find some good stuff.
PLANT OF THE WEEK (Wood Betony):
Wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis) is also known as lousewort because it was erroneously thought to bring lice to grazing sheep and photographers who get too close. For some of its nutritional needs, the plant uses its roots to feed off of grasses, mycorrhizal fungi, and possibly other plants. I said “some” nutritional needs. Therefore, that plant is a parasite, but only partially so. Hence, it’s a hemi-parasite, more of a nibbler, as opposed to a full-fledged sap-sucking parasite. Though the leaves at the base exude a beautiful reddish tone, the green color above is the giveaway. The verdant hue shows that it’s not totally lazy, and creates its own energy through sunlight and chlorophyll production. In fact, wood betony can grow just fine even when its host plants aren’t around. Due to its nibbling nature, wood betony is known to stunt the growth of surrounding grasses. This is why it’s sometimes used in habitat restoration to quell the aggressiveness of towering grasses. In May, wood betony blooms in the best open woodlands, prairies, and savannas, like Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Chiwaukee Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois. *
On this May morning at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, wood betony awakens to the light of a red sunrise.*
Usually in early May, wood betony blooms atop the bluffs at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
PHOTO SECTION
Woodland Phlox:
Many of our featured woodlands are home to the blue or purple, and sometimes, white woodland phlox of species Phlox divaricata laphamii, including here at Black Partridge Woods where they flow in a serpentine wave up the bluff. From a distance, the flower appears to have five petals. But it only has one deeply lobed petal. But because the petals of a flower are collectively known as the corolla, the plant is said to have a five-lobed corolla. The flowers have a beautiful fragrance that I easily detect from several feet away, though pushing your nose into the corolla would give you a much better view of its intricacies.
Sand Phlox:
Sand phlox of species of Phlox bifida bifida (no I didn’t stutter) has one white or pale blue-violet corolla, which is a collection of petals. But in this case, there’s only one petal with five Y-shaped lobes. As the common name suggests, this plant is often found growing in sandy soil, but it can handle mesic earth as well. This pictured colony of sand phlox surrounds a soft, sandy mound that was made by the burrowing plains pocket gopher in the black oak savanna of Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve.
Large-flowered Trillium can bloom between mid-April and mid-May:
At Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park, large-flowered trillium is a site to behold.*
Large-flowered trillium of species Trillium grandiflorum covers the woodland floor in a spectacular annual display at J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. This is not on our list of showcase preserves, but it’s a wonderful supplement to your visit to nearby Heron Rookery Trail.*
Sometime between mid-April and early May, large-flowered trillium will appear at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen. Their bloom usually coincides with that of Virginia bluebell.*
Large-flowered trillium carpet the floor of Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, Illinois.*
The blooming in the northern suburbs lags behind the southern ones, so it takes a little longer for the large-flowered trillium to appear at Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Metawa, and here, at Harms Woods in Glenview. Notice how the flowers turn pink as they fade.*
Shooting Star:
In May, the beautiful blooms of shooting star can be found in prairies and woodlands, alike.*
A scene of shooting star and woodland phlox atop a bluff at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.”
Wild Geranium:
You can find wild geranium in all of our featured “sandless” woodlands and at many other preserves across the Chicago region. Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, the pink flower hovers above their celestial star-shaped foliage.*
At Raccoon Grove, as evening nears in this beautiful spring woodland, the final streaks of sunlight penetrate the emerald canopy. The shining rays highlight the broad leaves of false Solomon’s seal and animate the soft, pink blooms of wild geranium, making all that is illuminated stand apart from the surrounding foliage.*
May brings glorious displays of wild geranium to Oldfield Oaks in Darien, Illinois, part of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.*
Wild Hyacinth:
Wild hyacinth at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Each May, wild hyacinth blooms in woodlands and oak savannas across the Chicago region including, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.
Wild hyacinth blooms in abundance at Oldfield Oaks in Darien.*
Starry False Solomon’s Seal:
The geometric beauty of starry false Solomon’s seal at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.
Mayapple:
In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. At the moment, mayapples are either just sprouting or just starting to open their umbrellas.*
Wild Ginger:
The green foliage is the star of the springtime show. Here you see the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger alongside a single blooming mayapple. The flowers of both plants can be found hiding beneath the leaves. All of our featured woodlands feature both of these plants.*
Virginia Bluebell:
Before they bloom, the Virginia bluebell (of species Mertensia virginica) shows off pink and purple buds. You can find them at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
Ah, the Virginia bluebell. This flower is not only beautiful, but smells wonderful as well. When the flowers are blooming, the woodland fills with a fragrance that some say resembles the scent of Froot Loops cereal. So, last year, I put this to a test, in a side-by-side comparison. First, I lowered my nose into a small plastic bag filled with the cereal. Wow! I didn’t realize how “sharp” the sweetness was. Then, I cleared my nose by smelling my glove, and moved my nostrils into the fragrant blue trumpets. Here’s what I found. The bluebells do smell like the cereal, but are not as sharp. They also have a floral aroma. Therefore, bluebells smell like a floral Chanel version of Froot Loops cereal. Right now, you’ll find mostly buds and maybe a few open flowers of Virginia bluebell (species Mertensia virginica) at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
O’Hara Woods presents the best display of of Virginia bluebells around that fill the air with a floral scent of Froot Loops cereal.*
Visit Pilcher Park Nature Center for one of the best performances of Virginia bluebell in the region.*
Virginia bluebells bloom en masse along the creek at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee, though not in vast expanses like other woodlands on our list.*
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen is one of the best places to experience breathtaking expanses of Virginia bluebells.*
False Rue Anemone:
False rue anemone (of species Enemion biternatum) is a beautiful plant that often blooms in dense colonies. The flowers are white and never have more than five sepals (the white petals that really aren’t petals at all). During the night, they close up into little white balls. False rue anemone is more common than its similar, (true) rue anemone. You can tell them apart by looking at their leaves and flowers. The flowers of false rue anemone can have many sepals, whereas the false version only has five. And the three-lobed leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Both characteristics are depicted in the image. You can see this plant at any of our showcase woodlands. But the nicest shows take place at Johnson’s Mound, Black Partridge Woods, and Heron Rookery Trail. This and every other woodland wildflower is under attack by the foreign invader known as garlic mustard. It crowds out and poisons its neighbors until all that remains is its own kind covering black earth. This is one reason why the forest preserves are always looking for volunteers, like you, to help control such threats. Volunteer today!*
Rue Anemone:
Rue anemone (of species Thalictrum thalictroides) is a found in the higher quality woodlands of our region that have not been disturbed by human activity. The plant is sometimes called windflower because of the ease at which the flowers blow around in the breeze. And windflower definitely likes the breeze because its blossoms depend on the wind for pollination. Here, it was a cold Tuesday morning at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve. And while there were hundreds of flowers waiting to open, only this plant of rue anemone was brave enough to blossom. This plant is often confused with false rue anemone. The flowers and foliage are similar, but a closer look will reveal the difference. The number of flower petals, which are actually not petals but sepals, number only five on false rue anemone, whereas the sepal count for rue anemone varies widely, even on the same plant. Here, we see ten. As for the foliage, both have foliage with three lobes. However, they’re “deeply lobed” on the false version, meaning that the leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Also, the true version tends to grow alone, while the false often grows in clusters.*
Cutleaf Toothwort:
The small flowers of Cutleaf toothwort make a big impact given their size, especially when blooming in large numbers. Even when closed, they still impart a sparkle because the petals are much longer than the sepals. Initially, I thought that the “toothwort” name came from the toothed leaves of the closed flowers that look like molars. But I was wrong. It is the rhizome, a root-like structure located just below the soil between the stem and the root. Most people would not figure this out. I mean, I only discovered it after employing my X-ray vision. However, there was a time when people relied on plants, and often their roots, for survival. And Native Americans ate the tooth-shaped tuber. Now, this isn’t the only plant named after its root. The root of bloodroot, as the name suggest, bleeds a red liquid when broken. Native Americans used this sanguine solution as body paint and to dye clothes and baskets. This shot was taken at O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, but you can find it at any of our featured woodlands.*
In April, cutleaf toothwort blooms in profusion amongst a backdrop of mayapples at every local woodland, including here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve where they explode like firecrackers. This preserve was previously known as Dynamite Woods because explosives were stored here during World War II. Nowadays, the only thing that blows up are the spring wildflowers.*
During the month of April, O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve brings a woodland floor sparkling with cutleaf toothwort and the greenery of wild leek and mayapple. You can see all of these plants at all of our featured woodlands.*
Large-Flowered Bellwort:
Look for beautiful populations of large-flowered bellwort at Black Partridge Woods, Johnson’s Mound, and Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve.*
Dutchman’s Breeches (or Dutchman’s Britches):
O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve has a large number of Dutchman’s breeches. It is one of my favorite spring flowers because the flower is just so kooky and the leaves are a dream. Unlike many woodland ephemerals that wait for the sun before they open, these flowers are on full display at any time. You can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, and many of our showcase woodlands.*
I discovered this pink variety of Dutchman’s breeches at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville. Notice the beautiful parts and details.*
Prairie Trillium:
At O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, prairie trillium rises as the sun sets.*
Skunk Cabbage:
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone like me, who finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down. You’ll find many at Pilcher Park Nature Center, Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, and O’Hara Woods.*
Sharp-lobed Hepatica:
This is sharp-lobed hepatica of species Hepatica nobilis acuta. It pops up through a layer of last year’s leaves and beckons the start of the new blooming season with floral color that ranges from white to pink, blue to purple. I’m especially taken by the colorful, textured cluster of miniature structures that inhabit the center of the flower, the deep three-lobed leaves, and the dark red stems. Another name for hepatica is liverleaf, referring to the shape of the leaf’s lobes. Early in the spring, you can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois, a group of sharp-lobed hepatica huddles around the base of an oak tree.*
Bloodroot:
This is bloodroot of species Sanguinaria canadensis. The white flowers are beautiful, but short-lived. At the end of its run, the slightest touch send the petals falling to the ground. The common name and genus name Sanguinaria come from the fact that breaking the stem or the roots makes the plant bleed a red juice. Don’t pick the flower to find out. Just take my word for it. Native Americans used the plant for dying their clothes and baskets, and for body paint. In woodlands, the wind gets broken up by trees which reduces its speed. Therefore, bloodroot and most other woodland plants do not depend on the breeze to disperse their seed. They rely on ants. In a process known as myrmechochory, the seeds of bloodroot have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that’s made up of fat or oil. The ants take the seeds back to their colonies where they eat the elaiosomes, but discard the seed into an rich and nourishing accumulation of nest debris where the seeds can safety germinate under the unwitting protection of the colony.*
Marsh Marigold:
My heart skips a beat when I see marsh marigold. At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, yellow flowers of marsh marigold were covered in a magical patina of morning frost. Visit nearby Trout Park for the best view of these plants. Pilcher Park Nature Center also has a beautiful display.*
In early spring, I come to Pilcher Park to play in the mud. Here, skunk cabbage and marsh marigold thrive in a woodland floodplain of inky water and the blackest muck I’ve ever seen.*
Marsh marigold and skunk cabbage mix and mingle at McClaughry Springs Woods in Palos Park, Illinois.*
Stout Blue-Eyed Grass
The sublime blooms of stout blue-eye grass may now be aflower at Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park, Illinois. And they bloom at these other preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Chiwaukee Prairie, Miller Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Shoe Factory Road Prairie:
At Shoe Factory Road Prairie, hoary puccoon and birdfoot violet glow in the morning light at this prairie-on-a-hill.*
Pembroke Savanna:
Between late April and mid-May, Pembroke Savanna is home to blooms of white sand phlox and rare birdfoot violet.”
In 2013 and in many years since, sand phlox spread across the black oak savanna of Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park, Illinois.*
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
05-06-2022
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
May 6, 2022
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The month of May brings new layers of greenery and wildflowers
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THEN HELP US CROWDSOURCE IT!This FREE ChicagoNatureNOW! wildflower forecast is a prediction of the flowers that may be blooming during this week of the year. It’s driven by my one-of-a-kind proprietary database of local blooming events that I began compiling in 2003. But Mother Nature is mysterious. She follows her own secret schedule. Blooming dates can vary widely. For some of our followers, these weekly predictions will be enough. However, if you want to be rewarded with the latest news about what’s blooming where, then you must help us crowdsource that information by joining our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers crowdsourcing community. There’s no monetary cost to become a ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorer, but in return for this valuable news, you must share what you find at our showcase preserves on our private ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Just take a few pictures with your smartphone and tell us what you found. Due to the size of the group, everyone receives a lot even though each person only contributes a little. In other words, you’ll receive much more than you give. And the group is also a place to learn and ask questions about nature. CLICK HERE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR CROWDSOURCING TEAM OF EXPLORERS.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
If April was warm, then the bluebells are now gone. If it was cold, then you may still have a chance to experience their spectacular shows. And this is also a time when the gorgeous large-flowered trillium performs. According to my database, the odds are that you missed the bluebell display but you may still catch the trillium. But there’s only one way to know for sure, and that’s to actively contribute to the crowdsourcing. If you don’t want to miss these magnificent blooms, then click here to learn about being an Explorer. But nature isn’t about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
According to my database, the spectacular shows of Virginia Bluebell can reach peak bloom anywhere between April 2 and May 10, depending on the weather. The former was in 2012 when it was 85 degrees in April! The best blooms of Virginia Bluebells take place at O’Hara Woods, Pilcher Park, Messenger Woods, and sometimes Black Partridge Woods. The oceans of blue are proof that Chicago nature offers beauty that rivals the national parks. Experience the magnificence with your eyes, as well as your nose, as the scent of these azure flowers fills the air with a sweet fragrance that some people liken to Froot Loops cereal. Instead of listening to “some people,” I did a little experiment of my own. I took the cereal into the field and compared its scent to the flowers. See the bluebell photos below to learn what I found.
