ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-15-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-15-2025

Mike MacDonald’s 
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert 
 July 15, 2025

“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”

 

Summer Nature Walks & Outdoor Getaways!

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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Find peace by getting out into nature!
Break from your screens to experience
magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:

The middle of July brings tremendous color to our prairies & savannas, as they overflow with color and texture, including stunning shows of purple prairie clover, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and wild quinine. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

According to my database for this moment in time, the best flower shows often take place at Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen, where you’ll find a fanfare of color from myriad flowering species, including purple prairie clover and the possibility of prairie blazing star and marsh blazing star. White blossoms of Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, flowering spurge, and mountain mint bloom alongside the golden rays of rosinweed and compass plant. And our Plants of the Week, wild bergamot and yellow coneflower, can be seen in most prairies across the region. Even the grasses of big bluestem and side oats grama should be starting to flower! And you may still be able to find the large yellow blossoms of Chicago’s most unexpected nature plant: eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find it thriving in the sand at Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.

Wolf Road Prairie, located not too far from the city, teaches a class in biodiversity by featuring a colorful array of prairie flowers. 

For those in the southern section of Chicagoland, visit Gensburg-Markham Prairie, considered one of the finest prairies in the world.  It offers a wide array of color and blowing oceans of grasses. The prairies at Spears Woods also offer beautiful blooms and a gorgeous nature experience. It is easily one of the most beautiful preserves in the region. I love the varied habitats, the rolling terrain, and Hogwash Slough—easily, the prettiest wetland around here. If you visit, consider checking out the prairies at Theodore Stone Preserve in nearby Hodgkins.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie and the surrounding prairie are getting better by the day, including a whimsical and breathtaking expanse of rattlesnake master.

The scent of the flowers are especially invigorating right now. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, and the wonderful lemon-carrot scent of purple prairie clover. 

Summer is a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented that describes the foliage when it glows bright-green from sunlight through. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.

TIP: I recommend visiting grasslands at the beginning or the end of the day when it’s much cooler and the sunlight is beautiful. Prairies are treeless expanses with no escape from the sun. It’s a challenge to appreciate the prairie in the blinding light of ninety-degree afternoon.

And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is flowering. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.

Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.

 

SUMMER 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!”):

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve tops our list because of the many plant species that provide a vibrant mix of color and texture. The most abundant blooms include the wonderfully scented purple prairie clover and mountain mint alongside glorious white displays of rattlesnake master, wild quinine, flowering spurge, tuberous Indian plantain, daisy fleabane, and Culver’s root. Other notable flowers include spotted Joe-Pye weed, black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, prairie blazing star, compass plant, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and pink marsh phlox, plus the orange blooms of butterfly weed and Michigan lily. Under the trees, look for the beautiful blue American bellflower and fluffy pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and forbs, including heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. I especially like the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, but watch your step. It’s easy to trip over them as you walk the narrow trails. Come early or late in the day to experience green glow from compass plant and prairie dock.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Around this time, there can easily be twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. Begin your hike at the main trailhead that winds you under the trees and along the kames of the oak savanna, around the sunny prairie and through the main wetland known as a fen. Before the path leaves the savanna, take the trail on your left to the top of the large kame where you’ll get a unique view of the preserve. Among the most conspicuous flowers, this week, are yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, pale Indian plantain, cup plant, false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, wild quinine, compass plant, and purple prairie clover—my favorite smelling flower that thrives in the gravel left behind by ancient glaciers. Aside from pale Indian plantain, most of these can be found under the sun along with many others: showy tick trefoil, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, prairie loosestrife, Culver’s root, mountain mint, daisy fleabane, St. John’s wort, spotted Joe-Pye weed, fading pale purple coneflower and leadplant, a few white prairie clover, the wonderfully fragrant whorled milkweed, and the less-wonderfully-fragrant common milkweed that fill the air with a scent reminiscent of overly perfumed Bingo ladies who’ve lost their sense of smell. In the woodland, look for aptly named bottlebrush grass, the white blooms of starry campion, the fluffy sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the tall plants of blue American bellflower, golden cup plant, and pale Indian plantain. And you should also find that the purple spikes of marsh blazing star are beginning to bloom. And keep you eyes open for the diminutive and delicate flowers on the grasses of side oats grama and big bluestem.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This is usually when the preserve puts on a beautiful show of purple prairie clover with a mix of wild quinine with the possibility of prairie coreopsis and a variety of other flowers that include white prairie clover and yellow coneflower. But there should also be a lot of blooming outside the fence of the official Illinois Nature Preserve, home to a vast amount of wild quinine, whimsical rattlesnake master, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and daisy fleabane, along with compass plant, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, purple prairie clover, and possibly some prairie blazing star. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This cute remnant prairie, nestled within a quiet neighborhood, often shows off dense golden displays of compass plant alongside with yellow coneflower and rosinweed. But the star of the show is usually the dense stands of rattlesnake master with their white Tinker-Toy flower heads. You’ll my also experience butterfly weed, wild quinine, hairy sunflower, rosinweed, the inconspicuous yellows of tall agrimony, and the mint-scented blooms of mountain mint and wild bergamot. And the torches of prairie blazing star may be starting to bloom purple, as well. I particularly like the nodding tassels of prairie brome that frolic between the forbs. Look for the beautiful filigree foliage of scurfy pea floating amidst the large leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow bright green in the low sun.

Spears Woods in Willow Springs: During the second half of July, the rating can be a “Go!” or a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood” depending on the year. The flashiest shows take place in the prairies, where expanses of flowers flow across the landscape. You may find dense colonies of alabaster wild quinine and the ivory Tinker Toys of rattlesnake master that are beautifully breathtaking on their own. But you may need to catch your breath when they blend with large jaw-dropping expanses of purple prairie blazing star amidst drooping heads of early goldenrod, lavender balls of wild bergamot, and white spikes of Culver’s root. Along your way, you’ll experience the golden blooms at all levels: black-eyed Susan near your feet, rosinweed at your waist, and the large sunflowers of compass plant above your head. Notice the pink filigree of showy tick trefoil that can look like a purple mist mingling amongst the other flowers. And turkey-footed heads of big bluestem grass may be flowering. If you stand at a high spot, scan the prairie below for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. The woodland is coming alive as the fluffy mauve heads of sweet Joe-Pye weed, while the golden rays of woodland sunflower should be starting to bloom. And the magnificent aquatic American lotus flower is blooming at the north end of Hogwash Slough. There’s a beautiful view of Hogwash Slough and the colony of American lotus located halfway between the eastern prairie trailhead and the shore of Hogwash Slough, Along the shoreline, it’s difficult to see the lotus through the towering sedges and cattails. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie is not too far away.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Around this time, the best flower shows begin to take place in the southernmost portion of the prairie. The shimmering and exploding whites of wild quinine, rattlesnake master, and Culver’s root join an array of colors ranging from yellow to lavender to purple. It can be a glorious sight. The yellow blossoms come from rosinweed, early goldenrod, yellow coneflower, black-eyed Susan, plus forests of towering compass plant and newly flowering prairie dock. Wild bergamot provides flashes of lavender alongside purple stalks of prairie blazing star and a pink haze of showy tick trefoil. The occasional whites of mountain mint, flowering spurge and white wild indigo add some additional sparkle. In the woodland, you’ll find whimsical sprays of bottlebrush grass, pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the beginnings of woodland sunflower. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts that glow in the light of a low sun. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are not too far away.

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails to enjoy the many flowers that vary along the way. In the second half of July, you can often find at least two dozen species in bloom at the same time, while the textures of the grasses and sedges add to the grand experience. As you enter, take the path to your left where you may be immediately greeted by a caboodle of color coming from compass plant, yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, white prairie clover, marsh phlox, wild bergamot, and marsh blazing star. The trail is square. And this northbound leg has the most floral color and diversity, with blooms of blue vervain, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, purple prairie clover, tall green milkweed, rosinweed, and the start of partridge pea, marsh blazing star, and early goldenrod. As you approach the north end, there’s a beautiful spot to your left that’s composed of a complementary mix of pink marsh blazing star, pearly wild quinine, and the golds of brown-eyed Susan and early goldenrod. As the trail turns to the right (east), you’ll find rattlesnake master, swamp milkweed, marsh phlox, and ironweed. Looking south, oceans of prairie cordgrass rise and fall like waves in the wind. And as the trail turns back to the south, you’ll sail into seas of sedges and a small fleet of flowers that includes mountain mint. I highly suggest that you stop for a moment to smell this invigorating plant. For that short time, your mind will sail away from the worries of the world. As you circle right (and to the west) on the returning leg of the trail, the scenery turns to shrubs and royal ferns. Along the way, look for a pretty stand of wild senna. Finally, your journey ends with a flourish of color that incorporates the lavenders of wild bergamot.