The stunning show of large-flowered trillium often corresponds to that of the bluebell, peaking just slightly after. These magnificent blossoms put on the best shows at Heron Rookery Trail (at Indiana Dunes National Park) and at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve that’s owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. These alabaster beauties also grow at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen, Meacham Grove in DuPage County, Harms Woods in Glenview, and Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa. And speaking of trillium, the elegant and ethereal prairie trillium also flowers in most of our woodlands.
This could also be a good week for wild geranium. Lucky for us, this pink flower with star-shaped foliage is a popular plant at all of our woodlands, including Black Partridge Woods, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, and Heron Rookery Trail. And often accompanying wild geranium in the woodland is the blue woodland phlox. Another phlox, called sand phlox, blooms in profusion at Pembroke Savanna alongside beautiful blossoms of birdfoot violet that also puts on shows at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Chiwaukee Prairie. Sand phlox and woodland phlox make up our Plants of the Week.
The arrow-shaped flowers of shooting star is another May flower that makes an appearance atop the bluffs of Black Partridge Woods and in the prairies of Shoe Factory, Fermilab, and a little later at far-north Chiwaukee.
The earliest of our spring ephemerals may be gone or well into their blooming cycle. Many of them are colored white, including bloodroot, false rue anemone, rue anemone, spring cress, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort. Spring beauty is white with pink stripes, and sharp-lobed hepatica offers a beautiful palette ranging from white to lavender to purple.
The yellow blossoms of marsh marigold are probably gone or at the end of their bloom. They grow at Pilcher Park, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, Captain Daniel Wright Woods, and at McClaughry Springs Woods in Palos Park (across the stream from the parking lot). Along the trails of our fine woodlands, check for yellow violet, swamp buttercup, yellow trout lily, buttery wood betony, and the shy drooping blossoms of large-flowered bellwort with beautiful colonies along the bluffs of Johnson’s Mound and Black Partridge Woods.
You should be able to see some some red in the form of the aforementioned prairie trillium. And as for the hues of blues, our common blue violet is exquisite when growing in a clump amidst its heart-shaped foliage, and woodland phlox is extremely fragrant.
And let’s not forget the textured lushness and shapely foliage that typify vernal season: wild leek, mayapple, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with a spray of swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the woodland greenery. You should now find mayapple with leaves that resemble an open umbrella, or a closed umbrella when they first sprout. Seek out the the sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas. Great displays can be found at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. And notice the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger and its fuzzy burgundy flower hiding underneath. As an interesting history lesson, wild leek is the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.” NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant from any preserve in the Chicago region.
Another wonderful show happens sometime between late April and mid-May at Pembroke Savanna, when birdfoot violet and sand phlox (one of our Plants of the Week) carpet the sandy floor of this black oak savanna. And, if you’re lucky, the breathtaking stout blue-eye grass might be aflower.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville: The spectacular display of Virginia bluebells may be past bloom, but it’s worth the trip to find out. This is the top preserve to visit when the Virginia bluebells reach their peak. The preserve was once called Dynamite Woods because the site stored explosives during World War II. You can still see the crumbling bunkers, but they’re being taken over by woodland plants. Around this time, the white flowers of cutleaf toothwort should be exploding like sparklers across the woodland floor. Walk towards the stream along the south end of the preserve, and you’ll find Dutchman’s breeches (that look like white, puffy overalls), spring beauty, skunk cabbage, mayapple, wild leek (Chicago’s namesake), and Virginia bluebells.
Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet: The spectacular show of Virginia bluebells often takes place around this time, though it can vary between April 2 and May 10. Begin your hike at the nature center where you may find a lush understory of spring wildflowers. Depending on when you visit, you may find sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, purple cress, and Dutchman’s breeches. Just as beautiful as the flowers are the fresh green leaves of wild leek, mayapple, and skunk cabbage. My favorite flower-of-the-moment is marsh marigold. Look for its yellow blossoms in the low, muddy areas of the site. You can find them near the nature center and around the trail after the bridge at this GPS coordinate: 41.532780, -88.016478. While you’re there (and just about anywhere with mud), look for the large fanning foliage of skunk cabbage. They’re hard to miss.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: A very nice show of Virginia bluebells often takes place around this time on the west side of the preserve, though it can vary between April 2 and May 10. When May comes, the woodland floor turns to an emerald dream covered in varied textures. And it gets even greener as the canopy above fills in. Thanks to wild ginger, which spreads to fill in the remaining empty spaces, you can hardly see the carpet of bronze leaves that dominated the scene just a few weeks earlier. Check deep underneath the leaves of wild ginger to find a fuzzy burgundy blossom. My favorite show at this preserve comes from the miniature forests of mayapple with their parasol-shaped leaves where you can now find a lonesome waxy white blossom hiding under the plants with two umbrellas. Exciting patches of acrobatic skunk cabbage leaves add to the whimsy. Wild leek‘s emerald swords put up a defense, and check for the star-like leaves of wild geranium that lends to the air of its heavenly pink flower around this time. Hidden amongst the jade hues, try to find the beautiful floating foliage of early meadow rue. Nice displays of woodland phlox often coincide with the flowering of wild geranium, and keep an eye out for the white and pink shooting star that bloom atop the bluff. If you find a good patch of phlox, pay attention to its fabulous scent. You may not even have to put nose to petal. The combination of woodland phlox, wild geranium, and shooting star is a wonderful sight. The shimmering highlights of white false rue anemone, rue anemone, and the pinkish spring beauty add to the springtime experience. And you may still find a smattering of prairie trillium and common blue violet. The spiraling buttery blooms of wood betony still be blooming, while the shy yellow blooms of large-flowered bellwort are likely still hanging on as they cling to the sides of the bluffs. Finally, see if you can still spot the shimmering petals of bloodroot, sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, and the occasional Dutchman’s breeches.
Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park: The peak bloom of large-flowered trillium usually happens around this time, but it can be earlier or later depending on the whims of Mother Nature. The display of trillium is even better at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve, which is owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. Begin your stroll at the west parking lot. This woodland usually blooms earlier than most of our other preserves, but it can also be flooded by waters of the adjacent Little Calumet River. You may find sparkles of sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone and false rue anemone, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort, purple cress, bloodroot, and spring beauty. Look for patches of spear-like foliage that resemble green spotted trout. In there, you may find magnificent blooms of yellow trout lily. The otherworldly burgundy prairie trillium may also be flowering by now, and so might the bright-yellow swamp buttercup that wade in wet and muddy areas . The lush, sprawling foliage of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger greatly enhance the springtime experience.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: The spectacular show of Virginia bluebells often takes place around this time, though it can vary between April 2 and May 10. And the peak bloom of large-flowered trillium usually coincides. This preserve exudes that green and luxuriant feeling of spring. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid, mayapple, wild leek, and wild ginger. The most common blossoms that bloom in early spring are spring beauty, cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, false rue anemone, white trout lily, and prairie trillium.
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines that sparkle white with dense white colonies of false rue anemone that flow across the braes. But you’ll also see many other plants as well, like cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches. sharp-lobed hepatica, wild leek, mayapple, prairie trillium and common blue violet, and the sublime large-flowered bellwort that also grows in colonies. In late April or early May, look for drooping trillium and large-flowered trillium.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Sometime during late April to mid-May, the preserve puts on a beautiful show of blue and white, as carpets of sapphire birdfoot violet and sparkling sand phlox flow across the savanna. Don’t leave without bending down to enjoy the fragrance of these two jewels. You may also see the white of sand cress and starry false Solomon’s seal, and the golds of two-flowered Cynthia and buds of hoary puccoon. On your visit, you’ll notice mysterious sand mounds throughout the preserves. They are the handiwork of the plains pocket gopher. This rarely seen underground gopher excavates tunnels, and the extra sand has to go somewhere.
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: The preserve puts on a show with a rich variety of flowers throughout the month of April and into the second half of May. Look for the whitish pink expanse of spring beauty and myriad other wildflowers, including Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, rue anemone, bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, and surprisingly large colonies of flowering white trout lily. Adding to the color palette, you may see common blue violet, the golden hues of common yellow violet and swamp buttercup, and the strange and wonderful maroon tones of prairie trillium. Also, experience the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger that add to the springtime mix. This preserve offers a nice display of Virginia bluebells, but not an overwhelming ocean like other preserves. Note that many spring flowers don’t open up at the break of day. They are awakened by the light. On cloudy days, they may remain enclosed safely in their buds. Fortunately, when closed, the Dutchman’s breeches cannot close and the white petals of toothwort are still visible and continue to twinkle.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: The woodland adjacent to the prairie is rich in springtime ephemerals. In late April or early May, the grand alabaster blossoms of large-flowered trillium steal the show amidst floating pink blossoms of wild geranium. Depending on the date of your visit, you’ll find many of the usual suspects in bloom: cutleaf toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, prairie trillium, and yellow colonies of swamp buttercup. And of course, these flowers will fall against a verdant backdrop of mayapple, wild ginger, and some wild leek. In the prairie, look for wood betony and shooting star.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: Though not officially a hill prairie, this gravelly prairie on a hill gets a lot of sun and also a lot of wildflowers. This may be a good time to see its first blooms of the season from hoary puccoon, wood betony, shooting star, birdfoot violet violet, and blue-eyed grass.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Early in the spring, the transcendent yellow blossoms of marsh marigold should be flowering alongside fresh lush colonies of skunk cabbage. Soon after, you should also find miniature canopies of mayapple and a small number of spring ephemerals. And under the shade of the oaks in the savanna, you’ll find small patches of false rue anemone. For the best views of marsh marigold and skunk cabbage, visit Trout Park for dense populations of these plants in an intimate setting. The preserve features a trail that takes you up and down the bluffs that includes a wooden boardwalk that carefully guides you through sensitive wet areas. While on the boardwalk, look for Chicago’s only native evergreen tree, the northern white cedar. Atop the bluff, you’ll find other spring wildflowers.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. Along your stroll, you should discover spring beauty, white trout lily, some bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, and others. You may now find the beautiful hemi-parasitic wood betony scattered in patches across the preserve, often in the sunnier spots, along with shooting star, prairie trillium, and golden Alexander in early bloom. Look for yellow water buttercup and miniature forests of mayapple that add to the whimsy. Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, then follow the narrow trail and cross the street to Somme Prairie Grove.
NOTE: If you can’t make it to our showcase preserves, try McKinley Woods/Fredericks Grove in Channahon, Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and Harms Woods in Glenview, and Oldfield Oaks in Darien, and J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. You’re bound to find some good stuff.
PLANT OF THE WEEK (Sand Phlox & Woodland Phlox):
Many of our featured woodlands are home to the blue or purple, and sometimes, white woodland phlox of species Phlox divaricata laphamii, including here at Black Partridge Woods where they flow in a serpentine wave up the bluff. From a distance, the flower appears to have five petals. But it only has one deeply lobed petal. But because the petals of a flower are collectively known as the corolla, the plant is said to have a five-lobed corolla. The flowers have a beautiful fragrance that I easily detect from several feet away, though pushing your nose into the corolla would give you a much better view of its intricacies.
Sand phlox of species of Phlox bifida bifida (no I didn’t stutter) has one white or pale blue-violet corolla, which is a collection of petals. But in this case, there’s only one petal with five Y-shaped lobes. As the common name suggests, this plant is often found growing in sandy soil, but it can handle mesic earth as well. This pictured colony of sand phlox surrounds a soft, sandy mound that was made by the burrowing plains pocket gopher in the black oak savanna of Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve.
PHOTO SECTION
Large-flowered Trillium can bloom between mid-April and early May:
At Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park, large-flowered trillium is a site to behold.*
Large-flowered trillium of species Trillium grandiflorum covers the woodland floor in a spectacular annual display at J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. This is not on our list of showcase preserves, but it’s a wonderful supplement to your visit to nearby Heron Rookery Trail.*
Sometime between mid-April and early May, large-flowered trillium will appear at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen. Their bloom usually coincides with that of Virginia bluebell.*
The blooming in the northern suburbs lags behind the southern ones, so it takes a little longer for the large-flowered trillium to appear at Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Metawa, and here, at Harms Woods in Glenview. Notice how the flowers turn pink as they fade.*
Wild Geranium:
You can find wild geranium in all of our featured “sandless” woodlands and at many other preserves across the Chicago region. Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, the pink flower hovers above their celestial star-shaped foliage.*
At Raccoon Grove, as evening nears in this beautiful spring woodland, the final streaks of sunlight penetrate the emerald canopy. The shining rays highlight the broad leaves of false Solomon’s seal and animate the soft, pink blooms of wild geranium, making all that is illuminated stand apart from the surrounding foliage.*
May brings glorious displays of wild geranium to Oldfield Oaks in Darien, Illinois, part of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.*
Shooting Star:
The beautiful blooms of shooting star can be found in prairies and woodlands, alike.
This is a scene of shooting star and woodland phlox from atop a bluff at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.”