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: Around this time, the rays of yellow coneflower play a leading role throughout the western mesic prairie alongside other flowers that include wild bergamot, daisy fleabane, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, Culver’s root, false sunflower, and mountain mint. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you’ll find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like the purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. (My favorite “bad” scent comes from foxglove beardtongue seeds that smell exactly like vomit. Be still my heart!) You may also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. It, too, has a wonderful scent. I also found the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. And I just adore the fuzzy touch of the leaves.

 

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: Most of the color can be found in the black oak savanna, where you should be treated to many bright orange blooms of butterfly weed, pink marsh phlox, silver sprays of flowering spurge and daisy fleabane, and golden black-eyed Susan. Milkweeds are blooming under the trees, as well, including purple milkweed, common milkweed, and short green milkweed. And this week could possibly be your last chance to smell the wonderfully fragrant pink blossoms of pasture rose. Flowering spurge should be the star of the sand prairie with a supporting cast of purple prairie clover, shrubby cinquefoil and the occasional Cleland’s evening primrose. 
NOTE: Trust me when I tell you to GO EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the noisy beachgoers.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You might find large displays of daisy fleabane and buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. The beautiful pink pasture rose may also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. And though the flowers may already be spent by this time in July,  this is a great place to experience spiderwort, as long as you arrive early before the flowers melt away. However, slender dayflower is beginning its bloom and, as a cousin of spiderwort, its flowers also dissolve in a purple liquid a few hours after they bloom. Scattered about the preserve are the wonderfully fragrant plumes of whorled milkweed. I can smell them before I see them. And the bright yellow flowers partridge pea may now be blooming.

Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s not hot and sunny. Enjoy an array of flowers that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including the lavenders of wild bergamot, white and purple prairie clover, pale purple coneflower, golden black-eyed Susan, compass plant, and yellow coneflower, the mauves of common milkweed, and the delicate ivory balls of whorled milkweed that like disturbed patches of soil.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: There should be many different species in bloom that create a colorful panorama, including the plentiful displays of wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, and rattlesnake master. Joining the party are the sparkling whites of Culver’s root and mountain mint, plus the golds of false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, and cup plant. You should find wonderful Tinker-Toy patches of rattlesnake master and possibly the start of prairie blazing star. Look closely, and you may find the sublime drooping orange blooms of Michigan lily. In the wet areas, check for beautiful pink displays of swamp milkweed. 

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake features often features beautiful expanses of prairie coreopsis and wondrous patches of tuberous Indian plantain and a mix of other flowers that include pink marsh phlox purple leadplant, orange butterfly weed, golden black-eyed Susan, and alabaster wild quinine. As you stroll, you may see the yellows of rosinweed, St. John’s wort and shrubby cinquefoil along with the occasional pale-spiked lobelia and purple milkweed. Also consider checking out Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in nearby Zion. It’s the most biologically rich preserve in the state.

 

 

PLANTS OF THE WEEK: YELLOW CONEFLOWER & WILD BERGAMOT

Yellow Coneflower

 

Wild Bergamot

 

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity

 

Bluff Spring Fen

 

Wolf Road Prairie: A State of Glorious Chaos in July

 

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

 

Gensburg-Markham Prairie

 

Middlefork Savanna in July

 

Purple Prairie Clover and its Remarkably Fresh Scent

 

Rattlesnake Master

 

Culver’s Root

 

Leadplant

 

Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies

 

Mountain Mint

 

Michigan Lily

 

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus Blooms at our Sandy Sites

 

Evening Primrose

 

Prairie Coreopsis

 

American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs

 

Compass Plant

 

Mountain Mint

 

Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower

 

Swamp Milkweed

 

Big Bluestem Grass

 

Butterfly Weed

 

Purple Milkweed

 

The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

 

Green Glow

 

Light Shows in the Prairies

 

Prairie Root System

 

—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-08-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-08-2025

Mike MacDonald’s 
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert 
 July 8, 2025

“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”

 

Summer Nature Walks & Outdoor Getaways!

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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:

Early July offers stunning shows of leadplant, purple prairie clover, prairie coreopsis, wild quinine, and more. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

During this second week of July, many beautiful flower shows are simultaneously taking place throughout the region. Again, the best performance is being staged in the oak savanna at Somme Prairie Grove. It is a must-see event!

This week, there are many stars in our colorful cast, including that of leadplant, butterfly weed, prairie coreopsis, mountain mint, wild quinine, and our three Plants of the Week: purple prairie clover, rattlesnake master, and Culver’s root. And if you search the sandy preserves, you may find the large yellow blossoms of Chicago’s most unexpected nature plant: eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find it thriving at Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.

Golden prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen. 

Purple leadplant prominently erupts at Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Pembroke Savanna, and Bluff Spring Fen. A heart-stopping mix of leadplant and golden prairie coreopsis often bloom side-by-side at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen. However, the finest leadplant show of all takes place at  Somme Prairie Grove. The scene nearly brings me to tears. And another purple flower called purple prairie clover is now blooming that often puts on fabulous displays at Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen.

Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are aflower with many species, including the omnipresent cauliflower heads of wild quinine, which can be found at any of our mesic prairies. And the beautiful orange pompom flower heads of butterfly weed are flowering in our prairies and savannas, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Somme Prairie Grove, and Belmont Prairie.

Several scented flowers are blooming or about to bloom. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, the rosy aroma fragrance of pasture rose, and the wonderful lemon-carrot aroma of purple prairie clover. 

The dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue may still be flowering in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen.

The aquatic American lotus also may be starting to flower. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.

This is also a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented. It describes leaves that glow bright-green from sunlight shining through them. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.

And finally, the run of Ohio spiderwort may have already ended. But you may still be able to experience the ephemeral blue flowers that open to meet their one-and-only day, then dissolve into a gem of purple liquid. You can find them growing at many of our showcase preserves. Click here to read my poem about it.

Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.

 

SUMMER 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!”):

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserves finest flower shows happen in July. Words are not sufficient to describe the wave of emotion that washes over me as I catch sight of the kaleidoscopic knobs. Low mounds under the open skies to the north are home to scenes filled with an amalgam of color, texture, joy, inspiration, and life. Passionate purples mix with sparkling whites and startling explosions of orange. And glorious golds begin at your feet and rise toward the clouds. And all this upon a flowing canvas shaped by emerald hearts, mops, and bottlebrushes. You’ll find leadplant, purple prairie clover, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, butterfly weed, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, prairie dock, and prairie dropseed. Blooms of purple prairie clover begin to spread from the knobs to put on shows in other parts of the savanna. On your way to the knobs, you’ll find these same flowers and several more, including many marsh phlox, pasture rose, prairie lily, common St. John’s wort, daisy fleabane, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and the tall tuberous Indian plantain. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: Several flowers are blooming at the official Illinois Nature Preserve inside the fence at the top of the hill, including a fantastic show of bee-loving purple prairie clover at peak bloom. Along the way you’ll find leadplant, prairie coreopsis, early goldenrod, wild quinine, wild bergamot, compass plant, and the occasional short green milkweed. There’s also a lot flowering along the slope outside the fence and the surrounding preserve. You’ll experience a vast amount of wild quinine growing with wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, purple prairie clover, leadplant, fading pale purple coneflower, a sprinkling of black-eyed Susan, and astonishing displays of rattlesnake master with its molecular flower head. Appreciate the lush textures and green hues from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, powdery cyan spears of rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: Most of the color can be found in the black oak savanna, where you should be treated to many bright orange blooms of butterfly weed, pink marsh phlox, pearly blooms of flowering spurge and hoary puccoon, daisy fleabane, black-eyed Susan, and possibly the blue morning blossoms of Ohio spiderwort. Milkweeds are blooming under the trees, as well, including purple milkweed, common milkweed, and short green milkweed. And this week could possibly be your last chance to smell the wonderfully fragrant pink blossoms of pasture rose. Flowering spurge should be the star of the sand prairie with a supporting cast of shrubby cinquefoil, the occasional Cleland’s evening primrose, and purple prairie clover  And if you’re lucky, you might find the spectacular yellow blossom of eastern prickly pear cactus. Each flower only lasts a day. NOTE: I highly recommend that you VISIT EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the rambunctious beachgoers. While you’re there, consider the short drive north to see Chiwaukee Prairie.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Around this time, there can easily be twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. Begin your hike at the main trailhead that winds you under the trees and along the kames of the oak savanna, around the sunny prairie  and through the main wetland known as a fen. Before the path leaves the savanna, take the trail on your left to the top of the large kame where you’ll experience a unique view of the preserve. Among the most conspicuous flowers, this week, might be purple prairie clover, prairie coreopsis, leadplant, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, pale Indian plantain, cup plant, false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, wild quinine, compass plant, and the possibly the start of marsh blazing star. Aside from pale Indian plantain, most of these can be found under the sun along with many others: showy tick trefoil, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, prairie loosestrife Culver’s root, mountain mint, daisy fleabane, St. John’s wort, spotted Joe-Pye weed, fading pale purple coneflower, a few white prairie clover, and the mauve and white blooms of common milkweed that fill the air with a scent reminiscent of overly perfumed Bingo ladies who’ve lost their sense of smell. In the woodland, look for aptly named bottlebrush grass, the white blooms of starry campion, the fluffy sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the tall plants of blue American bellflower, golden cup plant, and pale Indian plantain.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is good time to visit this remnant prairie where several colorful plants bloom at once. The dramatic alabaster blooms of wild quinine instantly get your attention alongside golden black-eyed Susan. But the shocking orange of butterfly weed steals the show with dramatic surges of vibrancy throughout the prairie. New lavender plumes of wild bergamot should soon start to fill the pink-and-blue void left by scurfy pea. Hues from purple to blue come from leadplant, wild bergamot, and the remaining petals of pale purple coneflower  Yellow coneflower is starting to flower along with mountain mint and rattlesnake master. And I just love looming forests of blooming compass plant. I suggest visiting early or late in the day when it’s cooler and when you can experience the glorious green glow—leaves that glow a bright green from the sunlight shining through them. 