Virginia Bluebell:
Before they bloom, the Virginia bluebell (of species Mertensia virginica) shows off pink and purple buds. You can find them at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
Ah, the Virginia bluebell. This flower is not only beautiful, but smells wonderful as well. When the flowers are blooming, the woodland fills with a fragrance that some say resembles the scent of Froot Loops cereal. So, last year, I put this to a test, in a side-by-side comparison. First, I lowered my nose into a small plastic bag filled with the cereal. Wow! I didn’t realize how “sharp” the sweetness was. Then, I cleared my nose by smelling my glove, and moved my nostrils into the fragrant blue trumpets. Here’s what I found. The bluebells do smell like the cereal, but are not as sharp. They also have a floral aroma. Therefore, bluebells smell like a floral Chanel version of Froot Loops cereal. Right now, you’ll find mostly buds and maybe a few open flowers of Virginia bluebell (species Mertensia virginica) at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
O’Hara Woods presents the best display of of Virginia bluebells around that fill the air with a floral scent of Froot Loops cereal.*
Visit Pilcher Park Nature Center for one of the best performance of Virginia bluebell in the region.*
Virginia bluebells bloom en mass along the creek at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee, though not in vast expanses like other woodlands on our list.*
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen is one of the best places to experience breathtaking expanses of Virginia bluebells.*
False Rue Anemone:
False rue anemone (of species Enemion biternatum) is a beautiful plant that often blooms in dense colonies. The flowers are white and never have more than five sepals (the white petals that really aren’t petals at all). During the night, they close up into little white balls. False rue anemone is more common than its similar, (true) rue anemone. You can tell them apart by looking at their leaves and flowers. The flowers of false rue anemone can have many sepals, whereas the false version only has five. And the three-lobed leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Both characteristics are depicted in the image. You can see this plant at any of our showcase woodlands. But the nicest shows take place at Johnson’s Mound, Black Partridge Woods, and Heron Rookery Trail. This and every other woodland wildflower is under attack by the foreign invader known as garlic mustard. It crowds out and poisons its neighbors until all that remains is its own kind covering black earth. This is one reason why the forest preserves are always looking for volunteers, like you, to help control such threats. Volunteer today!*
Rue Anemone:
Rue anemone (of species Thalictrum thalictroides) is a found in the higher quality woodlands of our region that have not been disturbed by human activity. The plant is sometimes called windflower because of the ease at which the flowers blow around in the breeze. And windflower definitely likes the breeze because its blossoms depend on the wind for pollination. Here, it was a cold Tuesday morning at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve. And while there were hundreds of flowers waiting to open, only this plant of rue anemone was brave enough to blossom. This plant is often confused with false rue anemone. The flowers and foliage are similar, but a closer look will reveal the difference. The number of flower petals, which are actually not petals but sepals, number only five on false rue anemone, whereas the sepal count for rue anemone varies widely, even on the same plant. Here, we see ten. As for the foliage, both have foliage with three lobes. However, they’re “deeply lobed” on the false version, meaning that the leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Also, the true version tends to grow alone, while the false often grows in clusters.*
Cutleaf Toothwort:
The small flowers of Cutleaf toothwort make a big impact given their size, especially when blooming in large numbers. Even when closed, they still impart a sparkle because the petals are much longer than the sepals. Initially, I thought that the “toothwort” name came from the toothed leaves of the closed flowers that look like molars. But I was wrong. It is the rhizome, a root-like structure located just below the soil between the stem and the root. Most people would not figure this out. I mean, I only discovered it after employing my X-ray vision. However, there was a time when people relied on plants, and often their roots, for survival. And Native Americans ate the tooth-shaped tuber. Now, this isn’t the only plant named after its root. The root of bloodroot, as the name suggest, bleeds a red liquid when broken. Native Americans used this sanguine solution as body paint and to dye clothes and baskets. This shot was taken at O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, but you can find it at any of our featured woodlands.*
In April, cutleaf toothwort blooms in profusion amongst a backdrop of mayapples at every local woodland, including here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve where they explode like firecrackers. This preserve was previously known as Dynamite Woods because explosives were stored here during World War II. Nowadays, the only thing that blows up are the spring wildflowers.*
During the month of April, O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve brings a woodland floor sparkling with cutleaf toothwort and the greenery of wild leek and mayapple. You can see all of these plants at all of our featured woodlands.*
Large-Flowered Bellwort:
Look for beautiful populations of large-flowered bellwort at Black Partridge Woods, Johnson’s Mound, and Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve.*
Wood Betony:
Usually in early May, wood betony blooms atop the bluffs at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis) is also known as lousewort because it was erroneously thought to bring lice to grazing sheep and photographers who get too close. For some of its nutritional needs, the plant uses its roots to feed off of grasses, mycorrhizal fungi, and possibly other plants. I said “some” nutritional needs. Therefore, that plant is a parasite, but only partially so. Hence, it’s a hemi-parasite, more of a nibbler, as opposed to a full-fledged sap-sucking parasite. Though the leaves at the base exude a beautiful reddish tone, the green color above is the giveaway. The verdant hue shows that it’s not totally lazy, and creates its own energy through sunlight and chlorophyll production. In fact, wood betony can grow just fine even when its host plants aren’t around. Due to its nibbling nature, wood betony is known to stunt the growth of surrounding grasses. This is why it’s sometimes used in habitat restoration to quell the aggressiveness of towering grasses. In May, wood betony blooms in the best open woodlands, prairies, and savannas, like Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Chiwaukee Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois. *
On this May morning at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, wood betony awakens to the light of a red sunrise.*
Shooting Star:
In May, the beautiful blooms of shooting star can be found in prairies and woodlands, alike.*
A scene of shooting star and woodland phlox atop a bluff at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.”
Dutchman’s Breeches (or Dutchman’s Britches):
O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve has a large number of Dutchman’s breeches. It is one of my favorite spring flowers because the flower is just so kooky and the leaves are a dream. Unlike many woodland ephemerals that wait for the sun before they open, these flowers are on full display at any time. You can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, and many of our showcase woodlands.*
I discovered this pink variety of Dutchman’s breeches at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville. Notice the beautiful parts and details.*
Prairie Trillium:
At O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, prairie trillium rises as the sun sets.*
Mayapple:
In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. At the moment, mayapples are either just sprouting or just starting to open their umbrellas.*
Wild Ginger:
The green foliage is the star of the springtime show. Here you see the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger alongside a single blooming mayapple. The flowers of both plants can be found hiding beneath the leaves. All of our featured woodlands feature both of these plants.*
Skunk Cabbage:
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone like me, who finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down. You’ll find many at Pilcher Park Nature Center, Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, and O’Hara Woods.*
Sharp-lobed Hepatica:
This is sharp-lobed hepatica of species Hepatica nobilis acuta. It pops up through a layer of last year’s leaves and beckons the start of the new blooming season with floral color that ranges from white to pink, blue to purple. I’m especially taken by the colorful, textured cluster of miniature structures that inhabit the center of the flower, the deep three-lobed leaves, and the dark red stems. Another name for hepatica is liverleaf, referring to the shape of the leaf’s lobes. Early in the spring, you can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois, a group of sharp-lobed hepatica huddles around the base of an oak tree.*
Bloodroot:
This is bloodroot of species Sanguinaria canadensis. The white flowers are beautiful, but short-lived. At the end of its run, the slightest touch send the petals falling to the ground. The common name and genus name Sanguinaria come from the fact that breaking the stem or the roots makes the plant bleed a red juice. Don’t pick the flower to find out. Just take my word for it. Native Americans used the plant for dying their clothes and baskets, and for body paint. In woodlands, the wind gets broken up by trees which reduces its speed. Therefore, bloodroot and most other woodland plants do not depend on the breeze to disperse their seed. They rely on ants. In a process known as myrmechochory, the seeds of bloodroot have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that’s made up of fat or oil. The ants take the seeds back to their colonies where they eat the elaiosomes, but discard the seed into an rich and nourishing accumulation of nest debris where the seeds can safety germinate under the unwitting protection of the colony.*
Marsh Marigold:
My heart skips a beat when I see marsh marigold. At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, yellow flowers of marsh marigold were covered in a magical patina of morning frost. Visit nearby Trout Park for the best view of these plants. Pilcher Park Nature Center also has a beautiful display.*
In early spring, I come to Pilcher Park to play in the mud. Here, skunk cabbage and marsh marigold thrive in a woodland floodplain of inky water and the blackest muck I’ve ever seen.*
Marsh marigold and skunk cabbage mix and mingle at McClaughry Springs Woods in Palos Park, Illinois.*
Stout Blue-Eyed Grass
The sublime blooms of stout blue-eye grass may now be aflower at Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park, Illinois. And they bloom at these other preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Chiwaukee Prairie, Miller Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Pembroke Savanna:
Between late April and mid-May, Pembroke Savanna is home to blooms of white sand phlox and rare birdfoot violet.”
In 2013 and in many years since, sand phlox spread across the black oak savanna of Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park, Illinois.*
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
04-29-2022
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
April 29, 2022
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”
Plan the Best Nature Walks & Getaways Around Chicago!
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower forecasts!
Each week, we offer you opportunities to find peace during this trying time!
PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.
By this time in April, the early blooms should be well underway. And according to our database, Virginia bluebells may have reached peak bloom depending on the weather.
NEED THE LATEST BLOOMING NEWS, NOT JUST A PREDICTION?
THEN HELP US CROWDSOURCE IT!This FREE ChicagoNatureNOW! wildflower forecast is a prediction of the flowers that may be blooming during this week of the year. It’s driven by my one-of-a-kind proprietary database of local blooming events that I began compiling in 2003. But Mother Nature is mysterious. She follows her own secret schedule. Blooming dates can vary widely. For some of our followers, these weekly predictions will be enough. However, if you want to be rewarded with the latest news about what’s blooming where, then you must help us crowdsource that information by joining our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers crowdsourcing community. There’s no monetary cost to become a ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorer, but in return for this valuable news, you must share what you find at our showcase preserves on our private ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Just take a few pictures with your smartphone and tell us what you found. Due to the size of a group, everyone receives a lot even though each person only contributes a little. In other words, you’ll receive much more than you give. And the group is also a place to learn and ask questions about nature. CLICK HERE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR CROWDSOURCING TEAM OF EXPLORERS.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
APRIL PUTS ON THE SPECTACULAR SHOWS OF VIRGINIA BLUEBELL AND LARGE-FLOWERED TRILLIUM. But are they blooming now? According to my database, there’s still a good chance of catching both performances this season. If you don’t want to miss these magnificent blooms, then click here to learn about being an Explorer. But nature isn’t about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
This is an important time to be on the lookout for the spectacular shows of Virginia Bluebell and large-flowered trillium. The best blooms of Virginia Bluebells take place at O’Hara Woods, Pilcher Park, and Messenger Woods. Our database shows peak bluebell bloom happening anytime between April 2 and May 6. The former was in 2012 when it was 85 degrees in April! It puts on the most breathtaking performance of early spring. The oceans of blue are proof that Chicago nature offers beauty that rivals the national parks. Experience the magnificence with your eyes, as well as your nose, as the scent of these azure flowers fills the air with a sweet fragrance that some people liken to Froot Loops cereal. Instead of listening to “some people,” I did a little experiment of my own. I took the cereal into the field and compared its scent to the flowers. See the bluebell photos below to learn what I found.
The stunning show of large-flowered trillium usually corresponds closely to that of the bluebell, peaking just slightly after. These magnificent blossoms put on the best shows at Heron Rookery Trail (at Indiana Dunes National Park) and at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve that’s owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. These alabaster beauties also grow at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen, Meacham Grove in DuPage County, Harms Woods in Glenview, and Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa. And speaking of trillium, the elegant and ethereal prairie trillium also flowers in most of our woodlands.
The earliest of our spring ephemerals may be gone or well into their blooming cycle. Many of them are colored white, including bloodroot, false rue anemone, rue anemone, spring cress, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort (our Plant of the Week). Spring beauty is white with pink stripes, and sharp-lobed hepatica offers a beautiful palette ranging from white to lavender to purple.
The yellow blossoms of marsh marigold may still be blooming at some preserves, including Pilcher Park, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, Captain Daniel Wright Woods, and at McClaughry Springs Woods in Palos Park (across the stream from the parking lot). Along the trails of our fine woodlands, check for yellow violet, swamp buttercup, yellow trout lily, buttery wood betony, and the shy drooping blossoms of large-flowered bellwort. You should be able to see some some red in the form of the aforementioned prairie trillium. And as for the hues of blues, our common blue violet is extremely beautiful when growing in a clump amidst its heart-shaped foliage. And, as mentioned before, one of the biggest flower shows of the year is a celebration of blue, as a sea of Virginia Bluebells flood the woodland floor.
And let’s not forget the textured lushness and shapely foliage that typify vernal season: wild leek, mayapple, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with a spray of swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the woodland greenery. You should now find mayapple with leaves that resemble an open umbrella, or a closed umbrella when they first sprout. Seek out the the sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas. Great displays can be found at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. And notice the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger and its fuzzy burgundy flower hiding underneath. As an interesting history lesson, wild leek is the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.”
NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant from any preserve in the Chicago region.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville: The spectacular display of Virginia bluebells is usually taking place around this time, though it can vary between April 2 and May 5. This will be the top preserve to visit when the Virginia bluebells reach their peak. The preserve was once called Dynamite Woods because the site stored explosives during World War II. You can still see the crumbling bunkers, but they’re being taken over by woodland plants. Around this time, the white flowers of cutleaf toothwort should be exploding like sparklers across the woodland floor. Walk towards the stream along the south end of the preserve, and you’ll find Dutchman’s breeches (that look like white, puffy overalls), spring beauty, skunk cabbage, mayapple, wild leek (Chicago’s namesake), and Virginia bluebells.
Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park: The peak bloom of large-flowered trillium usually happens around this time, but it can be earlier or later depending on the whims of Mother Nature. The display of trillium is even better at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve, which is owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. Begin your stroll at the west parking lot. This woodland usually blooms earlier than most of our other preserves, but it can also be flooded by waters of the adjacent Little Calumet River. You may find sparkles of sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone and false rue anemone, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort, purple cress, bloodroot, and spring beauty. Look for patches of spear-like foliage that resemble green spotted trout. In there, you may find magnificent blooms of yellow trout lily. The otherworldly burgundy prairie trillium may also be flowering by now, and so might the bright-yellow swamp buttercup that wade in wet and muddy areas . The lush, sprawling foliage of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger greatly enhance the springtime experience.
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: The preserve puts on a show with a rich variety of flowers throughout the month of April and into the second half of May. Look for the whitish pink expanse of spring beauty and myriad other wildflowers, including Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, rue anemone, bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, and surprisingly large colonies of flowering white trout lily. Adding to the color palette, you may see common blue violet, the golden hues of common yellow violet and swamp buttercup, and the strange and wonderful maroon tones of prairie trillium. Also, experience the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger that add to the springtime mix. This preserve offers a nice display of Virginia bluebells, but not an overwhelming ocean like other preserves. Note that many spring flowers don’t open up at the break of day. They are awakened by the light. On cloudy days, they may remain enclosed safely in their buds. Fortunately, when closed, the Dutchman’s breeches cannot close and the white petals of toothwort are still visible and continue to twinkle.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: This preserve makes me happy with its lushness and many patterns and shades of emerald foliage, especially the swords of wild leek, umbrellas of mayapple, hearts of wild ginger, sprawling skunk cabbage, and stars of soon-to-bloom wild geranium. Hidden amongst the jade hues, try to find the beautiful floating foliage of early meadow rue. See if you can still spot the shimmering petals of bloodroot, sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, and the occasional Dutchman’s breeches. Search for the azure tones of common blue violet and woodland phlox. And seek out the shy drooping yellow blossoms of large-flowered bellwort. This is usually the best time to find Virginia bluebells blooming, with the largest display located west of the creek.
Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet: Begin your hike at the nature center where you may find a lush understory of spring wildflowers. Depending on when you visit, you may find sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, purple cress, and Dutchman’s breeches. Just as beautiful as the flowers are the fresh green leaves of wild leek, mayapple, and skunk cabbage. My favorite flower-of-the-moment is marsh marigold. Look for its yellow blossoms in the low, muddy areas of the site. You can find them near the nature center and around the trail after the bridge at this GPS coordinate: 41.532780, -88.016478. While you’re there (and just about anywhere with mud), look for the large fanning foliage of skunk cabbage. They’re hard to miss. Virginia bluebells also like the mud, especially along the banks of the creek. This preserve is one of the best places to experience a vastitude of bluebells which often flowers between mid-April and the first week of May.
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines that sparkle white with dense white colonies of false rue anemone that flow across the braes. But you’ll also see many other plants, as well, like cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches. sharp-lobed hepatica, wild leek, mayapple, prairie trillium and common blue violet, and the sublime large-flowered large-flowered bellwort that also grows in colonies. In late April or early May, look for drooping trillium and large-flowered trillium.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: The woodland adjacent to the prairie is rich in springtime ephemerals. Depending on the date of your visit, you’ll find many of the usual suspects in bloom: cutleaf toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, prairie trillium, and yellow colonies of swamp buttercup. And of course, these flowers will fall against a verdant backdrop of mayapple, wild ginger, and some wild leek. In May, the grand alabaster blossoms of large-flowered trillium steal the show amidst floating pink blossoms of wild geranium.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: The peak bloom of large-flowered trillium usually happens around this time, but it can be earlier or later depending on the weather. This preserve exudes that green and luxuriant feeling of spring. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid, mayapple, wild leek, and wild ginger. The most common blossoms that bloom in early spring are spring beauty, cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, false rue anemone, white trout lily, and prairie trillium. This preserve is known for its vast display of bluebells, which can reach peak bloom sometime between April 2 and May 6, though often in the last week of April.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Early in the spring, the transcendent yellow blossoms of marsh marigold should be flowering alongside fresh lush colonies of skunk cabbage. Soon after, you should also find miniature canopies of mayapple and a small number of spring ephemerals. And under the shade of the oaks in the savanna, you’ll find small patches of false rue anemone. For the best views of marsh marigold and skunk cabbage, visit Trout Park for dense populations of these plants in an intimate setting. The preserve features a trail that takes you up and down the bluffs that includes a wooden boardwalk that carefully guides you through sensitive wet areas. While on the boardwalk, look for Chicago’s only native evergreen tree, the northern white cedar. Atop the bluff, you’ll find other spring wildflowers.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, and then follow the narrow trail and across the street to Somme Prairie Grove. Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. Along your stroll, you should discover spring beauty, white trout lily, some bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, and others.
NOTE: If you can’t make it to our showcase preserves, try McKinley Woods/Fredericks Grove in Channahon, Johnson’s Mound in Elburn, Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and Harms Woods in Glenview, and Oldfield Oaks in Darien, and J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. You’re bound to find some good stuff.
PLANT OF THE WEEK (Virginia Bluebell):
Before they bloom, the Virginia bluebell (of species Mertensia virginica) shows off pink and purple buds. You can find them at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
Ah, the Virginia bluebell. This flower is not only beautiful, but it smells wonderful as well. When the flowers are blooming, the woodland fills with a fragrance that some say resembles the scent of Froot Loops cereal. So, last year, I put this to a test, in a side-by-side comparison. First, I lowered my nose into a small plastic bag filled with the cereal. Wow! I didn’t realize how “sharp” the sweetness was. Then, I cleared my nose by smelling my glove, and moved my nostrils into the fragrant blue trumpets. Here’s what I found. The bluebells do smell like the cereal, but not as sharp. But they also have a floral aroma. Therefore, bluebells smell like a floral Chanel version of Froot Loops cereal. Right now, you’ll find mostly buds and maybe a few open flowers of Virginia bluebell (species Mertensia virginica) at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
O’Hara Woods presents the best display of of Virginia bluebells around that fill the air with a floral scent of Froot Loops cereal.*
Visit Pilcher Park Nature Center for one of the best performance of Virginia bluebell in the region.*
Virginia bluebells bloom en mass along the creek at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee, though not in vast expanses like other woodlands on our list.*
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen is one of the best places to experience breathtaking expanses of Virginia bluebells.*
PHOTO SECTION
Large-flowered Trillium can bloom between mid-April and early May:
At Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park, large-flowered trillium is a site to behold.*
Large-flowered trillium of species Trillium grandiflorum covers the woodland floor in a spectacular annual display at J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. This is not on our list of showcase preserves, but it’s a wonderful supplement to your visit to nearby Heron Rookery Trail.
Sometime between mid-April and early May, large-flowered trillium will appear at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen. The bloom usually coincides with that of Virginia bluebell.*
The blooming in the northern suburbs lags behind the southern ones, so it takes a little longer for the large-flowered trillium to appear at Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Metawa and, here, at Harms Woods in Glenview. Notice how the flowers turn pink as they fade.*
Cutleaf Toothwort:
The small flowers of Cutleaf toothwort make a big impact given their size, especially when blooming in large numbers. Even when closed, they still impart a sparkle because the petals are much longer than the sepals. Initially, I thought that the “toothwort” name came from the toothed leaves or the closed flowers that look like molars. But I was wrong. It is the rhizome, a root-like structure located just below the soil between the stem and the root. Most people would not figure this out. I mean, I only discovered it after employing my X-ray vision. However, there was a time when people relied on plants, and often their roots, for survival. And Native Americans ate the tooth-shaped tuber. Now, this isn’t the only plant named after its root. The root of bloodroot, as the name suggest, bleeds a red liquid when broken. Native Americans used this sanguine solution as body paint and to dye clothes and baskets. This shot was taken at O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, but you can find it at any of our featured woodlands.*
In April, cutleaf toothwort blooms in profusion amongst a backdrop of mayapples at every local woodland, including here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve where they explode like firecrackers. This preserve was previously known as Dynamite Woods because explosives were stored here during World War II. Nowadays, the only thing that blows up are the spring wildflowers.*
During the month of April, O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve brings a woodland floor sparkling with cutleaf toothwort and the greenery of wild leek and mayapple. You can see all of these plants at all of our featured woodlands.
Large-Flowered Bellwort:
Look for beautiful populations of large-flowered bellwort at Black Partridge Woods, Johnson’s Mound, and Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve.
Marsh Marigold:
My heart skips a beat when I see marsh marigold. At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, yellow flowers of marsh marigold were covered in a magical patina of morning frost. Visit nearby Trout Park for the best view of these plants. Pilcher Park Nature Center also has a beautiful display.*
In early spring, I come to Pilcher Park to play in the mud. Here, skunk cabbage and marsh marigold thrive in a woodland floodplain of inky water and the blackest muck I’ve ever seen.*
Marsh marigold and skunk cabbage mix and mingle at McClaughry Springs Woods in Palos Park, Illinois.
False Rue Anemone:
False rue anemone (of species Enemion biternatum) is a beautiful plant that often blooms in dense colonies. The flowers are white and never have more than five sepals (the white petals that really aren’t petals at all). During the night, they close up into little white balls. False rue anemone is more common than its similar, (true) rue anemone. You can tell them apart by looking at their leaves and flowers. The flowers of false rue anemone can have many sepals, whereas the false version only has five. And the three-lobed leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Both characteristics are depicted in the image. You can see this plant at any of our showcase woodland. But the nicest shows take place at Johnson’s Mound, Black Partridge Woods, and Heron Rookery Trail. This and every other woodland wildflower is under attack by the foreign invader known as garlic mustard. It crowds out and poisons its neighbors until all that remains is its own kind covering black earth. This is one reason why the forest preserves are always looking for volunteers, like you, to help control such threats. Volunteer today!
Rue Anemone:
Rue anemone (of species Thalictrum thalictroides) is a found in the higher quality woodlands of our region that have not been disturbed by human activity. The plant is sometimes called windflower because of the ease at which the flowers blow around in the breeze. And windflower definitely likes the breeze because its blossoms depend on the wind for pollination. Here, it was a cold Tuesday morning at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve. And while there were hundreds of flowers waiting to open, only this plant of rue anemone was brave enough to blossom. This plant is often confused with false rue anemone. The flowers and foliage are similar, but a closer look will reveal the difference. The number of flower petals, which are actually not petals but sepals, number only five on false rue anemone, whereas the sepal count for rue anemone varies widely, even on the same plant. Here, we see ten. As for the foliage, both have foliage with three lobes. However, they’re “deeply lobed” on the false version, meaning that the leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Also, the true version tends to grow alone, while the false often grows in clusters.
Dutchman’s Breeches (or Dutchman’s Britches):
O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve has a large number of Dutchman’s breeches. It is one of my favorite spring flowers because the flower is just so kooky and the leaves are a dream. Unlike many woodland ephemerals that wait for the sun before they open, these flowers are on full display at any time. You can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, and many of our showcase woodlands.*
I discovered this pink variety of Dutchman’s breeches at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville. Notice the beautiful parts and details.*
Prairie Trillium:
At O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, prairie trillium rises as the sun sets.*
Sharp-lobed Hepatica:
This is sharp-lobed hepatica of species Hepatica nobilis acuta. It pops up through a layer of last year’s leaves and beckons the start of the new blooming season with floral color that ranges from white to pink, blue to purple. I’m especially taken by the colorful, textured cluster of miniature structures that inhabit the center of the flower, the deep three-lobed leaves, and the dark red stems. Another name for hepatica is liverleaf, referring to the shape of the leaf’s lobes. Early in the spring, you can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois, a group of sharp-lobed hepatica huddles around the base of an oak tree.*
Bloodroot:
This is bloodroot of species Sanguinaria canadensis. The white flowers are beautiful, but short-lived. At the end of its run, the slightest touch send the petals falling to the ground. The common name and genus name Sanguinaria come from the fact that breaking the stem or the roots makes the plant bleed a red juice. Don’t pick the flower to find out. Just take my word for it. Native Americans used the plant for dying their clothes and baskets, and for body paint. In woodlands, the wind gets broken up by trees which reduces its speed. Therefore, bloodroot and most other woodland plants do not depend on the breeze to disperse their seed. They rely on ants. In a process known as myrmechochory, the seeds of bloodroot have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that’s made up of fat or oil. The ants take the seeds back to their colonies where they eat the elaiosomes, but discard the seed into an rich and nourishing accumulation of nest debris where the seeds can safety germinate under the unwitting protection of the colony.
Mayapple:
In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods, in Lemont, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. At the moment, mayapples are either just sprouting or just starting to open their umbrellas.*
Wild Ginger:
The green foliage is the star of the springtime show. Here you see the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger alongside a single blooming mayapple. The flowers of both plants can be found hiding beneath the leaves. All of our featured woodlands feature both of these plants.*
Skunk Cabbage:
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone who, like me, finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down. You’ll find many at Pilcher Park Nature Center, Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, and O’Hara Woods.*
In late winter and early spring, skunk cabbage penetrates the frozen temperatures of late winter to be Chicago’s first plant to bloom. It uses its own heating system to melt the snow and ice in a process known as thermogenesis. The bumps atop the ball inside the spathe (the hood) are the plant’s flowers. And that ball is called the spadix. It’s the furnace that generates the heat and also creates a odor reminiscent of a yummy dead animal. Not yummy to us, but to carrion flies that are in search of a delicious treat. The plant uses this trick to attract flies, hoping that they’ll unwittingly pollinate the flowers as they buzz about looking for something dead to eat.
In its early stages, the speckled maroon spathe of skunk cabbage blends with leaf litter on the woodland floor, making it difficult to find when it first emerges. However, the plant becomes more conspicuous as it grows larger and produces its curious, oval-shaped yellow flower head, known as a spadix. The tiny delicate protrusions you see on the spadix are the flowers.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
04-22-2022
Earth Day Edition
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
April 22, 2022
(Earth Day Edition)
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”
Plan the Best Nature Walks & Getaways Around Chicago!
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower forecasts!
Each week, we offer you opportunities to find peace during this trying time!
PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.
It’s Earth Day. And the springtime blooms are exploding!
This is also the week when, according to our data,
Virginia bluebells are most likely to reach peak bloom.
NEED THE LATEST BLOOMING NEWS, NOT JUST A PREDICTION?
THEN HELP US CROWDSOURCE IT!This FREE ChicagoNatureNOW! wildflower forecast is a prediction of the flowers that may be blooming during this week of the year. It’s driven by my one-of-a-kind proprietary database of local blooming events that I began compiling in 2003. But Mother Nature is mysterious. She follows her own secret schedule. Blooming dates can vary widely. For some of our followers, these weekly predictions will be enough. However, if you want to be rewarded with the latest news about what’s blooming where, then you must help us crowdsource that information by joining our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers crowdsourcing community. There’s no monetary cost to become a ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorer, but in return for this valuable news, you must share what you find at our showcase preserves on our private ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Just take a few pictures with your smartphone and tell us what you found. Due to the size of a group, everyone receives a lot even though each person only contributes a little. In other words, you’ll receive much more than you give. And the group is also a place to learn and ask questions about nature. CLICK HERE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR CROWDSOURCING TEAM OF EXPLORERS.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
APRIL PUTS ON THE SPECTACULAR SHOWS OF VIRGINIA BLUEBELL AND LARGE-FLOWERED TRILLIUM. But are they blooming now? According to my database, there’s a good chance of catching both performances this season. If you don’t want to miss these magnificent blooms, then click here to learn about being an Explorer. But nature isn’t about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
Now is the time to be on the lookout for two spectacular shows, that of the Virginia Bluebell and large-flowered trillium. The best blooms of Virginia Bluebells take place at O’Hara Woods, Pilcher Park, and Messenger Woods. Our database shows peak bluebell bloom happening anytime between April 2 and May 6. The former was in 2012 when it was 85 degrees in April! It puts on the most breathtaking performance of early spring. The oceans of blue are proof that Chicago nature offers beauty that rivals the national parks. Experience the magnificence with your eyes, as well as your nose, as the scent of these azure flowers fills the air with a sweet fragrance that some people liken to Froot Loops cereal. Instead of listening to “some people,” I did a little experiment of my own. I took the cereal into the field and compared its scent to the flowers. Find the bluebell photos below to learn what I found.
The breathtaking show of large-flowered trillium usually corresponds closely to that of the bluebell, peaking just slightly after. These magnificent blossoms put on the best shows at Heron Rookery Trail (at Indiana Dunes National Park) and at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve that’s owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. These alabaster beauties also grow at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen, Meacham Grove in DuPage County, Harms Woods in Glenview, and Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa. And speaking of trillium, the elegant and ethereal prairie trillium flowers in most of our woodlands.
The earliest of our spring ephemerals may be gone or well into their blooming cycle. Many of them are colored white, including bloodroot, false rue anemone, rue anemone, spring cress, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort (our Plant of the Week). Spring beauty is white with pink stripes, and sharp-lobed hepatica offers a beautiful palette ranging from white to lavender to purple.
The yellow blossoms of marsh marigold may still be blooming at many preserves, including Pilcher Park, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, Captain Daniel Wright Woods, and at McClaughry Springs Woods in Palos Park (across the stream from the parking lot). Along the trails of our fine woodlands, check for yellow violet, swamp buttercup, yellow trout lily, buttery wood betony, and the shy drooping blossoms of large-flowered bellwort. You should be able to see some some red in the form of the aforementioned prairie trillium. And as for the hues of blues, our common blue violet is extremely beautiful when growing in a clump amidst its heart-shaped foliage. And, as mentioned before, one of the biggest flower shows of the year is a celebration of blue, as a sea of Virginia Bluebells flood the woodland floor.
And let’s not forget the textured lushness and shapely foliage that typify vernal season: wild leek, mayapple, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with a spray of swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the woodland greenery. You should now find mayapple with leaves that resemble an open umbrella, or a closed umbrella when they first sprout. Seek out the the sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas. Great displays can be found at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. And notice the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger and its fuzzy burgundy flower hiding underneath. As an interesting history lesson, wild leek is the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.”
NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant, from any preserve in the Chicago region.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville: The spectacular display of Virginia bluebells usually begins around this time, though it can vary between April 2 and May 5. This will be the top preserve to visit when the Virginia bluebells reach their peak. The preserve was once called Dynamite Woods because the site stored explosives during World War II. You can still see the crumbling bunkers, but they’re being taken over by woodland plants. Around this time, the white flowers of cutleaf toothwort should be exploding like sparklers across the woodland floor. Walk towards the stream along the south end of the preserve, and you’ll find Dutchman’s breeches (that look like white, puffy overalls), spring beauty, skunk cabbage, mayapple, wild leek (Chicago’s namesake), and Virginia bluebells.
Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park: Begin your stroll at the west parking lot. This woodland usually blooms earlier than most of our other preserves, but it can also be flooded by waters of the adjacent Little Calumet River. You may find sparkles of sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone and false rue anemone, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort, purple cress, bloodroot, and spring beauty. Look for patches of spear-like foliage that resemble green spotted trout. In there, you may find magnificent blooms of yellow trout lily. The otherworldly burgundy prairie trillium may also be flowering by now, and so might the bright-yellow swamp buttercup that wade in wet and muddy areas . The lush, sprawling foliage of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger greatly enhance the springtime experience. Sometime between the middle of April and early May, large-flowered trillium puts on a grand show. The display of trillium is even better at the nearby J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve which is owned by Shirley Hines Land Trust. The gently rolling landscape and river appeal to me at Heron Rookery Trail. But Timothy Ritchie is a great complement to Heron Rookery Trail.
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: The preserve puts on a show with a rich variety of flowers throughout the month of April and into the second half of May. Look for the whitish pink expanse of spring beauty and myriad other wildflowers, including Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, rue anemone, bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, and surprisingly large colonies of flowering white trout lily. Adding to the color palette, you may see common blue violet, the golden hues of common yellow violet and swamp buttercup, and the strange and wonderful maroon tones of prairie trillium. Also, experience the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger that add to the springtime mix. This preserve offers a nice display of Virginia bluebells, but not an overwhelming ocean like other preserves. Note that many spring flowers don’t open up at the break of day. They are awakened by the light. On cloudy days, they may remain enclosed safely in their buds. Fortunately, when closed, the Dutchman’s breeches cannot close and the white petals of toothwort are still visible and continue to twinkle.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: This preserve makes me happy with its lushness and many patterns and shades of emerald foliage, especially the swords of wild leek, umbrellas of mayapple, hearts of wild ginger, sprawling skunk cabbage, and stars of soon-to-bloom wild geranium. Hidden amongst the jade hues, try to find the beautiful floating foliage of early meadow rue. See if you can still spot the shimmering petals of bloodroot, sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, and the occasional Dutchman’s breeches. Search for the azure tones of common blue violet and woodland phlox. And seek for the shy drooping yellow blossoms of large-flowered bellwort. This is usually the best time to find Virginia bluebells blooming, with the largest display located west of the creek.
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines that sparkle white with dense white colonies of false rue anemone that flow across the braes. But you’ll also see many other plants, as well, like cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches. sharp-lobed hepatica, wild leek, mayapple, prairie trillium and common blue violet, and the sublime large-flowered large-flowered bellwort that also grows in colonies. In late April or early May, look for drooping trillium and large-flowered trillium.
Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet: Begin your hike at the nature center where you may find a lush understory of spring wildflowers. Depending on when you visit, you may find sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, purple cress, and Dutchman’s breeches. Just as beautiful as the flowers are the fresh green leaves of wild leek, mayapple, and skunk cabbage. My favorite flower-of-the-moment is marsh marigold. Look for its yellow blossoms in the low, muddy areas of the site. You can find them near the nature center and around the trail after the bridge at this GPS coordinate: 41.532780, -88.016478. While you’re there (and just about anywhere with mud), look for the large fanning foliage of skunk cabbage. They’re hard to miss. Virginia bluebells also like the mud, especially along the banks of the creek. This preserve is one of the best places to experience a vastitude of bluebells which often flowers between mid-April and the first week of May.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: The woodland adjacent to the prairie is rich in springtime ephemerals. Depending on the date of your visit, you’ll find many of the usual suspects in bloom: cutleaf toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, prairie trillium, and yellow colonies of swamp buttercup. And of course, these flowers will fall against a verdant backdrop of mayapple, wild ginger, and some wild leek. In May, the grand alabaster blossoms of large-flowered trillium steal the show amidst floating pink blossoms of wild geranium.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: This preserve exudes that green and luxuriant feeling of spring. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid, mayapple, wild leek, and wild ginger. The most common blossoms that bloom in early spring are spring beauty, cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, false rue anemone, white trout lily, and prairie trillium. This preserve is known for its vast display of bluebells, which can reach peak bloom sometime between April 2 and May 6, though often in the last week of April.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Early in the spring, the transcendent yellow blossoms of marsh marigold should be flowering alongside fresh lush colonies of skunk cabbage. Soon after, you should also find miniature canopies of mayapple and a small number of spring ephemerals. And under the shade of the oaks in the savanna, you’ll find small patches of false rue anemone. For the best views of marsh marigold and skunk cabbage, visit Trout Park for dense populations of these plants in an intimate setting. The preserve features a trail that takes you up and down the bluffs that includes a wooden boardwalk that carefully guides you through sensitive wet areas. While on the boardwalk, look for Chicago’s only native evergreen tree, the northern white cedar. Atop the bluff, you’ll find other spring wildflowers.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, and then follow the narrow trail to Somme Prairie Grove. Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. Along your stroll, you should discover spring beauty, white trout lily, some bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, and others.
NOTE: If you can’t make it to our showcase preserves, try McKinley Woods/Fredericks Grove in Channahon, Johnson’s Mound in Elburn, Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and Harms Woods in Glenview, and Oldfield Oaks in Darien, and J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. You’re bound to find some good stuff.
PLANT OF THE WEEK (Cutleaf Toothwort):
The small flowers of Cutleaf toothwort make a big impact given size, especially when blooming in large numbers. Even when closed, they still impart a sparkle because the petals are much longer than the sepals. Initially, I thought that the “toothwort” name came from the toothed leaves or the closed flowers that look like molars. But I was wrong. It is the rhizome, a root-like structure located just below the soil between the stem and the root. Most people would not figure this out. I mean, I only discovered it after employing my X-ray vision. However, there was a time when people relied on plants, and often their roots, for survival. And Native Americans ate the tooth-shaped tuber. Now, this isn’t the only plant named after its root. The root of bloodroot, as the name suggest, bleeds a red liquid when broken. Native Americans used this sanguine solution as body paint and to dye clothes and baskets. This shot was taken at O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, but you can find it at any of our featured woodlands.*
In April, cutleaf toothwort blooms in profusion amongst a backdrop of mayapples at every local woodland, including here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve where they explode like firecrackers. This preserve was previously known as Dynamite Woods because explosives were stored here during World War II. Nowadays, the only thing that blows up are the spring wildflowers.*
During the month of April, O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve brings a woodland floor sparkling with cutleaf toothwort and the greenery of wild leek and mayapple. You can see all of these plants at all of our featured woodlands.
PHOTO SECTION
False Rue Anemone:
False rue anemone (of species Enemion biternatum) is a beautiful plant that often blooms in dense colonies. The flowers are white and never have more than five sepals (the white petals that really aren’t petals at all). During the night, they close up into little white balls. False rue anemone is more common than its similar, (true) rue anemone. You can tell them apart by looking at their leaves and flowers. The flowers of false rue anemone can have many sepals, whereas the false version only has five. And the three-lobed leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Both characteristics are depicted in the image. You can see this plant at any of our showcase woodland. But the nicest shows take place at Johnson’s Mound, Black Partridge Woods, and Heron Rookery Trail. This and every other woodland wildflower is under attack by the foreign invader known as garlic mustard. It crowds out and poisons its neighbors until all that remains is its own kind covering black earth. This is one reason why the forest preserves are always looking for volunteers, like you, to help control such threats. Volunteer today!
Rue Anemone:
Rue anemone (of species Thalictrum thalictroides) is a found in the higher quality woodlands of our region that have not been disturbed by human activity. The plant is sometimes called windflower because of the ease at which the flowers blow around in the breeze. And windflower definitely likes the breeze because its blossoms depend on the wind for pollination. Here, it was a cold Tuesday morning at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve. And while there were hundreds of flowers waiting to open, only this plant of rue anemone was brave enough to blossom. This plant is often confused with false rue anemone. The flowers and foliage are similar, but a closer look will reveal the difference. The number of flower petals, which are actually not petals but sepals, number only five on false rue anemone, whereas the sepal count for rue anemone varies widely, even on the same plant. Here, we see ten. As for the foliage, both have foliage with three lobes. However, they’re “deeply lobed” on the false version, meaning that the leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Also, the true version tends to grow alone, while the false often grows in clusters.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica:
This is sharp-lobed hepatica of species Hepatica nobilis acuta. It pops up through a layer of last year’s leaves and beckons the start of the new blooming season with floral color that ranges from white to pink, blue to purple. I’m especially taken by the colorful, textured cluster of miniature structures that inhabit the center of the flower, the deep three-lobed leaves, and the dark red stems. Another name for hepatica is liverleaf, referring to the shape of the leaf’s lobes. Early in the spring, you can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois, a group of sharp-lobed hepatica huddles around the base of an oak tree.*
Bloodroot:
This is bloodroot of species Sanguinaria canadensis. The white flowers are beautiful, but short-lived. At the end of its run, the slightest touch send the petals falling to the ground. The common name and genus name Sanguinaria come from the fact that breaking the stem or the roots makes the plant bleed a red juice. Don’t pick the flower to find out. Just take my word for it. Native Americans used the plant for dying their clothes and baskets, and for body paint. In woodlands, the wind gets broken up by trees which reduces its speed. Therefore, bloodroot and most other woodland plants do not depend on the breeze to disperse their seed. They rely on ants. In a process known as myrmechochory, the seeds of bloodroot have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that’s made up of fat or oil. The ants take the seeds back to their colonies where they eat the elaiosomes, but discard the seed into an rich and nourishing accumulation of nest debris where the seeds can safety germinate under the unwitting protection of the colony.
Marsh Marigold:
My heart skips a beat when I see marsh marigold. At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, yellow flowers of marsh marigold were covered in a magical patina of morning frost. Visit nearby Trout Park for the best view of these plants. Pilcher Park Nature Center also has a beautiful display.*
In early spring, I come to Pilcher Park to play in the mud. Here, skunk cabbage and marsh marigold thrive in a woodland floodplain of inky water and the blackest muck I’ve ever seen.*
Marsh marigold and skunk cabbage mix and mingle at McClaughry Springs Woods in Palos Park, Illinois.