Spears Woods in Willow Springs: The best floral shows are being performed in the prairies, which are gorgeous when they’re in full bloom. Along your walk through the prairie, you’ll probably find at least fifteen species in bloom. Sparkling white” describes the scene, as alabaster inflorescences of wild quinine flower across the panorama, joined by glistening blossoms of mountain mint, the ivory Tinker Toy heads of rattlesnake master, floating daisy fleabane, and multi-spiked Culver’s root. You’ll discover occasional explosions of orange butterfly weed along with the golds of skyward compass plant, black-eyed Susan, the start of early goldenrod, and possibly some early blooming sawtooth sunflower and purple-spiked prairie blazing star. The bushy climbing wild rose should blooming. And if you pay close attention, you may find the sublime blossoms of orange Michigan lily and purple milkweed. Stand at a high spot to scan the prairie below for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where various trails guide you through woodlands, prairies, and wetlands.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: The flower show is happening in the southernmost portion of the prairie with the most dramatic performance coming from wild quinine. New plants are starting to bloom and the color is getting better by the day. White, gold, and lavender make up the color palette. Along the way, you’ll also experience fresh white spikes of Culver’s root alongside rattlesnake master and the occasional flowering spurge, yellow coneflower, rosinweed, and lavender pompoms of wild bergamot. You’ll also find a smattering of yellow-petaled black-eyed Susan and towering stalks of compass plant. The purple spiked prairie blazing star may be just starting to bloom. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to the excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts that glow in the light of a low sun. 

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails because of how much the flowers vary along the way. I usually begin with the trail that leads left from the gate. This preserve is a “Go” because of the various textures and at least two dozen species in bloom, including many that are just beginning to flower. Here’s an abbreviated list of the many flowers that you’ll find that range from white to yellow to pink: compass plant, purple prairie clover, white prairie clover, yellow coneflower, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, wild senna, tuberous Indian plantain, tall green milkweed, swamp milkweed, and Culver’s root.
NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: About this time, the rays of yellow coneflower play a leading role throughout the western mesic prairie alongside other flowers that include wild bergamot, daisy fleabane, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, Culver’s root, false sunflower, and mountain mint. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you should find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like the purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. (My favorite “bad” scent comes from foxglove beardtongue seeds that smell exactly like vomit. Be still my heart!) You’ll also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. It also produces a wonderful scent. And look for the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a wonderful plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. I just adore the fuzzy feel of the leaves. 

 

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You might find large displays of daisy fleabane and buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. The beautiful pink pasture rose may also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. And though the flowers may already be spent by this time in July,  this is a great place to experience spiderwort, as long as you arrive early before the flowers melt away. However, slender dayflower is beginning its bloom and, as a cousin of spiderwort, its flowers also dissolve in a purple liquid a few hours after they bloom.

Miller Woods (at Paul H. Douglas Environmental Center for Education) in Indiana Dunes National Park: There’s always a lot to explore, here. And you can make a day of it, especially because there are other sites to visit in the park. Check in at the visitor center at Miller Woods for guidance. I love the always-energetic sprays of acrobatic bracken fern that provide texture and beauty even when nothing’s abloom. Look for golden highlights of sand coreopsis and the pink fragrant blooms of pasture rose. Walk the main trail that heads to the lake and you may discover some eastern prickly pear cactus that prefers the open sand. After your hike, consider checking out nearby Tolleston Dunes.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake features beautiful patches of tuberous Indian plantain and mix of other flowers that include pink marsh phlox and, black-eyed Susan. Along your way, you may see the yellows of St. John’s wort and shrubby cinquefoil along with the occasional pale-spiked lobelia and purple milkweed. If you get there there early, you may still find the purple blossoms of Ohio spiderwort. To see a nice display of phlox, walk the narrow dirt path located west of the gravel road. Also consider checking out Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in nearby Zion.

Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s now hot and sunny. Enjoy an array of flowers that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including the lavenders of wild bergamot, white and purple prairie clover, pale purple coneflower, golden black-eyed Susan, compass plant, and yellow coneflower, the mauves of common milkweed, and the delicate ivory balls of whorled milkweed.

 

PLANTS OF THE WEEK: PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER, RATTLESNAKE MASTER, & CULVER’S ROOT

 

Purple Prairie Clover

 

Rattlesnake Master

 

Culver’s Root

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity

 

Bluff Spring Fen

 

Prairie Coreopsis

Leadplant

 

Michigan Lily

 

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus Blooms at our Sandy Sites

 

Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies

 

Mountain Mint

 

Culver’s Root

 

Evening Primrose

 

American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs

 

Pale Purple Coneflower

 

Butterfly Weed

 

Compass Plant

 

Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower Begin to Bloom

 

Purple Milkweed

 

Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:

 

The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort

 

Hoary Puccoon

 

The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

 

Green Glow

 

Light Shows in the Prairies

 

Prairie Root System

 

—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-01-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-01-2025

Mike MacDonald’s 
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert 
 July 1, 2025
(Independence Day Edition)

“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”

 

Summer Nature Walks & Outdoor Getaways!

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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.

 

Experience Fourth of July Fireworks in Our Prairies

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:

Early July can offer stunning shows of pale purple coneflower, prairie coreopsis, wild quinine, and leadplant. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

During this first week of July, prairie coreopsis, leadplant, pale purple coneflower, butterfly weed, and wild quinine can create some stunning displays. The first two species are featured as our Plants of the Week along with Chicago’s most surprising native plant: eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find its large yellow blossoms in sandy prairies and oak savannas, including Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.

Purple leadplant prominently erupts at Somme Prairie Grove, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen. At the latter two sites, a heart-stopping mix of leadplant and golden prairie coreopsis often bloom side-by-side. However, the finest show of leadplant happens at  Somme Prairie Grove where it nearly brings me to tears. And another purple flower called purple prairie clover often begins its bloom in the first week of July.

The best shows of pale purple coneflower take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. Golden prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen. 

Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are aflower with many species, including the omnipresent cauliflower heads of wild quinine, which can be found at any of our mesic prairies. And the beautiful orange pompom flower heads of butterfly weed are starting to flower in our prairies and savannas, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Somme Prairie Grove, and Belmont Prairie.

The dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue may still be flowering in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen. I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit! In stark contrast, you can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. Over several weeks in late spring, it blooms barely inches from the ground. During that time, whenever we’re together, I partake in a sacred ritual. I drop to my knees and bow in reverence, nose to petal. However, last year, I didn’t notice the poison ivy growing right next to the flower. I immediately felt a tingling on my upper lip, but it was too late. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me. 

And finally, the run of Ohio spiderwort may is reaching its end. But you may still be able to experience the ephemeral blue flowers that open to meet their one-and-only day, then dissolve into a gem of purple liquid. You can find them growing at many of our showcase preserves. Click here to read my poem about it.

 

Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.

 

SUMMER 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!”):

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve’s finest flower shows happen in July. Words are not sufficient to describe the wave of emotion that washes over me as I catch sight of the kaleidoscopic knobs. Low mounds under the open skies to the north are home to scenes filled with an amalgam of color, texture, joy, inspiration, and life. Passionate purples mix with sparkling whites and startling explosions of orange. And glorious golds begin at your feet and rise toward the clouds. All this happens upon a flowing canvas shaped by emerald hearts, mops, and bottlebrushes. You’ll find leadplant, purple prairie clover, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, butterfly weed, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, prairie dock, and prairie dropseed. Blooms of purple prairie clover begin to spread from the knobs to put on shows in other parts of the savanna. On your way to the knobs, you’ll find these same flowers and several more, including many marsh phlox, pasture rose, prairie lily, common St. John’s wort, daisy fleabane, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and the tall tuberous Indian plantain. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This preserve is officially located within the fence at the top of the hill. Usually, the start of July stages a glorious show of leadplant and prairie coreopsis. Also look for wild quinine, downy phlox, and a handful of short green milkweed amidst a sea of porcupine grass. Throughout the prairie, you’ll find various lush textures and green hues from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. Outside the fence on your way up to the entrance, you should see hundreds of pale purple coneflower blooming on the southern and western slopes accompanied by wild quinine. You may also find leadplant, rattlesnake master, wild bergamot, and purple prairie clover. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The black oak savanna (or sand savanna) is the most colorful portion of the preserve, where a diverse array of flowers may be blooming, including orange butterfly weed, golden hoary puccoon and sand coreopsis, pink pasture rose and marsh phlox, white daisy fleabane and flowering spurge, the blue morning blossoms of Ohio spiderwort, and the fragrant pink pasture rose. Under the sun of the sand prairie and the dunes to the east, flowering spurge and shrubby cinquefoil are probably blooming. And keep your eyes peeled for the spectacular yellow blossoms of eastern prickly pear cactus. You’ll also find these three special grasses: marram grass, June grass, and porcupine grass. Marram grass grows in the most barren sandy soil closer to the beach. June grass is best experienced early and late in the day when it’s white plumes radiate like small torches. And porcupine grass has long spearlike seeds that drill themselves into the soil, though many of seeds may have already dropped. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. NOTE: I highly recommend that you VISIT EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the rambunctious beachgoers. While you’re there, consider the short drive north to see Chiwaukee Prairie.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: The grand performances of pale purple coneflower are often at peak bloom or just a little past. The white snapdragon flowers of foxglove beardtongue can be quite prominent, though they may be showing their age. And the golden rays of freshly blooming prairie coreopsis usually reach peak bloom before the first of July. The spikes of leadplant are turning purple in time for their beautiful show in July. All these flowers are complemented by the cauliflower crowns of wild quinine and sprays of porcupine grass. Ohio spiderwort may still be blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame where the purple spikes of leadplant are still waiting to flower. You should also find flashes of orange from butterfly weed, gold from black-eyed Susan,  points of blue vervain, and skewers of white wild indigo.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is best time of year to visit this remnant prairie when several colorful flowers bloom at once, led by a spectacular performances of orange butterfly weed and pale purple coneflower amidst a blue veil of scurfy pea and the dramatic alabaster blooms of wild quinine. You also might find golden black-eyed Susan and false sunflower. There might also still be some blooms of Ohio spiderwort, with purple flowers that open around sunrise and soon shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. And porcupine grass is showing off its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Watch my video of the drilling seed. And finally, appreciate the large gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly under a backlit sun.

Spears Woods in Willow Springs: Visit the prairies for the best shows, which usually comes from dramatic displays of alabaster wild quinine alongside with sparkling mountain mint. Other ivory blooms include foxglove beardtongue, white wild indigo, and daisy fleabane. The ephemeral blue blooms of Ohio spiderwort may still be blooming in the mornings. You may discover small explosions of orange butterfly weed, yellow eruptions of prairie sundrop, a sprinkling of golden black-eyed Susan, and possibly an early blooming of compass plant. If you pay close attention, you may find the sublime blossoms of orange Michigan lily and purple milkweed. Climbing wild rose should be reaching peak bloom. It looks like a large bush. And finally, scan the prairie for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and around gorgeous wetlands.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Around now, the best flower shows take place in the southernmost portion of the prairie with a dramatic performance of wild quinine. New flowers should be starting to bloom with color getting better by the day. Along the way, you may experience fresh blooms of white Culver’s root, flowering spurge, and rattlesnake master alongside golden rosinweed, and yellow coneflower, and lavender puffs of wild bergamot. You’ll also find the occasional white wild indigo, a smattering of yellow-petaled black-eyed Susan and towering stalks of gold-flowered compass plant. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to the excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts that glow in the light of a low sun.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You should find large displays of daisy fleabane and possibly a beautiful display of goat’s rue alongside buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, some white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. The beautiful pink pasture rose should also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. This is also a great place to see spiderwort. It can be everywhere. But you need to arrive early before it gets hot.

Miller Woods (at Paul H. Douglas Environmental Center for Education) in Indiana Dunes National Park: Depending on the blooming status of spiderwort, this preserve may be a “Go” if you visit in the morning when it’s in full flower and before the purple blossoms melt away. In any case, there’s always a lot to explore here, and you can make a day of it, especially because there are other places in the park to visit. Check in at the visitor center at Miller Woods for guidance. I love the always-energetic sprays of acrobatic bracken fern that provide texture and beauty even when nothing’s abloom. In addition to spiderwort, sprays of hairy puccoon, sand coreopsis, and two-flowered Cynthia add golden tones to the mix, and downy phlox provide splashes of pink. And along your hike, you may experience fragrant pasture rose. Walk the main trail that heads to the lake and you may discover some eastern prickly pear cactus that prefers the open sand. After your hike, consider checking out nearby Tolleston Dunes.

 

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails because of how the prairie and flowers vary along the way. The preserve is quite green, but if you don’t have a lot of time and you’re in the Markham area, it’s worth a trip into nature to clear your head. The most prominent flower in bloom is probably wild quinine. You may also see some white wild indigo, black-eyed Susan, common milkweed, marsh phlox, and tuberous Indian plantain. Along my walk, I once startled a mother deer and its fawn. Before I knew it, they disappeared into the prairie shrubbery, forever hidden. 
NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Ohio spiderwort may still be flowering and often puts on a fine show alongside nice ivory displays of foxglove beardtongue and meadow anemone. Tall purple meadow rue, with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems, can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance. False sunflower is probably in bloom. And check the wetland south of the main entrance for the beautiful white fragrant water lily.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: There might be a very nice display of marsh phlox alongside tuberous Indian plantain, and Ohio spiderwort. And look for beautiful sprays of porcupine grass, ferns, and prairie dropseed.

 

PLANTS OF THE WEEK: EASTERN PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS, PRAIRIE COREOPSIS, & LEADPLANT

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus

 

Prairie Coreopsis

Leadplant

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity

 

Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies

 

Pale Purple Coneflower

 

Butterfly Weed

 

Compass Plant

 

The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort

 

Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds

Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!

 CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.

 

Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:

 

Culver’s Root

 

Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower Blooms in the First Half of July

 

Rattlesnake Master Flowers in the First Half of July

 

Hoary Puccoon

 

Purple Milkweed

 

The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

 

Green Glow

Prairie Root System

—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-24-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-24-2025

Mike MacDonald’s 
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert 
 June 24, 2025

“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”

 

Plan the Best Nature Walks & Outdoor 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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:

The final week of June offers fine shows starring pale purple coneflower, prairie coreopsis, Ohio spiderwort, and foxglove beardtongue. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

During the final week of June, prairie coreopsis and pale purple coneflower often stage breathtaking shows. The best shows take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. And prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen. Also, the dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue are still flowering in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen  I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit! In stark contrast, you can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. Over several weeks in late spring, it blooms barely inches from the ground. During that time, whenever we’re together, I partake in a sacred ritual. I drop to my knees and bow in reverence, nose to petal. However, last year, I didn’t notice the poison ivy growing right next to the flower. I immediately felt a tingling on my upper lip, but it was too late. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me.

Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are also aflower with many species, including the omnipresent cauliflower heads of wild quinine, which can be found at any of our mesic prairies. And the beautiful orange pompom flower heads of butterfly weed (our Plant of the Week) are starting to flower in our prairies and savannas.

For just a while longer, you can still experience the ephemeral blue flowers of Ohio spiderwort that open to meet their one-and-only day, then dissolve into a gem of purple liquid. They are now melting hearts around Chicago as they continue their monthlong show. You can find them at many preserves around the area. Click here to read my poem about it.

If a flower that turns to liquid isn’t weird enough, you can now find porcupine grass with a seed that drills itself into the soil. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. Look for this grass and its seeds at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Miller Woods, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie. And if you visit Pembroke Savanna or Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, look for the plumes of June grass that glow brightly in the spotlight of a low sun.

As we approach July, purple leadplant will begin to prominently erupt at Pembroke Savanna, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen. At the latter two sites, a heart-stopping mix of leadplant and golden prairie coreopsis often bloom side-by-side. In the sandy prairies and savannas, begin looking for the large yellow blossoms of eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find it at Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.

Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.

 

SUMMER 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!”):

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: In late June, the savanna blooms with flowers representing a vibrant array of color: purple, blue, pink, orange, yellow, and white. It usually starts with the bright orange pom poms of butterfly weed that steal the show, with the gorgeous yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop in a close second. Right now, leadplant usually begins to turn purple and beginning to bloom into a magnificent show. You’ll now find many more flowers that may include Ohio spiderwort, marsh phlox, pasture rose, prairie lily, black-eyed Susan, common St. John’s wort, compass plant, daisy fleabane, foxglove beardtongue, white wild indigo, New Jersey tea, mountain mint, the tall tuberous Indian plantain, and numerous wild quinine. Keep your eyes open for the striking blooms of purple milkweed and the beautifully scented pasture rose. And the golden flowers of compass plant may now be blossoming. There’s should still be a lot of green out there, so take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures that come from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. Come early or late in the day to experience the green glow from compass plant and prairie dock.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: The grand performances of pale purple coneflower are often at peak bloom or just a little past. The white snapdragon flowers of foxglove beardtongue can be quite prominent, though they may be showing their age. And the golden rays of freshly blooming prairie coreopsis usually reach peak bloom before the first of July. The spikes of leadplant are turning purple in time for their beautiful show in July. All these flowers are complemented by the cauliflower crowns of wild quinine and sprays of porcupine grass. Ohio spiderwort may still be blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame where the purple spikes of leadplant are still waiting to flower. You should also find flashes of orange from butterfly weed, gold from black-eyed Susan,  points of blue vervain, and skewers of white wild indigo.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is good time to visit this remnant prairie where several colorful plants bloom at once.The dramatic alabaster blooms of wild quinine instantly get your attention alongside golden black-eyed Susan. But the shocking orange of butterfly weed steals the show with dramatic surges of vibrancy throughout the prairie. New lavender plumes of wild bergamot should soon start to fill the pink-and-blue void left by scurfy pea. Hues from purple to blue come from leadplant, wild bergamot, and the remaining petals of pale purple coneflower  Yellow coneflower is starting to flower along with mountain mint and rattlesnake master. And I just love looming forests of blooming compass plant. I suggest visiting early or late in the day when it’s cooler and when you can experience the glorious green glow—leaves that glow a bright green from the sunlight shining through them. 

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: This is “Go!” for the morning hours to see the tremendous show of Ohio spiderwort, especially prominent along the southeast edge of the preserve near Wolf Road. If you visit in the afternoon (and possibly later in the morning) the flowers will be gone. Plus, keep in mind that the flowers fade more quickly when it’s hot. In the prairie, you’ll also find downy phlox, daisy fleabane, prairie sundrop, purple meadow rue, white wild quinine, the gorgeous purple milkweed, and the sublime orange prairie lily. If you’re around when the sun is low, then catch the green glow emanating from the many prairie dock leaves.

Spears Woods in Willow Springs: In past years, the best show around this time is in the morning prairies where you can experience the ephemeral blue blooms of Ohio spiderwort. Joining the blues you should see the alabasters of foxglove beardtongue, white wild indigo, daisy fleabane, potentially dramatic displays of wild quinine, and mountain mint that may already be getting started. You may discover small explosions of orange butterfly weed, yellow eruptions of prairie sundrop, a sprinkling of golden black-eyed Susan, and possibly an early blooming of compass plant. And you might find a few stray bloom of purple milkweed along the trail. Climbing wild rose should be at or near peak bloom. It looks like a large bush. And look for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around plants that it’s feeding on. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and around gorgeous wetlands.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Ohio spiderwort often puts on a fine show alongside nice ivory displays of foxglove beardtongue and remaining meadow anemone. And tall purple meadow rue, with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems, can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance. False sunflower should be starting out and so should the white fragrant water lily in the wetland south of the main entrance.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You should find large displays of daisy fleabane along with the occasional yellow highlights of hairy puccoon and Cleland’s evening primrose, and the orange of butterfly weed. And pasture rose should also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. This is also a great place to see spiderwort. It’s almost everywhere. But you need to arrive early.

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This preserve is officially located within the fence at the top of the hill. However, chances are that most of the action is taking place outside the official boundary of the preserve, where hundreds of pale purple coneflower bloom on the southern and western slopes. It’s quite green inside the fence, but you’ll probably find porcupine grass, wild quinine, downy phlox, a handful of short green milkweed, and a couple of early-blooming leadplant and prairie coreopsis that usually erupt together in the first week of July. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The black oak (or sand savanna) is the most colorful portion of the preserve, where a diverse array of flowers should be blooming, including hoary puccoon, pasture rose, downy phlox, butterfly weed, flowering spurge, sand coreopsis, daisy fleabane, and Ohio spiderwort. Under the sun of the sand prairie and the dunes to the east, you’ll find three special grasses: marram grass, June grass, and porcupine grass. Marram grass grows in the most barren sandy soil closer to the beach. June grass is best experienced early and late in the day when it’s white plumes radiate like small torches. And porcupine grass has long spear-like seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. While you’re here, consider the short drive north to Chiwaukee Prairie.

Miller Woods (at Paul H. Douglas Environmental Center for Education) in Indiana Dunes National Park: The preserve is large and provides a nice long hike to the beach. The most prominent blooming flower will probably be both hairy puccoon and spiderwort. Along your hike, you’ll see two-flowered Cynthia, wild columbine, pasture rose, downy phlox, and energetic sprays of acrobatic bracken fern. And then there are the beavers! See photo and caption below to learn where to find them.

 

PLANT OF THE WEEK: BUTTERFLY WEED

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Pale Purple Coneflower

 

Prairie Coreopsis

 

Foxglove Beardtongue

 

The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort

 

Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds

Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!

 CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.

 

Sand Coreopsis

 

Leadplant is Coming!

 

Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies

 

Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:

 

Hoary Puccoon

 

Purple Milkweed

 

June Grass

 

Compass Plant

 

Indian Paintbrush

 

Purple Meadow Rue Towers in Some Prairies

 

The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

 

Green Glow

—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-17-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-17-2025

Mike MacDonald’s 
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert 
 June 17, 2025
(Juneteenth Holiday Edition)

“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”

 

Plan the Best Juneteenth Nature Walks & Outdoor 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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:

The Juneteenth holiday offers fine flower shows, starring pale purple coneflower, sand coreopsis, Ohio spiderwort, and foxglove beardtongue. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

The middle of June brings breathtaking shows of prairie coreopsis and pale purple coneflower. The best shows for pale purple coneflower take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. Golden prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen.

And the dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue (our Plant of the Week) should be blooming strong in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen  I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit! In stark contrast, you can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. Over several weeks in late spring, it blooms barely inches from the ground. During that time, whenever we’re together, I partake in a sacred ritual. I drop to my knees and bow in reverence, nose to petal. However, last year, I didn’t notice the poison ivy growing right next to the flower. I immediately felt a tingling on my upper lip, but it was too late. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me.

Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early bright, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all this, along with the promise of a new day.