Virginia Bluebells put on April’s most breathtaking flower show, any time between April 2 and May 6:
Before they bloom, the Virginia bluebell (of species Mertensia virginica) shows off pink and purple buds. You can find them at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
Ah, the Virginia bluebell. This flower is not only beautiful, but it smells wonderful as well. When the flowers are blooming, the woodland fills with a fragrance that some say resembles the scent of Froot Loops cereal. So, last year, I put this to a test, in side-by-side comparison. First, I lowered my nose into a small plastic bag filled with the cereal. Wow! I didn’t realize how “sharp” the sweetness was. Then, I cleared my nose by smelling my glove, and moved my nostrils into the fragrant blue trumpets. Here’s what I found. The bluebells do smell like the cereal, but not as sharp. But they also have a floral aroma. Therefore, bluebells smell like a floral Chanel version of Froot Loops cereal. Right now, you’ll find mostly buds and maybe a few open flowers of Virginia bluebell (species Mertensia virginica) at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
O’Hara Woods presents the best display of of Virginia bluebells around that fill the air with a floral scent of Froot Loops cereal.*
Visit Pilcher Park Nature Center for one of the best performance of Virginia bluebell in the region.*
Virginia bluebells bloom en mass along the creek at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee, though not in vast expanses like other woodlands on our list.*
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen is one of the best places to experience breathtaking expanses of Virginia bluebells.*
Large-flowered Trillium can bloom between mid-April and early May:
At Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park, large-flowered trillium is a site to behold.*
Large-flowered trillium of species Trillium grandiflorum covers the woodland floor in a spectacular annual display at J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. This is not on our list of showcase preserves, but it’s a wonderful supplement to your visit to nearby Heron Rookery Trail.
Sometime between mid-April and early May, large-flowered trillium will appear at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen. The bloom usually coincides with that of Virginia bluebell.*
The blooming in the northern suburbs lags behind the southern ones, so it takes a little longer for the large-flowered trillium to appear at Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Metawa and, here, at Harms Woods in Glenview. Notice how the flowers turn pink as they fade.*
Dutchman’s Breeches (or Dutchman’s Britches):
O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve has a large number of Dutchman’s breeches. It is one of my favorite spring flowers because the flower is just so kooky and the leaves are a dream. Unlike many woodland ephemerals that wait for the sun before they open, these flowers are on full display at any time. You can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, and many of our showcase woodlands.*
I discovered this pink variety of Dutchman’s breeches at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville. Notice the beautiful parts and details.*
Prairie Trillium:
At O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, prairie trillium rises as the sun sets.*
Mayapple:
In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods, in Lemont, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. At the moment, mayapples are either just sprouting or just starting to open their umbrellas.*
Skunk Cabbage:
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone who, like me, finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down. You’ll find many at Pilcher Park Nature Center, Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, and O’Hara Woods.*
In late winter and early spring, skunk cabbage penetrates the frozen temperatures of late winter to be Chicago’s first plant to bloom. It uses its own heating system to melt the snow and ice in a process known as thermogenesis. The bumps atop the ball inside the spathe (the hood) are the plant’s flowers. And that ball is called the spadix. It’s the furnace that generates the heat and also creates a odor reminiscent of a yummy dead animal. Not yummy to us, but to carrion flies that are in search of a delicious treat. The plant uses this trick to attract flies, hoping that they’ll unwittingly pollinate the flowers as they buzz about looking for something dead to eat.
In its early stages, the speckled maroon spathe of skunk cabbage blends with leaf litter on the woodland floor, making it difficult to find when it first emerges. However, the plant becomes more conspicuous as it grows larger and produces its curious, oval-shaped yellow flower head, known as a spadix. The tiny delicate protrusions you see on the spadix are the flowers.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
04-15-2022
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
April 15, 2022
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This week in April often brings many new blooms amidst a variety of verdant groundcover.
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Begin your renewal in nature.
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THEN HELP US CROWDSOURCE IT!This FREE ChicagoNatureNOW! wildflower forecast is a prediction of the flowers that may be blooming during this week of the year. It’s driven by my one-of-a-kind proprietary database of local blooming events that I began compiling in 2003. But Mother Nature is mysterious. She follows her own secret schedule. Blooming dates can vary widely. For some of our followers, these weekly predictions will be enough. However, if you want to be rewarded with the latest news about what’s blooming where, then you must help us crowdsource that information by joining our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers crowdsourcing community. There’s no monetary cost to become a ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorer, but in return for this valuable news, you must share what you find at our showcase preserves on our private ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Just take a few pictures with your smartphone and tell us what you found. Due to the size of a group, everyone receives a lot even though each person only contributes a little. In other words, you’ll receive much more than you give. And the group is also a place to learn and ask questions about nature. CLICK HERE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR CROWDSOURCING TEAM OF EXPLORERS.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
RIGHT NOW, SPRING WILDFLOWERS BLOOMING. But which ones? According to my database, spring can start anytime between late March and mid-April. So just pick a preserve to explore and discover from the list below. Get out into nature and be open to its unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue. And after all that you still would like to know exactly what’s happening in wildflowerland, then click here to learn about being an Explorer.
The start of spring begins in Chicago’s woodlands with a celebration of delicate wildflowers. The blossoms may be plentiful, but they’re often diminutive. To best appreciate these small, low-to-the-ground flowers, bend down and take a closer look. Marvel at their intricate beauty. Many of our springtime flowers are colored white, like cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, rue anemone, spring cress, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, and bloodroot (our Plant of the Week). Spring beauty is white with pink stripes, and sharp-lobed hepatica offers a beautiful palette ranging from white to lavender to purple.
You may find yellow flowers, like those of marsh marigold in the muddy woodlands. Oh how I love its flowers and round-hearted leaves. Other golden blooms include yellow violet, swamp buttercup, yellow trout lily, buttery wood betony, and the shy drooping blossoms of large-flowered bellwort. We can see some red in the form of the ethereal prairie trillium. And as for the blues and purples, our common blue violet is extremely beautiful when growing in a clump amidst its heart-shaped foliage. In fact, one of the biggest flower shows of the year is a celebration of blue, as a sea of Virginia Bluebells flood the woodland floor. Our database shows peak bloom happening anytime between April 2 and May 6. The former was in 2012 when it was 85 degrees in April!
And let’s not forget the bright green leaves of the vernal season. You’ll find sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas with great displays at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the early-spring greenery. It’s the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.” And look for mayapple with foliage that resembles an umbrella, and a closed umbrella when they first sprout. It can take several days for them to open.
NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant, from any preserve in the Chicago region.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: The preserve puts on a show with a rich variety of flowers throughout the month of April and into the second half of May. Depending on when spring sprung this year, look for the whitish pink expanse of spring beauty and myriad other wildflowers, including Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, rue anemone, bloodroot, and surprisingly large colonies of flowering white trout lily. The strange and wonderful prairie trillium may also be in bloom. Also, experience the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger that add to the springtime mix. This preserve will soon offer a nice display of Virginia bluebells, but not an overwhelming ocean like other preserves. Note that many spring flowers don’t open up at the break of day. They are awakened by the light. On cloudy days, they may remain enclosed safely in their buds. Fortunately, when closed, the white petals of toothwort are still visible and continue to twinkle.
Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park: Begin at the west parking lot. This woodland usually blooms earlier than most of our other preserves, but it can also be flooded by waters of the adjacent Little Calumet River. Depending on your timing, you may find sparkles of sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone and false rue anemone, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort, purple cress, bloodroot, and spring beauty. Look for patches of spear-like foliage that resemble green spotted trout. In there, you may find magnificent blooms of yellow trout lily. And prairie trillium may also be flowering by now. The lush, sprawling foliage of mayapple and wild leek greatly enhance the springtime experience.
O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville: The preserve was once called Dynamite Woods because the site stored explosives during World War II. You can still see the crumbling bunkers, but they’re being taken over by woodland plants. Right now, white flowers of cutleaf toothwort should be exploding, like sparklers across the woodland floor. Walk towards the stream along the south end of the preserve, and you’ll find Dutchman’s breeches (that look like white, puffy overalls), spring beauty, skunk cabbage, mayapple, wild leek (Chicago’s namesake), and soon-to-bloom Virginia bluebells. This will be the top preserve to visit when the Virginia bluebells reach their peak.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: When spring takes hold, this preserve is breathtaking. From the filigreed tree canopy to an understory of lushness with many patterns and shades of emerald foliage, especially wild leek, mayapple, the glorious leaves of skunk cabbage, and the small heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger. And you should soon find the shimmering petals of bloodroot, sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, and the occasional Dutchman’s breeches. Virginia bluebells bloom a little later.
Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet: Begin your hike at the nature center where you may find a lush understory of spring wildflowers. Depending on when you visit, you may find sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, purple cress, and Dutchman’s breeches. Just as beautiful as the flowers are the fresh green leaves of wild leek, mayapple, and skunk cabbage. My favorite flower-of-the-moment is marsh marigold, which is probably reaching peak bloom. Look for its yellow blossoms in the low, muddy areas of the site. You can find them near the nature center and around the trail after the bridge at this GPS coordinate: 41.532780, -88.016478. While you’re there (and just about anywhere with mud), look for the large fanning foliage of skunk cabbage. They’re hard to miss. Virginia bluebells also like the mud, especially along the banks of the creek. This preserve is one of the best places to experience a vastitude of bluebells, which often flowers between mid-April and the first week of May.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: The woodland adjacent to the prairie is rich in springtime ephemerals. Depending on the date of your visit, you’ll find many of the usual suspects in bloom: cutleaf toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, prairie trillium, and yellow colonies of swamp buttercup. And of course, these flowers will fall against a verdant backdrop of mayapple, wild ginger, and some wild leek. In May, the grand alabaster blossoms of large-flowered trillium steal the show amidst floating pink blossoms of wild geranium.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: This preserve exudes that green and luxuriant feeling of spring. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid. The most common blossoms that bloom in early spring are spring beauty, cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, and false rue anemone. The foliage of mayapple and wild leek greatly contribute to the lush springtime feel of the place. This preserve is known for its vast display of bluebells, which can reach peak bloom sometime between April 2 and May 5, though often in the last week of April.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Early in the spring, the transcendent yellow blossoms of marsh marigold should be flowering alongside fresh lush colonies of skunk cabbage. Soon after, you should also find miniature canopies of mayapple and a small number of spring ephemerals. And under the shade of the oaks in the savanna, you’ll find small patches of false rue anemone. For the best views of marsh marigold and skunk cabbage, visit Trout Park for dense populations of these plants in an intimate setting. The preserve features a trail that takes you up and down the bluffs that includes a wooden boardwalk that carefully guides you through sensitive wet areas. While on the boardwalk, look for Chicago’s only native evergreen tree, the northern white cedar. Atop the bluff, you’ll find other spring wildflowers.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, and then follow the narrow trail to Somme Prairie Grove. Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. Along your stroll, you should discover spring beauty, white trout lily, some bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, and others.
PLANT OF THE WEEK (Bloodroot):
This is bloodroot of species Sanguinaria canadensis. The white flowers are beautiful, but short-lived. At the end of its run, the slightest touch send the petals falling to the ground. The common name and genus name Sanguinaria come from the fact that breaking the stem or the roots makes the plant bleed a red juice. Don’t pick the flower to find out. Just take my word for it. Native Americans used the plant for dying their clothes and baskets, and for body paint. In woodlands, the wind gets broken up by trees which reduces its speed. Therefore, bloodroot and most other woodland plants do not depend on the breeze to disperse their seed. They rely on ants. In a process known as myrmechochory, the seeds of bloodroot have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that’s made up of fat or oil. The ants take the seeds back to their colonies where they eat the elaiosomes, but discard the seed into an rich and nourishing accumulation of nest debris where the seeds can safety germinate under the unwitting protection of the colony.
PHOTO SECTION
Sharp-lobed Hepatica:
This is sharp-lobed hepatica of species Hepatica nobilis acuta. It pops up through a layer of last year’s leaves and beckons the start of the new blooming season with floral color that ranges from white to pink, blue to purple. I’m especially taken by the colorful, textured cluster of miniature structures that inhabit the center of the flower, the deep three-lobed leaves, and the dark red stems. Another name for hepatica is liverleaf, referring to the shape of the leaf’s lobes. Early in the spring, you can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois, a group of sharp-lobed hepatica huddles around the base of an oak tree.*
Marsh Marigold:
My heart skips a beat when I see marsh marigold. At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, yellow flowers of marsh marigold were covered in a magical patina of morning frost. Visit nearby Trout Park for the best view of these plants. Pilcher Park Nature Center also has a beautiful display.*
In early spring, I come to Pilcher Park to play in the mud. Here, skunk cabbage and marsh marigold thrive in a woodland floodplain of inky water and the blackest muck I’ve ever seen.*
Skunk Cabbage:
Skunk cabbage penetrates the frozen temperatures of late winter to be Chicago’s first plant to bloom. It uses its own heating system to melt the snow and ice in a process known as thermogenesis. The bumps atop the ball inside the spathe (the hood) are the plant’s flowers. And that ball is called the spadix. It’s the furnace that generates the heat and also creates a odor reminiscent of a yummy dead animal. Not yummy to us, but to carrion flies that are in search of a delicious treat. The plant uses this trick to attract flies, hoping that they’ll unwittingly pollinate the flowers as they buzz about looking for something dead to eat.
The speckled maroon spathe of skunk cabbage blends with leaf litter on the woodland floor, making it difficult to find when it first emerges. However, the plant becomes more conspicuous as it grows larger and produces its curious, oval-shaped yellow flower head, known as a spadix. The tiny delicate protrusions you see on the spadix are the flowers.
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone who, like me, finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down. You’ll find many at Pilcher Park Nature Center, Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, and O’Hara Woods.*
Cutleaf Toothwort:
Cutleaf toothwort is small flowers makes a big impact for their size of its flowers, especially when blooming in large numbers. Even when closed, they still impart a sparkle because the petals are much longer than the sepals. Initially, I thought that the “toothwort” name came from the toothed leaves or the closed flowers that look like molars. But I was wrong. It is the rhyzome, a root-like structure located just below the soil between the stem and the root. Most people would not figure this out. I mean, I only discovered it after employing my X-ray vision. However, there was a time when people relied on plants, and often their roots, for survival. And Native Americans ate the tooth-shaped tuber. Now, this isn’t the only plant named after its root. The root of bloodroot, as the name suggest, bleeds a red liquid when broken. Native Americans used this sanguine solution as body paint and to dye clothes and baskets. This shot was taken at O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, but you can find it at any of our featured woodlands.*
In April, cutleaf toothwort blooms in profusion amongst a backdrop of mayapples at every local woodland, including here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve where they explode like firecrackers. This preserve was previously known as Dynamite Woods because explosives were stored here during World War II. Nowadays, the only thing that blows up are the spring wildflowers.*
During the month of April, O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve brings a woodland floor sparkling with cutleaf toothwort and the greenery of wild leek and mayapple. You can see all of these plants at all of our featured woodlands.
Dutchman’s Breeches (or Dutchman’s Britches):
O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve has a large number of Dutchman’s breeches. It is one of my favorite spring flowers because the flower is just so kooky and the leaves are a dream. You can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, and many of our showcase woodlands.*
I discovered this pink variety of Dutchman’s breeches at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville. Notice the beautiful parts and details.*
Rue Anemone:
Rue anemone (of species Thalictrum thalictroides) is a found in the higher quality woodlands of our region that have not been disturbed by human activity. The plant is sometimes called windflower because of the ease at which the flowers blow around in the breeze. And windflower definitely likes the breeze because its blossoms depend on the wind for pollination. Here, it was a cold Tuesday morning at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve. And while there were hundreds of flowers waiting to open, only this plant of rue anemone was brave enough to blossom. This plant is often confused with false rue anemone. The flowers and foliage are similar, but a closer look will reveal the difference. The number of flower petals, which are actually not petals but sepals, number only five on false rue anemone, whereas the sepal count for rue anemone varies widely, even on the same plant. Here, we see ten. As for the foliage, both have foliage with three lobes. However, they’re “deeply lobed” on the false version, meaning that the leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Also, the true version tends to grow alone, while the false often grows in clusters.
False Rue Anemone:
False rue anemone (of species Enemion biternatum) is a beautiful plant that often blooms in dense colonies. The flowers are white and never have more than five sepals (the white petals that really aren’t petals at all). During the night, they close up into little white balls. False rue anemone is more common than its similar, (true) rue anemone. You can tell them apart by looking at their leaves and flowers. The flowers of false rue anemone can have many sepals, whereas the false version only has five. And the three-lobed leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Both characteristics are depicted in the image. You can see this plant at any of our showcase woodland. But the nicest shows take place at Johnson’s Mound, Black Partridge Woods, and Heron Rookery Trail. This and every other woodland wildflower is under attack by the foreign invader known as garlic mustard. It crowds out and poisons its neighbors until all that remains is its own kind covering black earth. This is one reason why the forest preserves are always looking for volunteers, like you, to help control such threats. Volunteer today!
Mayapple:
In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods, in Lemont, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. At the moment, mayapples are either just sprouting or just starting to open their umbrellas.*
Prairie Trillium:
At O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, prairie trillium rises as the sun sets.*
Virginia Bluebell:
Right now, you’ll find the blue and pink buds of Virginia bluebell (of species Mertensia virginica) at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
04-08-2022
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
April 8, 2022
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”
Plan the Best Nature Walks & Getaways Around Chicago!
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Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower forecasts!
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PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.
Welcome to the first wildflower forecast of the year!
This week in April can often bring the first small burst of spring ephemerals in our woodlands.
In just a matter of days, last year’s bronze carpet of discarded foliage will be pushed aside by a verdant filigree of renewal.
The door to the past will officially close, and a new door will open.
Cross the threshold into nature’s wonders. Begin your revival, now.
NEED THE LATEST BLOOMING NEWS, NOT JUST A PREDICTION?
THEN HELP US CROWDSOURCE IT!This FREE ChicagoNatureNOW! wildflower forecast is a prediction of the flowers that may be blooming during this week of the year. It’s driven by my one-of-a-kind proprietary database of local blooming events that I began compiling in 2003. But Mother Nature is mysterious. She follows her own secret schedule. Blooming dates can vary widely. For some of our followers, these weekly predictions will be enough. However, if you want to be rewarded with the latest news about what’s blooming where, then you must help us crowdsource that information by joining our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers crowdsourcing community. There’s no monetary cost to become a ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorer, but in return for this valuable news, you must share what you find at our showcase preserves on our private ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Just take a few pictures with your smartphone and tell us what you found. Due to the size of a group, everyone receives a lot even though each person only contributes a little. In other words, you’ll receive much more than you give. And the group is also a place to learn and ask questions about nature. CLICK HERE TO REAP THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR CROWDSOURCING TEAM OF EXPLORERS.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
RIGHT NOW, SPRING WILDFLOWERS MAY OR MAY NOT BE BLOOMING. So, when do the spring blooms begin around Chicago? Who knows? (Well, our Explorers actually know. Learn about how you can be in the know.) According to my database, spring can start anytime between late March and mid-April. So just pick a preserve to explore and discover from the list below. Get out into nature and be open to its unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
The start of spring begins in Chicago’s woodlands with a celebration of delicate wildflowers. The blossoms may be plentiful, but they’re often diminutive. In particular, skunk cabbage is officially the first plant to bloom each year. It usually sprouts at the beginning of March, but I’ve seen it in January! Its teeny-tiny yellow flowers are tucked away inside a camouflaged maroon hood that hides amongst the scatter of bronze leaves. (Read my poem about it.) If you look very carefully, right now, you may still find the hoods. But most likely, you’ll see a single curl of cabbage leaves poking out from the ground, like one bright-green bunny ear. This may also be the time to find the gorgeous blossoms of sharp-lobed hepatica that visually pop from autumn’s brown carpet. And then there’s the sublime lemon flowers of marsh marigold that can be found in some of the muddiest wooded areas. Oh, how I love the flowers and the round-hearted leaves. Both hepatica and marsh marigold are our Plants of the Week.
To best appreciate the flowers that are so small and low to the ground, bend down and take a closer look. Marvel at their intricate beauty. Many of our springtime flowers are colored white, like cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, rue anemone, spring cress, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, and bloodroot. Spring beauty is white with pink stripes, and hepatica offers a beautiful palette ranging from white to lavender to purple. In addition to marsh marigold, you may find yellow flowers in the form of yellow violet, swamp buttercup, yellow trout lily, buttery wood betony, and the shy drooping blossoms of large-flowered bellwort. We can find some red in the form of the ethereal prairie trillium. And as for the blues and purples, our common blue violet is extremely beautiful when growing in a clump amidst its heart-shaped foliage. In fact, one of the biggest flower shows of the year is a celebration of blue, as a sea of Virginia Bluebells flood the woodland floor. Our database shows peak bloom happening anytime between April 2 and May 6. The former was in 2012 when it was 85 degrees in April!
And let’s not forget the bright green leaves of the vernal season. You’ll find sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas with great displays at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the early-spring greenery. It’s the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.” And look for mayapple with foliage that resembles an umbrella, and a closed umbrella when they first sprout. It can take several days for them to open.
NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant, from any preserve in the Chicago region.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: The preserve puts on a show with a rich variety of flowers throughout the month of April and into the second half of May. Depending on when spring sprung this year, look for the whitish pink expanse of spring beauty and myriad other wildflowers, including Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, rue anemone, bloodroot, and surprisingly large colonies of flowering white trout lily. The strange and wonderful prairie trillium may also be in bloom. Also, experience the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and wild ginger that add to the springtime mix. This preserve will soon offer a nice display of Virginia bluebells, but not an overwhelming ocean like other preserves. Note that many spring flowers don’t open up at the break of day. They are awakened by the light. On cloudy days, they may remain enclosed safely in their buds. Fortunately, when closed, the white petals of toothwort are still visible and continue to twinkle.
Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park: Begin at the west parking lot. This woodland usually blooms earlier than most of our other preserves, but it can also be flooded by waters of the adjacent Little Calumet River. Depending on your timing, you may find sparkles of sharp-lobed hepatica, rue anemone and false rue anemone, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort, purple cress, bloodroot, and spring beauty. Look for patches of spear-like foliage that resemble green spotted trout. In there, you may find magnificent blooms of yellow trout lily. And prairie trillium may also be flowering by now. The lush, sprawling foliage of mayapple and wild leek greatly enhance the springtime experience.
O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville: The preserve was once called Dynamite Woods because the site stored explosives during World War II. You can still see the crumbling bunkers, but they’re being taken over by woodland plants. Right now, white flowers of cutleaf toothwort should be exploding, like sparklers across the woodland floor. Walk towards the stream along the south end of the preserve, and you’ll find Dutchman’s breeches (that look like white, puffy overalls), spring beauty, skunk cabbage, mayapple, wild leek (Chicago’s namesake), and soon-to-bloom Virginia bluebells. This will be the top preserve to visit when the Virginia bluebells reach their peak.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: When spring takes hold, this preserve is breathtaking. From the filigreed tree canopy to an understory of lushness with many patterns and shades of emerald foliage, especially wild leek, mayapple, the glorious leaves of skunk cabbage, and the small heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger. And you should soon find the shimmering petals of bloodroot, sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, and the occasional Dutchman’s breeches. Virginia bluebells bloom a little later.
Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet: Begin your hike at the nature center where you may find a lush understory of spring wildflowers. Depending on when you visit, you may find sharp-lobed hepatica, cutleaf toothwort, false rue anemone, spring beauty, purple cress, and Dutchman’s breeches. Just as beautiful as the flowers are the fresh green leaves of wild leek, mayapple, and skunk cabbage. My favorite flower-of-the-moment is marsh marigold, which is probably reaching peak bloom. Look for its yellow blossoms in the low, muddy areas of the site. You can find them near the nature center and around the trail after the bridge at this GPS coordinate: 41.532780, -88.016478. While you’re there (and just about anywhere with mud), look for the large fanning foliage of skunk cabbage. They’re hard to miss. Virginia bluebells also like the mud, especially along the banks of the creek. This preserve is one of the best places to experience a vastitude of bluebells, which often flowers between mid-April and the first week of May.
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines that sparkle white with dense white colonies of false rue anemone that flow across the braes. But you’ll also see many other plants, as well, like cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches. sharp-lobed hepatica, wild leek, mayapple, prairie trillium and common blue violet, and the sublime large-flowered large-flowered bellwort that also grows in colonies. In late April or early May, look for drooping trillium and large-flowered trillium.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: The woodland adjacent to the prairie is rich in springtime ephemerals. Depending on the date of your visit, you’ll find many of the usual suspects in bloom: cutleaf toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, false rue anemone, prairie trillium, and yellow colonies swamp buttercup. And of course, these flowers will fall against a verdant backdrop of mayapple, wild ginger, and some wild leek. In May, the grand alabaster blossoms of large-flowered trillium steal the show amidst floating pink blossoms of wild geranium.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: This preserve exudes that green and luxuriant feeling of spring. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid. The most common blossoms that bloom in early spring are spring beauty, cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, and false rue anemone. The foliage of mayapple and wild leek greatly contribute to the lush springtime feel of the place. This preserve is known for its vast display of bluebells, which can reach peak bloom sometime between April 2 and May 5, though often in the last week of April.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Early in the spring, the transcendent yellow blossoms of marsh marigold should be flowering alongside fresh lush colonies of skunk cabbage. Soon after, you should also find miniature canopies of mayapple and a small number of spring ephemerals. And under the shade of the oaks in the savanna, you’ll find small patches false rue anemone. For the best views of marsh marigold and skunk cabbage, visit Trout Park for dense populations of these plants in an intimate setting. The preserve features a trail that takes you up and down the bluffs that includes a wooden boardwalk that carefully guides you through sensitive wet areas. While on the boardwalk, look for Chicago’s only native evergreen tree, the northern white cedar. Atop the bluff, you’ll find other spring wildflowers.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, and then follow the narrow trail to Somme Prairie Grove. Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. Along your stroll, you should discover spring beauty, white trout lily, some bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, and others.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK (Sharp-lobed Hepatica & Marsh Marigold):
SHARP-LOBED HEPATICA
This is sharp-lobed hepatica of species Hepatica nobilis acuta. It pops up through a layer of last year’s leaves and beckons the start of the new blooming season with floral color that ranges from white to pink, blue to purple. I’m especially taken by the colorful, textured cluster of miniature structures that inhabit the center of the flower, the deep three-lobed leaves, and the dark red stems. Another name for hepatica is liverleaf, referring to the shape of the leaf’s lobes. Early in the spring, you can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.*
Here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois, a group of sharp-lobed hepatica huddles around the base of an oak tree.*
MARSH MARIGOLD
My heart skips a beat when I see marsh marigold. At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, yellow flowers of marsh marigold were covered in a magical patina of morning frost. Visit nearby Trout Park for the best view of these plants. Pilcher Park Nature Center also has a beautiful display.*
In early spring, I come to Pilcher Park to play in the mud. Here, skunk cabbage and marsh marigold thrive in a woodland floodplain of inky water and the blackest muck I’ve ever seen.*
PHOTO SECTION
Skunk Cabbage:
Skunk cabbage penetrates the frozen temperatures of late winter to be Chicago’s first plant to bloom. It uses its own heating system to melt the snow and ice in a process known as thermogenesis. The bumps atop the ball inside the spathe (the hood) are the plant’s flowers. And that ball is called the spadix. It’s the furnace that generates the heat and also creates a odor reminiscent of a yummy dead animal. Not yummy to us, but to carrion flies that are in search of a delicious treat. The plant uses this trick to attract flies, hoping that they’ll unwittingly pollinate the flowers as they buzz about looking for something dead to eat.
The speckled maroon spathe of skunk cabbage blends with leaf litter on the woodland floor, making it difficult to find when it first emerges. However, the plant becomes more conspicuous as it grows larger and produces its curious, oval-shaped yellow flower head, known as a spadix. The tiny delicate protrusions you see on the spadix are the flowers.