In June, the melting flower of Ohio spiderwort stages a monthlong show at various savannas and prairies throughout the region. The flower dissolves soon after it first opens. Yes, you read that correctly. Click here to read my poem about it. And if a flower that turns to liquid isn’t weird enough, you can now find porcupine grass with a seed that drills itself into the soil. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. Look for this grass and its seeds at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Miller Woods, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie. If you visit Pembroke Savanna or Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, look for the plumes of June grass that glow brightly in the spotlight of a low sun.

 

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!”):

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The spectacular, sunny show of golden sand coreopsis could now be underway. Though you can find them shining under the trees, breathtaking expanses of the flower are commonly found in the sun-soaked sand prairie to the east. Blooming alongside the coreopsis, you may see the tiny white sparkles of sand cress and sandwort, the fluffy white plumes of New Jersey tea, and lots of porcupine grass. In the shade of the black oak savanna, downy phlox and pasture rose add beautiful splashes of pink amidst the fading blue-and-white blossoms of wild lupine and the three-petaled blossoms of Ohio spiderwort that turn to a purple liquid in the heat of the day. Along your trek, look for hoary puccoon, hairy puccoon, and, if you’re observant, Indian paintbrush. While you’re here, consider the short drive north to Chiwaukee Prairie.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Get out to see the big display of pale purple coneflower upon the gravelly kames of this beautiful preserve. Also, look for the white blossoms of white wild indigo and daisy fleabane along with newly blooming foxglove beardtongue and wild quinine. Ohio spiderwort is blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is often the time in June when dense displays of pale purple coneflower combine with the floating flowers of scurfy pea to create a breathtaking wildflower shows. There might still be some blooms of Ohio spiderwort, with purple flowers that open around sunrise and soon shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. Porcupine grass is showing off its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Watch my video of the drilling seed. Look for the white cauliflower heads of wild quinine, golden black-eyed Susan, the occasional blooms of purple milkweed and pasture rose. And you may catch the start of orange butterfly weed. And finally, appreciate the large gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly under a backlit sun.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: This is only a “Go!” for the morning hours to experience grand performances of of Ohio spiderwort that turn the prairie into a haze of blue. However, the flowers will disappear by afternoon, especially if it’s hot. Along your walk, you should also see the tall and fluffy purple meadow rue, white wild quinine, daisy fleabane, the occasional purple milkweed, and small displays of the heart-stopping yellow prairie sundrop. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts.

Spears Woods in Willow Springs: This preserve can often present a wonderful morning show of Ohio spiderwort alongside alabaster expanses of foxglove beardtongue. Also adding to the whites are white wild indigo, daisy fleabane, and the start of wild quinine, which will soon put on a fine show of its own. Along the narrow prairie trail, you should also see the stunning purple milkweed, sprinklings of black-eyed Susan, and the glorious and happy yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and around gorgeous wetlands.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Ohio spiderwort often puts on a fine show alongside nice ivory displays of foxglove beardtongue and remaining meadow anemone. And tall purple meadow rue, with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems, can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance. And false sunflower may be starting out.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: If you want to see spiderwort, this is a great place. It’s almost everywhere. But as stated before, you need to get here early. The spiderwort is mixed in with a prolific display of daisy fleabane, along with some pasture rose and remaining hairy puccoon. And you’ll also find lots of porcupine grass.

 

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Somme Prairie Grove: If you live up north, and you don’t want head south, just visit Somme Prairie Grove to enjoy the greenery of the scenery with occasional flashes of floral color. This preserve has a nice feel to it. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant with a flower head that’s just starting to turn into purple flowers. I’m about to list a bunch of flowers that you may see, but that doesn’t mean that there’s lots of floral color. At this time in June, the preserve may bel ninety-eight percent green. There’s a good chance that you’ll see the gorgeous yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop that will probably be the most showy plant at the moment. However, you may also discover a little bit of  newly flowering orange butterfly weed and possibly a few remaining groups of red Indian paintbrush. Flickers of white come from foxglove beardtongue, wild quinine, white wild indigo, daisy fleabane, and the non-native ox-eye daisy. Keep your eyes open for the striking blooms of purple milkweed and the beautifully scented pasture rose. And finally, the golden flowers are may be blooming on a few compass plants.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This preserve is officially located within the fence at the top of the hill. However, chances are that most of the action is taking place outside the official boundary of the preserve, where hundreds of pale purple coneflower bloom on the southern and western slopes. It’s probably mostly green inside the fence, where you’ll probably find porcupine grass, wild quinine, some early-blooming leadplant, a few prairie coreopsis, pink downy phlox, and short green milkweed. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.

 

 

PLANT OF THE WEEK: FOXGLOVE BEARDTONGUE

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

 

Prairie Coreopsis

 

Pale Purple Coneflower

 

The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort

 

Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds

Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!

 CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.

 

Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:

 

Hoary Puccoon

 

Purple Milkweed

 

June Grass

 

Butterfly Weed

 

Indian Paintbrush

 

Purple Meadow Rue Towers in Some Spring Prairies

 

The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-10-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:02 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-10-2025

Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
June 10, 2025

“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”

 

Plan the Best Nature Walks & Outdoor 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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:

Around this time, magnificent shows of sand coreopsis and spiderwort are possible. Yet, there are other performances going on, like that of the melting blossoms of Ohio spiderwort! But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

Like last week, pay attention to the magnificent display of sand coreopsis at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion. This is one of those “can’t miss” experiences that actually happen quite a lot around Chicago. The performance is so dramatic that my picture of it was featured in the world famous 2020 Sierra Club Wilderness Wall Calendar (see Photo Section).

The flamboyant pale purple coneflower (our first Plant of the Week) is another performance to look for. The best shows take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. 

In June, the melting flower of Ohio spiderwort stages a monthlong show at various savannas and prairies throughout the region. The flower dissolves soon after it first opens. Yes, you read that correctly. Click here to read my poem about it. And if a flower that turns to liquid isn’t weird enough, you can now find porcupine grass (our second Plant of the Week) with a seed that drills itself into the soil. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. Look for this grass and its seeds at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Miller Woods, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie. If you visit Pembroke Savanna or Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, look for the plumes of June grass that glow brightly in the spotlight of a low sun.

The pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue should also be starting in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fenn. I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit! In stark contrast, you can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. Over several weeks in late spring, it blooms barely inches from the ground. During that time, whenever we’re together, I partake in a sacred ritual. I drop to my knees and bow in reverence, nose to petal. However, last year, I didn’t notice the poison ivy growing right next to the flower. I immediately felt a tingling on my upper lip, but it was too late. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me.

 

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!”):

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The spectacular, sunny show of golden sand coreopsis could now be underway. Though you can find them shining under the trees, breathtaking expanses of the flower are commonly found in the sun-soaked sand prairie to the east. Blooming alongside the coreopsis, you may see the tiny white sparkles of sand cress and sandwort, the fluffy white plumes of New Jersey tea, and lots of porcupine grass. In the shade of the black oak savanna, downy phlox and pasture rose add beautiful splashes of pink amidst the fading blue-and-white blossoms of wild lupine, and three-petaled blossoms of Ohio spiderwort that turn to a purple liquid in the heat of the day. Along your trek, look for hoary puccoon, hairy puccoon, and, if you’re observant, Indian paintbrush. While you’re here, consider the short drive north to Chiwaukee Prairie.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: This is often the time to experience the breathtaking displays of pale purple coneflower. Also, look for the white blossoms of white wild indigo and daisy fleabane along with newly blooming foxglove beardtongue and wild quinine. Ohio spiderwort is blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: This is only a “Go!” for the morning hours to experience the wonderful performance of Ohio spiderwort. However, the blue flowers will be gone by afternoon, especially if it’s hot. Along the way, you should also see the tall and fluffy purple meadow rue, white wild quinine, daisy fleabane, the occasional purple milkweed, and small displays of the heart-stopping yellow prairie sundrop. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: Like Wolf Road Prairie, this preserve should be a “Go!” during the morning hours to see the ephemeral blooms of Ohio spiderwort. Their purple flowers open around sunrise, but only last a few hours until they shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. The fantastic show of pale purple coneflower and scurfy pea may also be taking place. Porcupine grass may be showing its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Again, “very cool!” Watch the seed drill in my video. And look for the gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly when the sun is behind them.

Spears Woods: This preserve can often present a wonderful show in the mornings of Ohio spiderwort. Joining these melting blue blossoms may be the many whites of foxglove beardtongue, white wild indigo, and dramatic displays of wild quinine throughout the prairies. Along the narrow prairie trail, you should also see the stunning purple milkweed, sprinklings of black-eyed Susan, and the glorious and happy yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop. Thanks to spring’s prescribed fire, the prairie is green and clean, uncluttered by last year’s tan skeletons. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and wetlands.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Check for sparkling expanses of white-petaled meadow anemone along with blue Ohio spiderwort.m And the tall purple meadow rue with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Ohio spiderwort should be blooming throughout the preserve along with nice expanses of nice displays of daisy fleabane with golden highlights of hairy puccoon. The intoxicating pasture rose may also be flowering alongside porcupine grass and June grass that glows in the low sunlight.

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve has a lush feel to it. In the woodland, you may still find some yellow flat-topped umbrellas of golden Alexander along with the occasional flat-topped white flowers of cow parsnip. The latter is a little toxic and can irritate the skin. So, no touchy-feely with this plant. You’ll find a variety of flowering species in bloom under the sun, possibly golden balsam ragwort, ivory buttons of bastard toadflax, fading shooting star, the delicately elegant stout blue-eyed grass, and the heart-stopping red Indian paintbrush. Wow! Along the way, look for any remaining creamy blooms of cream wild indigo. And don’t forget to appreciate the lush green textures that come from the foliage of forbs, sedges, and grasses, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed and the heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock. should be in the wet areas. The flowering cauliflower heads of wild quinine may now be blooming along with a smattering of white wild indigo. By this time in June, the wetland blooms of blue flag iris and yellow water buttercup may now be gone.

Miller Woods (at Paul H. Douglas Environmental Center for Education) in Indiana Dunes National Park: The preserve is large and provides a nice long hike to the beach. The most prominent blooming flower will probably be both hairy puccoon and spiderwort. Along your hike, you’ll see two-flowered Cynthia, wild columbine, pasture rose, downy phlox, and energetic sprays of acrobatic bracken fern. And then there are the beavers! See photo and caption below to learn where to find them.

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 many wildflowers. The next big show comes from prairie coreopsis in mid- to late June. Right now, you might find some downy phlox , porcupine grass, and some remaining patches of golden Alexander and hoary puccoon. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant.

 

PLANTS OF THE WEEK: PALE PURPLE CONEFLOWER & PORCUPINE GRASS

Pale Purple Coneflower

 

Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds

Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!

 CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.

 

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Sand Coreopsis

 

The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort

 

Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled

 

Foxglove Beardtongue (and its contribution to the wonderful world of scent)

 

June Grass

 

Hoary Puccoon

 

Blue Flag Iris

 

Golden Alexander

 

 

Indian Paintbrush

 

Wild Columbine

 

Stout Blue-Eyed Grass

 

 

The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-03-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-03-2025

Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
June 3, 2025

“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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:

Around this time, sand coreopsis stages its beautiful late-spring performance. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

As we enter June, my attention turns to the magnificent display of sand coreopsis (one of our Plants of the Week) at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion. This is one of those “can’t miss” experiences that actually happen quite a lot around Chicago. The performance is so dramatic that my picture of it was featured in the world famous 2020 Sierra Club Wilderness Wall Calendar (see Photo Section). Our second Plant of the Week is the melting flower of Ohio spiderwort that puts on a monthlong show at various savannas and prairies throughout the region. The flower actually dissolves soon after it first opens. Yes, you read that correctly. Click here to read my poem about it. And the pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue may also be starting. I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit!

The breathtaking shows of shooting star and wild lupine may still be happening, but they usually peak in late of May. At Chiwaukee Prairie, shooting star can cover the grassland pink with touches of yellow star grass, birdfoot violet, and golden Alexander. 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.

The aforementioned 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. And the sparkling sprays of golden Alexander put on nice performances at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Chiwaukee Prairie.

 

 

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!”):

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The happy, sunny show of golden sand coreopsis may be underway under the open sky of the sand prairie. It’s a sight to remember. You may also find shows of blue-and-white wild lupine, golden hoary puccoon, and bubble gum pink downy phlox. For the best performances, take the wide gravel trail (Dunes Trail) that heads south from the parking lot. In open shade of the black oak savanna, the buttery yellow blooms of western goat’s beard are may be open for business along with the three-petaled blossoms of Ohio spiderwort, but the purplish blue flower doesn’t last long. Each morning, a few buds open to reveal fresh flowers that dissolve in the heat of the day into drops of purple liquid. Along the way, you should also find the delightful blue-eyed grass, little white sparkles of sand cress and sandwort, and the red glow of red Indian paintbrush. And while you’re here, consider visiting nearby Chiwaukee Prairie.

Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park: The show of wild lupine may still be blooming in combination with the golds of hoary puccoon. Adding to the mix should be the blue hues of blue-eyed grass, red-and-yellow blossoms of wild columbine, golden tones of two-flowered Cynthia, and flashes of white 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 areas. We recommend high boots. Or just slosh on through!

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve has a nice feel to it. In the woodland, you may experience beautiful displays of the flat-topped umbrellas of golden Alexander alongside the occasional flat-topped white flowers of cow parsnip. The latter is a little toxic and can irritate the skin. So, no touchy-feely with this plant. You’ll find a variety of flowering species in bloom under the sun, including golden balsam ragwort, shooting star, ivory buttons of bastard toadflax, the occasional shooting star, the delicately elegant stout blue-eyed grass, and the heart-stopping red Indian paintbrush. Wow! Along the way, look for the beautiful creamy blooms of cream wild indigo. And don’t forget to appreciate the lush green textures that come from the foliage of forbs, sedges, and grasses, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed and the heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock. This is also the time of year to experience blue flag iris and yellow water buttercup in the wet areas.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake puts on a stunning show of shooting star that takes place sometime between mid-May and early June, joined by a colorful cast: hoary puccoon, golden Alexander, wood betony, yellow star grass, blue-eyed grass, birdfoot violet, and wild strawberry. You may also find some wild lupine along the edges. And the occasional fluffy seed heads of common cottongrass help to brighten up the wetlands. If you’re lucky, you just may find patches of yellow Indian paintbrush. 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.

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 large patches of golden Alexander and hoary puccoon alongside a smattering of pink downy phlox growing, and any remaining blooms of wood betony, shooting star, birdfoot violet, and blue-eyed grass.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Late May usually starts the monthlong performance of Ohio spiderwort along the southeast edge of the preserve near Wolf Road. However, those flowers will be gone by afternoon, especially if it’s hot. In the prairie, you’ll also find a small mix of other flowers including hoary puccoon, golden Alexander, downy phlox and daisy fleabane. I particularly love the emerging tones and textures of prairie dock, rattlesnake master, and compass plant.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: I’m recommending this preserve for a morning visit to see the blooms of the ephemeral Ohio spiderwort. Throughout the month of June, the blue flowers open around sunrise, but only last a few hours until they shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool! Click here to read my poem about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Check for sparkling expanses of white-petaled meadow anemone along with blue Ohio spiderwort. And the tall purple meadow rue with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Ohio spiderwort should be blooming throughout the preserve along with nice expanses of nice displays of daisy fleabane with golden highlights of hairy puccoon. The intoxicating pasture rose may also be flowering alongside porcupine grass and June grass that glows in the low sunlight.

 

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia: In early June, the prairie is often aflower with golden Alexander and lush with the foliage of future blooms, like prairie dock and compass plant.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: The most prolific blooms may be happening under the sun with shining displays of balsam ragwort and golden Alexander. Then add to that the brilliant yellow blossoms of hairy puccoon. You may also find ivory tones from bastard toadflax in the prairie and fluffy plumes of common cottongrass in the soggy areas.

 

 

PLANTS OF THE WEEK (Sand Coreopsis & Ohio Spiderwort):

 

Sand Coreopsis:

 

The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort:

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Shooting Star:

 

Shooting Star at Chiwaukee Prairie:

Wild Lupine:

 

Meadow Anemone

 

Hoary Puccoon:

 

Blue Flag Iris starts to bloom in the late May:

 

Golden Alexander:

 

 

Foxglove Beardtongue usually begins its bloom in early to mid-June:

 

Wild Columbine:

 

Indian Paintbrush:

 

Stout Blue-Eyed Grass

—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
05-27-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 11:33 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
05-27-2025

Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
May 27, 2025

“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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

Be on the lookout for spectacular flower shows
taking place in our showcase prairies, savannas, and woodlands.

 

WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:

The magnificent world-class flowers shows of wild lupine and shooting star usually take place around this time. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.

At this time in May, the big shows often come from shooting star and wild lupine. At Chiwaukee Prairie, shooting star covers the grassland pink with touches of yellow star grass, birdfoot violet, and golden Alexander. 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.

The aforementioned 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. And the sparkling sprays of golden Alexander (our Plant of the Week) put on nice performances at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Chiwaukee Prairie.

The ephemeral melting blooms of Ohio spiderwort often get their start in late May. Click here to read my poem about it. They melt hearts around Chicago as they begin their monthlong show. You can find them at many preserves around the area.

It still may be possible to see woodland shows of woodland phlox and wild geranium alongside hidden blossoms of mayapple. The large waxy white blossoms of mayapple should be flowering by now. To find them, look beneath the umbrellas of two-leafed plants. And 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.

In late May and early June, look for a fantastic show of sand coreopsis in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion. This performance of coreopsis is so dramatic that my picture of it was featured in the world famous 2020 Sierra Club Wilderness Wall Calendar (see photo section).

 

 

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!”):

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 areas. We recommend high boots. Or just slosh on through!

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake puts on a stunning show of shooting star that takes place sometime between mid-May and early June, joined by a colorful cast: hoary puccoon, golden Alexander, wood betony, yellow star grass, blue-eyed grass, birdfoot violet, and wild strawberry. You may find some wild lupine along the edges. And the occasional fluffy seed heads of common cottongrass help to brighten up the wetlands. If you’re lucky, you just may find patches of yellow Indian paintbrush. 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.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: By this time in May, this preserve really starts to shine. In the woodland, you might experience beautiful displays of golden Alexander with its yellow flat-topped umbrellas. Also under the trees are the flat-topped white flowers of cow parsnip, which is a little toxic and can irritate the skin. So, no touchy-feely with this plant. And you may find the final blooms of wild geranium and wild hyacinth. Under the sun, you may see a variety of flowers, including golden balsam ragwort, ivory buttons of bastard toadflax, the occasional shooting star, the delicately elegant stout blue-eyed grass, and the heart-stopping red Indian paintbrush. Wow! Along the way, look for the beautiful creamy blooms of cream wild indigo. And don’t forget to appreciate the lush green textures that come from the foliage of forbs, sedges, and grasses, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed and the heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock. This is also the time of year to experience blue flag iris and yellow water buttercup in the wet areas.

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 large patches of golden Alexander and hoary puccoon, possibly growing amidst the remaining blooms of wood betony, shooting star, birdfoot violet, and blue-eyed grass.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: This is usually the time to experience vibrant shows of wild lupine, hoary puccoon, and downy phlox. For best performances, take the wide gravel trail (Dunes Trail) that head heads south from the parking lot. The lupines aren’t nearly as dramatic as at Miller Woods, but this preserve is a dream. Along the way, you’ll may also see the delightful blue-eyed grass, little white sparkles of sand cress and sandwort, and the red glow of red Indian paintbrush. And while you’re here, consider visiting nearby Chiwaukee Prairie. The brilliant yellow flowers of sand coreopsis may now be blooming, which is one of the region’s most dramatic performances. In open shade of the black oak savanna, look for the buttery yellow blooms of the occasional western goat’s beard along with the three-petaled blossoms of Ohio spiderwort, but the flower doesn’t last long. Each morning, a few buds open to reveal fresh blue flowers that dissolve in the heat of the day into drops of purple liquid. Along the way, you’ll also find the delightful blue-eyed grass, little white sparkles of sand cress and sandwort, and the red glow of red Indian paintbrush. And while you’re here, consider visiting nearby Chiwaukee Prairie

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.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Late May usually starts the monthlong performance of Ohio spiderwort along the southeast edge of the preserve near Wolf Road. However, those flowers will be gone by afternoon, especially if it’s hot. In the prairie, you’ll also find a small mix of other flowers including hoary puccoon, golden Alexander, downy phlox and daisy fleabane. I particularly love the emerging tones and textures of prairie dock, rattlesnake master, and compass plant. By late May, you may still find the fading blooms of wood betony, starry false Solomon’s seal, wild hyacinth and wild geranium.

 

“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:

Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: I love this place for its springtime lushness. In late May, you may still find still find some displays of pink wild geranium and blue woodland phlox. But you’ll most likely see dramatic plumes of false Solomon’s seal scattered 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.

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia: In late May, the prairie is usually aflower with golden Alexander and shooting star.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin:  The most prolific blooms may be happening under the sun with shining displays of balsam ragwort and golden Alexander. Then add to that the brilliant yellow blossoms of hairy puccoon. You may also find ivory tones from bastard toadflax in the prairie and fluffy plumes of common cottongrass in the soggy areas.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: In May, this intimate remnant prairie awakens with golden bouquets of hoary puccoon. Ohio spiderwort may have also started.

Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines and the flowers that cross the braes. In late May, you may still find some displays of pink wild geranium and blue woodland phlox amidst the white blooms of mayapple. But the odds are that they’ve all faded away by now.

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: You may find a mixture of spiderwort, hoary puccoon, and golden Alexander in the prairie. This high-quality preserve is our only showcase preserve located inside the city of Chicago.

 

PLANT OF THE WEEK (Golden Alexander):

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Shooting Star:

 

Shooting Star at Chiwaukee Prairie:

Wild Lupine:

 

Wild Hyacinth:

 

Starry False Solomon’s Seal:

 

Wood Betony:

 

Woodland Phlox:

 

Hoary Puccoon:

 

Blue Flag Iris starts to bloom in the late May:

 

Foxglove Beardtongue usually begins in late May:

 

Sand Coreopsis:

 

Ohio Spiderwort and its Melting Flowers:

 

Wild Columbine:

 

Indian Paintbrush:

 

Sand Phlox:

 

Wild Geranium:

 

Stout Blue-Eyed Grass

 

Mayapple:

 

Wild Ginger:

 

 

Large-flowered Trillium:

 

Skunk Cabbage:

—Mike

Pictures & Poetry: The Miraculous Melting Blooms of Ohio Spiderwort

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Pictures & Poetry: The Miraculous Melting Blooms of Ohio Spiderwort

Pictures & Poetry:
The Miraculous Melting Blooms of Ohio Spiderwort

Now that you know a little something about spiderwort, here’s my poem about the plant from my book, My Journey into the Wilds of Chicago: A Celebration of Chicagoland’s Startling Natural Wonders:

Spiderwort is a prairie flower, as ethereal as it is enduring.
The name is a consequence of its long slender leaves that break suddenly downward,
mimicking the legs of a crouching spider.

It rises at the end of May in the prairies and savannas, in a universe all its own,
a small galaxy of blue starlike flowers that form the constellation of the Crouching Spider.

Unlike celestial bodies that survive in the billions, for billions of years,
the stars of the Crouching Spider number only a few and shimmer for just a few hours.

Coinciding with Earth’s star, they emerge, not with a big bang,
but slowly materialize from a golden hot center into three purple points.
As the sun grows high in the sky,
they gradually collapse into deep blue planets.
Yet tomorrow morning, and for thirty or more turns of Earth,
you may gaze into the prairie universe to witness the reemergence of the Crouching Spider
and the creation of new worlds.

You can find spiderwort at many preserves around Chicago, including:

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, Illinois

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia, Illinois

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham, Illinois

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois

Kickapoo Woods & Prairie in Riverdale, Illinois

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois

Miller Woods in Gary, Indiana

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park, Illinois

Powderhorn Prairie in Chicago, Illinois

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins, Illinois

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois

 – Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
05-20-2025

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:01 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
05-20-2025

Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
May 20, 2025

“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.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

 

This is the time to be on the lookout for spectacular shows
taking place in our showcase prairies, savannas, and woodlands.

 

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! 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 fresh fragrance of woodland phlox. 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 bristly 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 bristly 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 bristly buttercup that love the 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:

 

Wild Lupine:

 

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Wood Betony:

 

Woodland Phlox:

 

Sand Phlox:

 

Wild Geranium:

 

Wild Hyacinth:

 

Starry False Solomon’s Seal:

 

Stout Blue-Eyed Grass

 

Mayapple:

 

Wild Ginger:

 

Large-flowered Trillium:

 

Large-Flowered Bellwort:

 

Prairie Trillium:

 

Skunk Cabbage:

 

Shoe Factory Road Prairie:

 

Pembroke Savanna:

 

Chiwaukee Prairie’s May Show of Shooting Star:

 

—Mike