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone who, like me, finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down. You’ll find many at Pilcher Park Nature Center, Black Partridge Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Trout Park, and O’Hara Woods.*
Cutleaf Toothwort:
Cutleaf toothwort is small flowers makes a big impact for their size of its flowers, especially when blooming in large numbers. Even when closed, they still impart a sparkle because the petals are much longer than the sepals. Initially, I thought that the “toothwort” name came from the toothed leaves or the closed flowers that look like molars. But I was wrong. It is the rhyzome, a root-like structure located just below the soil between the stem and the root. Most people would not figure this out. I mean, I only discovered it after employing my X-ray vision. However, there was a time when people relied on plants, and often their roots, for survival. And Native Americans ate the tooth-shaped tuber. Now, this isn’t the only plant named after its root. The root of bloodroot, as the name suggest, bleeds a red liquid when broken. Native Americans used this sanguine solution as body paint and to dye clothes and baskets. This shot was taken at O’Hara Woods in Romeoville, but you can find it at any of our featured woodlands.*
In April, cutleaf toothwort blooms in profusion amongst a backdrop of mayapples at every local woodland, including here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve where they explode like firecrackers. This preserve was previously known as Dynamite Woods because explosives were stored here during World War II. Nowadays, the only thing that blows up are the spring wildflowers.*
During the month of April, O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve brings a woodland floor sparkling with cutleaf toothwort and the greenery of wild leek and mayapple. You can see all of these plants at all of our featured woodlands.
Dutchman’s Breeches (or Dutchman’s Britches):
O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve has a large number of Dutchman’s breeches. It is one of my favorite spring flowers because the flower is just so kooky and the leaves are a dream. You can find them at Heron Rookery Trail, Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve, and many of our showcase woodlands.*
I discovered this pink variety of Dutchman’s breeches at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville. Notice the beautiful parts and details.*
Bloodroot (catch it before it goes away for another year):
This is bloodroot of species Sanguinaria canadensis. The white flowers are beautiful, but short-lived. At the end of its run, the slightest touch send the petals falling to the ground. The common name and genus name Sanguinaria come from the fact that breaking the stem or the roots makes the plant bleed a red juice. Don’t pick the flower to find out. Just take my word for it. Native Americans used the plant for dying their clothes and baskets, and for body paint. In woodlands, the wind gets broken up by trees which reduces its speed. Therefore, bloodroot and most other woodland plants do not depend on the breeze to disperse their seed. They rely on ants. In a process known as myrmechochory, the seeds of bloodroot have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that’s made up of fat or oil. The ants take the seeds back to their colonies where they eat the elaiosomes, but discard the seed into an rich and nourishing accumulation of nest debris where the seeds can safety germinate under the unwitting protection of the colony.
Rue Anemone:
Rue anemone (of species Thalictrum thalictroides) is a found in the higher quality woodlands of our region that have not been disturbed by human activity. The plant is sometimes called windflower because of the ease at which the flowers blow around in the breeze. And windflower definitely likes the breeze because its blossoms depend on the wind for pollination. Here, it was a cold Tuesday morning at Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve. And while there were hundreds of flowers waiting to open, only this plant of rue anemone was brave enough to blossom. This plant is often confused with false rue anemone. The flowers and foliage are similar, but a closer look will reveal the difference. The number of flower petals, which are actually not petals but sepals, number only five on false rue anemone, whereas the sepal count for rue anemone varies widely, even on the same plant. Here, we see ten. As for the foliage, both have foliage with three lobes. However, they’re “deeply lobed” on the false version, meaning that the leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Also, the true version tends to grow alone, while the false often grows in clusters.
False Rue Anemone:
False rue anemone (of species Enemion biternatum) is a beautiful plant that often blooms in dense colonies. The flowers are white and never have more than five sepals (the white petals that really aren’t petals at all). During the night, they close up into little white balls. False rue anemone is more common than its similar, (true) rue anemone. You can tell them apart by looking at their leaves and flowers. The flowers of false rue anemone can have many sepals, whereas the false version only has five. And the three-lobed leaves have a deeper cleavage between the lobes. Both characteristics are depicted in the image. You can see this plant at any of our showcase woodland. But the nicest shows take place at Johnson’s Mound, Black Partridge Woods, and Heron Rookery Trail. This and every other woodland wildflower is under attack by the foreign invader known as garlic mustard. It crowds out and poisons its neighbors until all that remains is its own kind covering black earth. This is one reason why the forest preserves are always looking for volunteers, like you, to help control such threats. Volunteer today!
Mayapple:
In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods, in Lemont, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. At the moment, mayapples are either just sprouting or just starting to open their umbrellas.*
Virginia Bluebell:
Right now, you’ll find the blue and pink buds of Virginia bluebell (of species Mertensia virginica) at Messenger Woods, Pilcher Park, Black Partridge Woods, and here at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.*
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNOW! 2.0
The Next Step in Our Evolution is Here
ChicagoNatureNOW! 2.0
The Next Step in Our Evolution:
Creating a Real Community
CLICK HERE to Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign
The next generation of ChicagoNatureNOW! is here. With over 1,500 followers, no longer will the scouting be done by a dedicated few. It will be done by you. The future of ChicagoNatureNOW! will be guided by the level of your excitement and participation.
THE SPARK
It must have been over twelve years ago when I came up with the idea for ChicagoNatureNOW!. At the time, the plan was to rent billboards along highways to spread the good word about the natural wonders of the Chicago region. Then in 2013, the obvious dawned on me: Create a website. Duh! I immediately registered the ChicagoNatureNOW.com domain name along with its many permutations. Then in June of 2016, shortly after the media excitement for my book, My Journey into the Wilds of Chicago, wore off, I launched ChicagoNatureNOW.com to maintain the momentum.
ORIGINAL VISION
My original intention for ChicagoNatureNOW! was to create a FREE crowdsourcing community for sharing local wildflower blooming information. And though the book began my big push to educate people about these wonders, when I launched the website, I didn’t have anything resembling a crowd—only me. Now, after six years of growing the platform, we have over 1,500 weekly subscribers. That’s a crowd—the crowd I’ve been hoping for! And as a result, no longer will the scouting be performed by our small team of dedicated Nature Scouts. Now we have you. And you have each other. And together, we can fulfill the promise of ChicagoNatureNOW!. The future course of ChicagoNatureNOW! is up to you. But I wonder. Has ChicagoNatureNOW! evolved into what I’ve envisioned from the start—a passionate crowdsourcing community that loves and supports Chicago nature? It’s time to find out how badly this service is needed—a service that has provided so much hope and beauty since 2016 and that was there for people, every day without fail, during the pandemic.
WHY THE CHANGE?
Over the past six years, you’ve relied on a tiny team of dedicated volunteers to scout our many preserves for the six months, April through September. And I have personally devoted twenty hours a week to scouting, reporting, and managing the team. Never was I able to recruit enough volunteers to do the job I had envisioned. Yet, despite our limited resources, we provided fantastic reports, week after week, even in August of 2020 when I had major surgery and was out of action for over a month. Without missing a beat, our beautiful volunteers went above-and-beyond to not only scout the preserves, but to wrangle the data and write the highly complex weekly wildflower alerts. I’d like to especially thank Jim Yassick and Zeke Wei for composing those reports.
My heartfelt thanks goes out to the scouts who
have contributed to bring you the news.
We wouldn’t be here today without your dedication.
Scouting at this level of detail and timeliness is unsustainable, and we’ve finally reached our limit. It’s impossible to recruit enough volunteers who are willing to drive thousands of miles a year. The financial donations are helpful, but not nearly what we need to pay the bills. And then then there’s me.
I’ve dedicated more than six months a year over six years and spent many thousands of dollars to build the platform and keep things running. Yet, our 1,500 followers make up just 0.0169 percent of our region’s population. My time, energy, and potential are now disproportionately applied. With so many followers, I’m now counting on all of you to pick up the slack. As a force of nature and a force for nature, it’s time for me to end my six months of scouting and reporting, and resume my mission of bringing nature to the masses and into the lives of our other 8.865 million neighbors, the other 99.983 percent. Life is short. And I have many creative large-scale nature-related projects that I haven’t had time to pursue, ranging from public art exhibits and new books to a special television program and bringing my one-man nature show to a Chicago stage.
THE FUTURE IS UP TO YOU
It would be great if this service could grow to include many more quality nature preserves around the region and be a resource for people to volunteer to restore preserves near their homes. The potential of this community is limited only by our imaginations and willingness to expand its possibilities.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
The only real difference between ChicagoNatureNOW! 1.0 and the new 2.0 version is that, now, if you want the latest blooming information, simply share what you find after visiting one of our showcase preserves. Every follower will still receive our weekly newsletter, but it will contain valuable blooming predictions based on my database, not current scouting information. The up-to-date blooming information is reserved for our community of contributors who will replace our scouting team.
Ways to participate:
- Be rewarded with the latest wildflower blooming news by becoming a ChicagoNatureNOW! EXPLORER. After visiting one of our showcase preserves, just share your wildflower experience on our new special Facebook group. You’ll gain access to the latest wildflower news throughout the region thanks to the efforts of your fellow Explorers! Therefore, you must contribute to remain in the group. If this works for you, then click here to join our ChicagoNatureNOW! Explorers Facebook group. Without doing a thing, you’ll receive our weekly wildflower forecast. (To participate as an Explorer, you must have access to Facebook and it helps to have a smart phone.)
- Do nothing and simply continue to receive our weekly reports, except that now they’ll provide valuable blooming predictions, not detailed specifics and real-time blooming information.
Consider these questions:
Do you want current wildflowers news, or will our new weekly wildflower forecast be enough?
Do you want to be part of a fun community where you can learn so much so fast, or are you happy to go it alone?
Would you like to be part of something bigger than yourself?
THE FUTURE OF OUR SCOUTING TEAM
I’m hoping that our previous scouts will become Explorers and some will become administrators of the group. But at first, I’m encouraging them to lay low, be supportive, and let the community get used to scouting. We can’t keep doing all the work.
MY FUTURE PARTICIPATION WITH CHICAGONATURENOW!
I’ll still be here. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be running this community and paying its bills. And I’ll be managing the Explorer group and participating as an Explorer, but only to a point.
With all that said, I hope to see you on the trails. And I very much hope to see you sharing your experiences in the Explorer group.
Take care!
Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
03-20-2022
Watch ChicagoNatureNOW! on TV Starting March 24
Watch ChicagoNatureNOW! on WTTW’s Jay’s Chicago
“Jay Shefsky celebrates the mission of ChicagoNatureNOW! starting Thursday, March 24th”
Jay Shefsky, host of WTTW’s Jay’s Chicago, features ChicagoNatureNOW! by interviewing Mike in the field during the peak bloom of Virginia bluebells at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve in Romeoville.
On Thursday, March 24 at 8:30 pm, WTTW (Ch. 11) will begin its new season of Jay’s Chicago with the theme of “Out in Nature.” And ChicagoNatureNOW! will be one of the featured stories. If you’re a member of WTTW, you can stream it right now! If not, the episode will air at various times during the following days, as well, giving you plenty of opportunities to tune in. See schedule below. And you can also view the episode online, but at a much lower video quality, here: https://video.wttw.com/video/out-in-nature-del2ic/.
The show’s affable host, Jay Shefsky, interviewed me in May of 2019 at O’Hara Woods in Romeoville during peak bluebell bloom. The piece is beautifully produced and perfectly conveys our mission. It’s uplifting and delightful, and I think you’ll love it!
Episode: Out In Nature
Jay is out in nature – tagging along with a record-breaking teen birder, helping with a controlled fire that rejuvenates a forest, and learning where to see the area’s best wildflowers. He also makes friends with an unnervingly large insect.
Thu, Mar 24 at 8:30 pm on WTTW**
Fri, Mar 25 at 6:30 am on WTTW Prime
Sat, Mar 26 at 5:00 pm on WTTW**
Sun, Mar 27 at 7:30 pm on WTTW Prime
Sun, Mar 27 at 11:00 pm on WTTW**
Mon, Mar 28 at 12:30 am on WTTW Prime
Mon, Mar 28 at 11:30 am on WTTW Prime
Sun, May 15 at 7:30 pm on WTTW Prime
**I highly recommend watching the show when it airs on WTTW Channel 11-1 (or by streaming with your WTTW Passport membership), where the video quality is so high that the photographs will knock you off your chair.
And you can watch the full episode online here: https://video.wttw.com/video/out-in-nature-del2ic/.
SUBSCRIBE NOW (for free) to receive our weekly wildflower reports to learn when and where these wonderful events are taking place.
April begins our sixth season of ChicagoNatureNOW!. Each week over the six-month growing season (early April through late September), you can use this website to find breathtaking displays of wildflowers around Chicago.
Please donate to our GoFundMe Campaign!
If you find this website of Chicago wildflower information useful, please donate to our GoFundMe campaign or purchase my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
03-15-2022
Spring Wildflower Slideshow Preview
2022 Chicago Spring Wildflower Slideshow Preview
“Taking a walk in nature is the best medicine.”
In early May, Black Partridge Woods becomes an emerald dream. And ChicagoNatureNOW! brings these moments like this to you every week from April through September. The new season is upon us, and this is the perfect time to help by donating here.*
See the slideshow below for a preview of spring wildflowers. (Please be patient, it can take a little time to load.)
Now that spring is in the air, we can finally get outside and get a dose of the best medicine around. Nature! Right now, you can experience the solitude of nature and find delight in Mother Nature’s whimsical surprises and creations, like the otherworldly skunk cabbage that generates its own heat to melt the late-winter snow. (Learn about where to find it.) Beginning in April, Chicago nature will put on a show in the muddy bottoms of some woodlands, with the emergence of marsh marigolds. Soon after will come performances from an array of diminutive spring wildflowers, like cutleaf toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, and spring beauty. And as the month ends, a flourish as endless expanses of Virginia bluebells fill woodlands with a smell that I can only describe as a fragrant, floral Chanel version of Froot Loops cereal. And this is just the first month of spring. See the slideshow below for a preview of spring wildflowers.
SUBSCRIBE NOW (for free) to receive our weekly wildflower reports to learn when and where these wonderful events are taking place.
April begins our sixth season of ChicagoNatureNOW!. Each week over the six-month growing season (early April through late September), you can use this website to experience breathtaking displays of wildflowers around Chicago.
In the meantime, here’s an interactive slideshow that foretells a beautiful future for us all:
Chicago Nature
Spring Preview
If you find this website of Chicago wildflower information useful, please donate to our GoFundMe campaign or purchase my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike