Please Donate to Help Me Connect People with Nature

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 12:53 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Please Donate to Help Me Connect People with Nature

Please Donate to Help Me Connect People with Nature

CLICK HERE to Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

At the end of September, we completed our fourth season of wildflower reporting. Now I’m asking you to give your financial support at our GoFundMe campaign for our hard work bringing the beauty and peace of Chicago nature into your life and into the lives of others. Learn more and donate here.

Thanks so much!
—Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/26/2019

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 3:31 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/26/2019

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
September 26, 2019
(Fall Color Preview & Final Report for 2019)

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways”

Get Outdoors to Experience
Fall Color Weekend Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

This year, our volunteer scouts have devoted hundreds of hours and traveled thousands of miles to bring you these free weekly reports. As our scouting work comes to an end for the season, please let us know about what our service brings to your life. We’d love to hear about your adventures! You can write a comment by visiting the blog, our Facebook group, or send me an email. And please share this website with others, and ask them to subscribe.

REMINDER FOR OUR SUBSCRIBERS: Earlier this week, you were sent an invitation for a special ChicagoNatureNOW! savanna tour and seed-collecting event at Somme Prairie Grove on Saturday, October 12. Look for the email and sign up fast. There are only a few spots left!

Now that autumn has arrived and the blooming season has effective ended, this post will be our final wildflower alert for the year. Below, I suggest where to find any remaining blooms and kaleidoscopic fall color in the weeks to come.

 

HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR FALL COLOR WEEKEND GETAWAYS IN CHICAGO NATURE:

The prairie is the first habitat to display autumn color in its foliage. And with the many asters and gentians that flower into October, the prairie becomes a beautiful mosaic. Experience towering waves of red-stemmed grasses and the tawny, fluffy spikes of gayfeather glowing in the sunlight. In one small patch of prairie, it’s common to see more color than any autumn woodland: oranges, golds, reds, maroons, cyans, browns, and tans. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find in the scenic preserves and woodlands as they change into their autumn wardrobes:

PRAIRIES TO VISIT THIS FALL:

• Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois: Visit the golden sand prairie close to the lake using the trail to the east. I love this place, which is why it tops the list.
• Spears Woods in Willow Springs, Illinois: This preserve offers open expanses of woodland, wetland, and prairie that is my personal favorite preserve of the fall season. Click here for the location of the trailhead that goes west into the prairies.
• Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois: This preserve is really a savanna, but it features many prairie plants that offer rich autumn color and texture. The many flowers and grasses that have brought us joy throughout the growing season are now performing their final show of the year.
• Lake in the Hills Fen: Visit this vast preserve to experience the grand grassland expanse that runs to a distant horizon. Wow!
• Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois: This prairie offers hundreds of species with a wonderful combination of color and texture. Walk (or drive) to the prairie house at the north end and view the prairie expanse from the deck.
• Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This large prairie offers an array of changing colors, including blooms of fringed and prairie gentians that last through the end of September.
• Theodore Stone Preserve: The seas of grasses are beautiful. There are two different prairies here: a mesic prairie on the west side of the preserve (near the main entrance) and a dolomite (limestone) prairie on the east side. There is also a woodland trail that offers some canopy color.
• Kickapoo Prairie in Riverdale, Illinois: This is a beautiful prairie very close to Chicago’s city limits with a sea of grasses.
• Powderhorn Prairie: Experience the fall color of the prairie at the most biodiverse natural area within the city limits of Chicago.
• Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Visit the prairie for tall expanses of grasses and olorful foliage from the forbs. And while you’re on your way in, stop under the trees to receive the hug from the gallant oaks.
• Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois: Contrary to the name, the preserve offers an expanse of prairie that looks great in the fall.
• Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates, Illinois: Hike this hill prairie and the large grassland at its base.
• Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, Illinois: This intimate remnant prairie is beautiful throughout the year. And because it’s quite small, your visit could be quite short.
• Lockport Prairie in Lockport, Illinois: This prairie features a wonderful expanse of tall, waving grasses on a short out-and-back trail.

WOODLANDS TO VISIT THIS FALL:

• Spears Woods in Willow Springs, Illinois: Asters bloom into the first week of October along with white snakeroot and elm-leaved goldenrod. And because there is a mix of tree species, the color range is spectacular. The wetlands are beautiful as they reflect the surrounding color. And you’ll find lots of great hiking over the rolling terrain.
• Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois: The black oak savanna takes up the majority of this preserve. You can spend all day exploring.
• Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois: Because this is an oak savanna, the tree color is not as colorful as woodlands with a variety of species. Combined with the understory in the prairie-like expanse, this is a wonderful preserve to visit.
• Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois: This is a magical place with steep bluffs, a beautiful stream, and where maples scream gold. Wow! This is another favorite preserve of mine.
• Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien, Illinois: This vast preserve is a very popular spot for hikers, bikers, and fall-color chasers. The tree colors in the woodland and savanna is very nice and I love the views along Sawmill Creek. It’s beautiful, but there are crowds of people on the weekends, especially around the man-made waterfall.
• Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee, Illinois: Like Black Partridge Woods, this site features a beautiful creek and a wonderful woodland where maples turn to gold.
• Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: The intimate oak savanna is a dream come true! Stand under the tawny tones of venerable oaks and feel their warm embrace. Then continue on the trail into the prairie and fen, where unexpected color and texture compete the autumn experience.
• Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park, Illinois: This is the finest example of a black oak savanna anywhere in the world. For fall color, the black oaks can be a bit understated, but there is a wealth of color in the understory. I love the feel of this preserve. And you’re likely to be alone because the preserve is not frequently visited.
• Messenger Woods in Lockport, Illinois: This large woodland offers a golden maple forest.
• Pilcher Park in Joliet, Illinois: This hardwood maple woodland offers great color. But keep in mind that it’s a popular preserve. Go early for the best experience.
• Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park: This is a big, beautiful preserve that features a black oak savanna with a rich understory. And the ferns are fun!
• Cowles Bog Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park: Walk the trail through the colorful black oak savanna. At a point along the trail, choose the fork to the right. Soon, you’ll be taken over a steep dune and onto a spectacular panorama of waving golden grasses along the sandy shores of a blue Lake Michigan. Wow!
• Sagawau Canyon: Call them to register for a canyon tour, or just go for a walk through the colorful woodland and prairie.

 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds!
The hummingbirds will often remain while the weather is warm. You can find them buzzing about at many nature centers including: Sagawau Canyon, Pilcher Park (at the nature center and south of the greenhouse), and Little Red Schoolhouse.

Canyon Tours
To experience a beautiful fern-lined canyon, call Sagawau Canyon in Lemont to sign up for their next canyon tour. Hurry! They fill up fast.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: THE ASTERS (marking the end of the blooming season)

PHOTO SECTION

 

Get Outdoors and Discover What Autumn Can Bring:

Bottle Gentians (through late September, possibly into October)

Fringed Gentian (through late September, possibly into October)

The Tallgrass Prairie

 

Canyon Tours

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/19/2019

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 2:57 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/19/2019

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
September 19, 2019

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

Get Out This Weekend to Experience
The Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE BY BECOMING A NATURE SCOUT! Each week, we help your neighbors find peace. Lean about becoming a nature scout.

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:

I love this time of year in our prairies and savannas. The air is cool and the light is much softer on the eyes. And just as new blooms bring fresh color and texture to the natural landscape, the advent of autumn is no different. Browning seed heads spring from fading flowers, and leaves of green slowly transform into purples, reds, and rusts. This sets the stage for the soft autumn sunlight, as it shines through the foliage, igniting the fields in a brilliant glow. The following preserves feel special in this way: Spears Woods, Bluff Spring Fen, Somme Prairie Grove, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Pembroke Savanna, Wolf Road Prairie, and Lake in the Hills Fen.

This is probably the last week to experience the richness of gold flowers in Chicago’s prairies and savannas. The yellow rays of sawtooth sunflower are still looking good at some sites. These plants can grow up to twelve feet high. And this week, I found some eleven-footers by the prairie house at the north end of Wolf Road Prairie. Many species of goldenrod are fading, but still adding sparkle to the scene. NOTE: Goldenrod does not provoke allergies. Their pollen is heavy, and drops to the ground. Therefore, it can’t float through air to be inhaled. The real culprit is common ragweed, which blooms at the same time. Many of the asters are now flowering, marking the end of the blooming season. There are so many asters and goldenrods that it’s really hard to identify them all. Click here for a complete (pdf) list of local asters and goldenrods.

Our new Plants of the Week are the asters, which put on the final showy displays of the growing season. You can find several species of aster in the prairies and open woodlands of our region, including Somme Prairie Grove, Wolf Road Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Spears Woods, Somme Prairie Grove, and Illinois Beach Nature Preserve.

Now’s your last chance to experience the remaining display rough blazing star, which has passed peak bloom at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Pembroke Savanna. These two preserves are spellbinding at this time of year, no matter what the flowers are doing.

And right now, you can see white snakeroot, the deadly plant that killed thousands in the 1800’s by what was called “milk disease.” You can smell it and touch it, BUT DON’T TASTE IT! Watch this video to learn more:

For a greater appreciation of our native habitats, touch and smell the plants. (But don’t eat them unless you know what you’re doing.) Run your fingers across the soft tan tassels of Indian grass and atop the rough, sometimes smooth, leaves of our many sunflowers. Tickle your hand as you pass through a cloudy plume of prairie dropseed. And while you’re there, stop and pay attention to its rich fragrance of slightly burnt buttered popcorn. Receive the strong and refreshing fragrance of mint from the fading flowers of mountain mint and wild bergamot. The seeds of yellow coneflower smell like licorice, New England aster explodes with spice (watch video), while the seeds of purple prairie clover give off my favorite good smell in Chicago nature—a transfusion of lemons and carrots. So, what is my favorite bad smell? That would be the brown, teardrop seed ball of foxglove beardtongue. When in bloom, the white snapdragon flowers have no appreciable smell. But beginning around the end of August, the seeds smell exactly like vomit. Some say, “moldy socks.” Either way, it’s fabulous!

In addition to flowers, check out our special section below where we tell you where to see hummingbirds, ferns, and a Chicago-area canyon!

PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, 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 get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

Spears Woods in Willow Spring (last scouted on 9/17=): I love walking around this preserve in the soft autumn sunlight. The mix of prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and rolling hills add so much to the experience. Currently, the prairie still offers fantastic golden blooms of sawtooth sunflower and goldenrods amidst a sea of purple of big bluestem and the tawny tassels of Indian grass. A breathtaking expanse of false aster can be found in the sunny wetter areas. And the woodlands are beautiful with an abundance of elm-leaved goldenrod, white snakeroot, and aster.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (9/17=): Come when the sun is shining to see the prairie glow amidst towering expanses of sawtooth sunflower. Several goldenrods are still blooming (stiff, tall, grass-leaved, field, elm-leaved in woodland, etcetera). And look closely for the blue bottle gentian, cream gentian, prairie gentian, and stiff gentian.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (9/14=): Our official Nature Scouts could not make it here, this week. But we did receive reports from CNN! followers Lillian Schnitzler and Karen Thomas Anderfuren. Learn about becoming a scout, here. Thanks to Lillian and Karen for scouting in spite of the deep water that flooded Lake County last weekend. They agreed that, even though the rough blazing star has faded, the preserve is a wonder to visit. And that’s how I feel about this place. Right now, expect to see goldenrod and asters, the changing colors of the grasses, and the light shimmering through the canopy of the oak savanna.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (9/18=): Somme Prairie Grove is known for the simultaneous blooms of many species. And that’s what you’ll find, right now. The best blooms are happening under the sun with beautiful expanses of sawtooth sunflower and goldenrod (field, rough, and Riddell’s under sun, zig-zag in the shade, and swamp in the wet spots). Also part of the show are the many asters, some obedient plant, and possibly savanna blazing star alongside the tall grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass. You also find several gentians: fringed gentian, bottle gentian, stiff gentian, cream gentian, prairie gentian, and the fringed gentian The gold continues under the trees with displays of sweet coneflower mixed with rich purples of spotted Joe-Pye weed. You’ll also find more asters and the deadly white snakeroot (watch video above).
Here’s a list of asters that you can find at Somme Prairie Grove, thanks to our wonderful resident plant expert and steward at Somme, Eriko Kojima.
In the shade: Drummond’s aster, Short’s aster, and Calico aster (aka side-flowering aster)
Open woods: forked aster
Under the sun: sky blue aster, smooth blue aster, flat-topped aster, and New England aster

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (9/15=): The foliage of the September prairie is adding color to a dramatic mix of late-summer flowers. The golden flowers predominate, primarily from the various goldenrods and the large, dramatic displays of sawtooth sunflower at peak bloom! Highlights of pearl can be seen in tall boneset, false aster, and hairy aster. The purples of ironweed, New England aster, and pasture thistle add splashes of visual excitement. And there’s much more to see.

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (9/18=): Most of the floral color has faded, but the color of the foliage under the sun makes up for it to some degree. The showy sunflowers are gone, but newly blooming asters add a nice touch. And then there are the fringed gentians! There aren’t many, but they may be worth the trip. Under the trees, you’ll find asters, goldenrod, and lots of white snakeroot.
NOTE: Consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (9/17=): Different kinds of goldenrod are blooming, including a nice display of showy goldenrod. Various asters are scattered about along with tall boneset and the occasional bottle gentian. Outside the fence, you can still find a good amount of sawtooth sunflower, goldenrods, and boneset. And, the grasses of big bluestem, and Indian grass are quite dominant.
NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s not far away.

Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills (last scouted on 9/14=): This is a great preserve to visit if you want to get away from it all! The grand vista of towering grasses and forbs is wonderful. Goldenrods and sawtooth sunflower populate sections of the preserve to create vistas of gold. And asters are sprinkled about. Also omnipresent are big bluestem. Indian grass, and tall boneset. You’ll also find rough blazing star that are still in good conditions. And, along the edge of the seeps, look for these beauties: Riddell’s goldenrod. Kalm’s lobelia, swamp lousewort, and Grass-of-Parnassus.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (9/7-): We did not scout this preserve, this week. But if you’re in the area, especially if it’s sunny, I think you’ll love the experience of how the sunlight makes the autumn understory glow. The big show of rough blazing star is past peak, but there’s bound to be a good amount of it blooming along with beautiful field goldenrod.

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (last scouted on 9/5+): We didn’t scout this prairie, this week. But, if you’re in the neighborhood, you’ll enjoy the golden highlights of the September prairie amidst a purple sea of big bluestem and Indian grass. I suspect you’ll find various species of goldenrod, some sunflowers, different asters, tall boneset, and occasion flashes of purple from pasture thistle.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (9/17=): Right now, this intimate remnant prairie is not nearly as showy as the preserves on our “Go” list (above). But, if you’re in Downers Grove and have a few minutes, check it out. Currently, you’ll find fading blooms of sawtooth sunflower, goldenrods, freshly blooming asters, towering grasses, and blue bottle (or “closed”) gentian. The flowers of bottle gentians are always closed, so don’t expect them to ever open. To detect these low-lying plants, keep your eyes to the ground. They’re easy to miss as you swim through the sea of tall grasses. A special thanks to Greg Jerzyk who provided us with a list of asters at Belmont Prairie: Drummond’s aster, Heath aster, New England aster, hairy aster, and smooth blue aster.
NOTE: If you visit in the morning, make sure to wear rain gear or you’ll get drenched from head to toe. 

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins (last scouted 9/3-): We did not scout this preserve, this week. However, if you’re in the area, walk the trails to experience the tall late-summer grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass. In the eastern dolomite prairie, see beautiful little bluestem, prairie dropseed, and the yellow plumes of field goldenrod The western side of the preserve is mostly made up of tall grasses, but you’ll also find a mix of goldenrods, asters, sneezeweed, and dense stands of late boneset.
NOTE: The preserve is located quite close to Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie, which are both on our “Go” list.

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia (9/18+): The grasses dominate this preserve, with only a smattering of blooms from asters, goldenrods, and maybe some sunflowers. Much of the preserve is covered with waves of purple and brown grasses combined with soft highlights of gold. This prairie is a reconstruction, not a restoration. It was originally a prairie that was turned into farmland and turned back into prairie (sort of). In 1971, Dr. Robert Betz embarked on a bold experiment to reconstruct the prairie from nothing, employing the same agricultural practices that caused its demise. While the soil will take eons to replenish and, though not as rich as other remnants or restored prairies, Fermilab Prairie provides the region with a large expanse of grassland for people to explore. I say “grassland” because, in proportion to the flowering plants (forbs), you’ll find much more big bluestem and Indian grass than most prairies. You can find a similar situation with the prairie at Carl Hansen Woods—the expanse south of the Shoe Factory Road Prairie. It was once thought that planting grasses first would help heal the land. But it was later learned that they prevented the forbs from taking hold. Nowadays, forbs and less-aggressive grasses (like side oats grama) are planted first. Then, after they’re well-established, the grasses are introduced. You can see an example of this success in the southwest corner of Bluff Spring Fen, where you’ll find towering compass plant and other flowers. My friend and a true man-of-the-prairie, Roger Hotham, was instrumental in restoring this area of the preserve.

PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:

This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago. If you live in the Calumet region, here’s your chance to help bring nature to your neighbors.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds!
The hummingbirds are here! You can find them buzzing about at many nature centers including: Sagawau Canyon, Pilcher Park (at the nature center and south of the greenhouse), and Little Red Schoolhouse.

Ferns & Canyon Tours
Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes, Cowles Bog Trail, and Hoosier Prairie (all in northwestern Indiana) are leaping with gymnastic ferns that are beginning to change into their autumn colors. If you’d like to experience a beautiful fern-lined canyon, call Sagawau Canyon in Lemont to sign up for their next canyon tour. Hurry! They fill up fast.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: THE ASTERS

PHOTO SECTION

Sawtooth Sunflower

Rough Blazing Star

Bottle Gentian

Fringed Gentian

The Tall Grasses

Wolf Road Prairie

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Somme Prairie Grove

Bluff Spring Fen

Pembroke Savanna

Lake in the Hills Fen

Ferns & Canyon Tours

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/12/2019

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 1:24 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/12/2019

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
September 12, 2019

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

Get Out This Weekend to Experience
The Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE BY BECOMING A NATURE SCOUT! Each week, we help your neighbors find peace. Lean about becoming a nature scout.

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:

The Month of Gold continues in Chicago’s prairies and savannas, as they shine with many species of sunflower and goldenrod. Again, our Plant of the Week is sawtooth sunflower. For the most spectacular displays, visit Wolf Road Prairie and Spears Woods. And bring along your tape measure to find the tallest one. This year, I found a ten-and-a-half-footer, but I think you can do better. Now’s your last chance to experience stunning displays of rough blazing star, which have reached peak bloom at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Pembroke Savanna, and are fading at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, and Theodore Stone Preserve. This is also the time to see many species of goldenrod in bloom. NOTE: Goldenrod does not provoke allergies. Their pollen is heavy, and drops to the ground. Therefore, it can’t float through air to be inhaled. The real culprit is common ragweed, which blooms at the same time. Many of the asters are now flowering, marking the end of the blooming season. There are so many asters and goldenrods that it’s really hard to identify them all. Click here for a complete (pdf) list of local asters and goldenrods. And, right now, you can see white snakeroot, the deadly plant that killed thousands in the 1800’s. You can smell it and touch it, BUT DON’T EAT IT! Watch this video to learn more:

For a greater appreciation of our native habitats, touch and smell the plants. (But don’t eat them unless you know what you’re doing.) Run your fingers across the soft tan tassels of Indian grass and atop the rough, sometimes smooth, leaves of our many sunflowers. Tickle your hand as you pass through a cloudy plume of prairie dropseed. And while you’re there, stop and pay attention to its rich fragrance of slightly burnt buttered popcorn. Receive the strong and refreshing fragrance of mint from the fading flowers of mountain mint and wild bergamot. The seeds of yellow coneflower smell like licorice, while the seeds of purple prairie clover give off my favorite good smell in Chicago nature—a transfusion of lemons and carrots. So, what is my favorite bad smell? That would be the brown, teardrop seed ball of foxglove beardtongue. When in bloom, the white snapdragon flowers have no appreciable smell. But beginning around the end of August, the seeds smell exactly like vomit. Some say, “moldy socks.” Either way, it’s fabulous!

In addition to flowers, check out our special section below where we tell you where to see hummingbirds, ferns, and a Chicago-area canyon!

PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, 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 get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (9/10=): Spectacular! Come see the prairie as an ocean of gold, with sawtooth sunflower, tall coreopsis, and several species of goldenrod (stiff, tall, grass-leaved, field, elm-leaved in woodland, etcetera). You’ll also find obedient plant, round-headed bush clover, the occasional smooth ironweed, cream gentian, big bluestem, and Indian grass.

Spears Woods in Willow Spring (last scouted on 9/10=): Wonderful! This is another prairie with fantastic golden blooms amidst a sea of purple of big bluestem and the tawny tassels of Indian grass. You’ll find dense, wide-spread populations of the towering sawtooth sunflower and the red-stemmed long-bracted tickseed sunflower, as well as tall coreopsis and various goldenrods (stiff, field, tall, grass-leaved, elm-leaved under the trees, etcetera). Many asters are now blooming along with bushy populations of the white-flowered false aster in the wetter spots. Adding a touch of purple to the prairie is smooth ironweed with the occasional slender false foxglove.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (8/31+): This beautiful preserve was not scouted, this week. We can really use your help. Learn about becoming a scout, here. If I would interpolate, I’d say that it’s worth making a long trip to Zion. Based on our scouting from two weeks back, I expect the black oak savanna to be showing omnipresent displays of rough blazing star, western sunflower, and possibly displays of white goldenrod (they look like asters), along with remaining blooms of flowering spurge and large flowered false foxglove. And like the savanna, the sand prairie will probably be giving a beautiful show of rough blazing star and western sunflower. The show of rough blazing star is this preserve’s grandest display of the year. And that’s saying a lot!

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (9/11+): Somme Prairie Grove is known for the simultaneous blooms of many species. And that’s what you’ll find, right now. The best blooms are happening under the sun with beautiful expanses of sawtooth sunflower alongside tall coreopsis, goldenrods, obedient plant, savanna blazing star, many asters that are just starting (see list below), and the tall grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass. You also find several gentians: cream gentian, bottle gentian, stiff gentian, and prairie gentian. The gold continues under the trees with displays of sweet coneflower and brown-eyed Susan mixed with rich purples of Missouri ironweed and spotted Joe-Pye weed. You’ll also find great blue lobelia, white turtlehead, savanna blazing star, and the deadly white snakeroot (watch video above).
Here’s a list of asters that you can find at Somme Prairie Grove, thanks to our wonderful resident plant expert and steward at Somme, Eriko Kojima.
In the shade: Drummond’s aster, Short’s aster, and Calico aster (aka side-flowering aster)
Open woods: forked aster
Under the sun: sky blue aster, smooth blue aster, flat-topped aster, and New England aster

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (9/11+): There’s a lot to see across the preserve, from savanna and kames to prairie and seep. Soon after entering the savanna from the kiosk, you’ll go over the friendly troll bridge where the trolls have helped to restore the wetland habitat. Right now, you can see the stunning beauty of their work, as dense, colorful stands of yellow sawtooth sunflower and cutleaf coneflower rise alongside spotted Joe-Pye weed to provide a glorious scenic view. Continuing under the oaks of the savanna, you’ll see golden wingstem, cutleaf coneflower, and brown-eyed Susan with spotted Joe-Pye weed, the deadly white snakeroot (see video above), and a few specimens of pasture thistle. (Our native thistles can be identified by the the whitish color under their leaves.) As you emerge from the savanna, you’ll have a great view of the bowl that contains the prairie, the seep of the fen, and distanct kames. The grasses are prominent this time of year, with big bluestem lining many trails along with the occasional flourish of Canada wild rye. Don’t miss the glorious “forest” of tall compass plant that occupies the southwest corner of the preserve. The seep in the bottom of the bowl is also a glorious place with highlights of yellow and white. You’ll find goldenrod, shrubby cinquefoil, more pink spotted Joe-Pye weed, and swamp thistle (another native thistle with white under its leaves). As you emerge north from the bowl, you’ll climb up the “switchback kame” where you’ll come upon a fading display of rough blazing star. This is good spot to pause and absorb the panoramic view of the prairie and wetland to the south. Soak up the purple hues of the grasses and golden sparkles of flowers. As you descend westward, turn left towards the creek, and you’ll find goldenrods, great blue lobelia, cutleaf coneflower, spotted Joe-Pye weed, the glorious fringed gentian, and more.
NOTE: Consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.

 

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (9/11+): The annual show of rough blazing star is mostly gone. The stars of the hill prairie is showy goldenrod. Obedient plant still looks good alongside fading spikes of rough blazing star. You’ll also find sunflowers, newly blooming asters, and other goldenrods (stiff, field, etcetera). The subtle, yet gorgeous, round-headed bush clover is showing off its fuzzy green head. From the overlook atop the hill, soak up the colors and textures of the grassland vista to the south, where the celebration continues. Venturing out into the vista you’ll find sawtooth sunflower, tall coreopsis, goldenrods, big bluestem, and Indian grass. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s not far away.

Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills (last scouted on 9/7=): This is a great preserve to visit if you want to get away from it all! The grand vista of towering grasses and forbs is wonderful. Tall goldenrod, showy goldenrod, and sawtooth sunflower populate good portions of the preserve. Also omnipresent are big bluestem. Indian grass, and tall boneset. You’ll also find rough blazing star and several other flowers dot the way through the prairie. And, along the edge of the seeps, look for these beauties: Riddell’s goldenrod. Kalm’s lobelia, swamp betony, and Grass-of-Parnassus.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (9/7-): Expect to see the dramatic display of rough blazing star which has reached peak bloom, but the display is not as prolific as previous seasons. Field goldenrod is also exhibiting its golden hues. The fluffy plumes of the elegant round-headed bush clover provide added texture and whimsy as they bob in the wind.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (9/11=): The yellow hues of the prairie predominate, primarily from the goldenrods, sawtooth sunflower, tall coreopsis, sneezeweed, and sweet coneflower. Highlights of pearl can be seen in tall boneset, false aster, hairy aster, and in the fading, fragrant flourishes mountain mint. The purples of ironweed, New England aster, and pasture thistle add splashes of visual excitement. And there’s much more to see: obedient plant, great blue lobelia, and the sublime cream gentian. In the wetter areas, you’ll find the deep-pink blooms of spotted Joe-Pye weed.

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (last scouted on 9/5+): We didn’t scout this prairie, this week. But, if you’re in the neighborhood, you’ll enjoy the golden highlights of the September prairie amidst a purple sea of big bluestem and Indian grass. Contributing the golden highlights are tall coreopsis, prairie sunflower, prairie dock, and many goldenrods that include stiff, tall, and grass-leaved. Dense patches of white come from tall boneset with occasion flashes of purple from pasture thistle.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (9/11+): Right now, this intimate remnant prairie is not nearly as showy as the preserves on our “Go” list (above). But, if you’re in Downers Grove and have a few minutes, check it out. Currently, you’ll find sawtooth sunflower, goldenrods, newly blooming asters, towering grasses, some remaining rough blazing star, and bottle (or “closed”) gentian. The flowers of bottle gentians are always closed, so don’t expect them to ever open. To detect these low-lying plants, keep your eyes to the ground. They’re easy to miss as you swim through the sea of tall grasses. A special thanks to Greg Jerzyk who provided us with a list of asters at Belmont Prairie: Drummond’s aster, Heath aster, New England aster, hairy aster, and smooth blue aster.
NOTE: If you visit in the morning, make sure to wear rain gear or you’ll get drenched from head to toe. 

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins (last scouted 9/3-): If you’re in the area, take a walk to experience the tall, late-summer grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass. In the eastern dolomite prairie, a small fading patch of rough blazing star flowers alongside reddish sprays of the beautiful little bluestem grass, yellow blossoms of field goldenrod and prairie dock, and some remaining rays of the unusual white goldenrod. The rest of the preserve is mostly made up of tall grasses, but you’ll also find a mix of tall coreopsis, goldenrods, smooth ironweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed, great blue lobelia, sneezeweed, sweet coneflower, native thistles, and dense stands of late boneset.
NOTE: The preserve is located quite close to Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie, which are both on our “Go” list.

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia (8/31+): We did not scout this preserve, this week. If you’re in the area and can’t get to our other featured preserves, go for the grand expanse of grasses and the flashes of gold. Much of the preserve is covered with waves of purple and brown grasses combined with soft highlights of gold. Goldenrod is starting, and many sunflower-like flowers dot the preserve, including tall coreopsis and sweet coneflower. This prairie is a reconstruction, not a restoration. It was originally a prairie that was turned into farmland and turned back into prairie (sort of). In 1971, Dr. Robert Betz embarked on a bold experiment to reconstruct the prairie from nothing, employing the same agricultural practices that caused its demise. While the soil will take eons to replenish and, though not as rich as other remnants or restored prairies, Fermilab Prairie provides the region with a large expanse of grassland for people to explore. I say “grassland” because, in proportion to the flowering plants (forbs), you’ll find much more big bluestem and Indian grass than most prairies. You can find a similar situation with the prairie at Carl Hansen Woods—the expanse south of the Shoe Factory Road Prairie. It was once thought that planting grasses first would help heal the land. But it was later learned that they prevented the forbs from taking hold. Nowadays, forbs and less-aggressive grasses (like side oats grama) are planted first. Then, after they’re well-established, the grasses are introduced. You can see an example of this success in the southwest corner of Bluff Spring Fen, where you’ll find towering compass plant and other flowers. My friend and a true man-of-the-prairie, Roger Hotham, was instrumental in restoring this area of the preserve.

 

PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:

This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago. If you live in the Calumet region, here’s your chance to help bring nature to your neighbors.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds!
The hummingbirds are here! You can find them buzzing about at many nature centers including: Sagawau Canyon, Pilcher Park (at the nature center and south of the greenhouse), and Little Red Schoolhouse.

Ferns & Canyon Tours
Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes, Cowles Bog Trail, and Hoosier Prairie (all in northwestern Indiana) are leaping with gymnastic ferns that are beginning to change into their autumn colors. If you’d like to experience a beautiful fern-lined canyon, call Sagawau Canyon in Lemont to sign up for their next canyon tour. Hurry! They fill up fast.

See a Summer Sunset
Saganashkee Slough in Palos Hills: Sensational for sunsets, as our celestial star—a bright, burning brass ball—slowly sinks in the sky to start a sultry summer eve.

 

PLANT OF THE WEEK: SAWTOOTH SUNFLOWER

 

PHOTO SECTION

Rough Blazing Star

Obedient Plant

Bottle Gentian

Fringed Gentian

Asters, Asters, Asters!

 

The Grasses of Big Bluestem & Indian Grass

Wolf Road Prairie

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Somme Prairie Grove

Shoe Factory Road Prairie

Bluff Spring Fen

Pembroke Savanna

Lake in the Hills Fen

Theodore Stone Preserve

Ferns & Canyon Tours

 

Sultry Summer Sunsets Over Saganashkee Slough (That’s a mouthful!)

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/06/2019

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 4:20 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 09/06/2019

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
September 6, 2019

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

Get Out This Weekend to Experience
The Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE BY BECOMING A NATURE SCOUT! Each week, we help your neighbors find peace. Lean about becoming a nature scout.

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:

September is “The Month of Gold,” when Chicagoland’s prairies and savannas shine with many species of sunflower and goldenrod. To see spectacular sunflower displays, visit Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie. Bring along your tape measure to search for the tallest sawtooth sunflower, our Plant of the Week. The other day, I found one that was ten-and-a-half-feet tall. Now is also the time to experience stunning displays of rough blazing star, which are just reaching peak bloom. You can find its flamboyant purple stalk in large numbers at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve.

To experience the full delight of the prairie, touch it and smell it. (The plants listed here are all safe to experience.) Run your fingers through the soft tan tassels of Indian grass and atop the rough, sometimes smooth, leaves of our many sunflowers. Tickle your hand as you pass through a cloudy plume of prairie dropseed. And while you’re there, stop and pay attention to its rich fragrance of slightly burnt buttered popcorn. Receive the strong and refreshing fragrance of mint from the fading flowers of mountain mint and wild bergamot. The seeds of yellow coneflower smell like licorice, while the seeds of purple prairie clover give off my favorite good smell in Chicago nature—a transfusion of lemons and carrots. So, what is my favorite bad smell? That would be the brown, teardrop seed ball of foxglove beardtongue. When in bloom, the white snapdragon flowers have no appreciable smell. But beginning around the end of August, the seeds smell exactly like vomit. Some say, “moldy socks.” Either way, it’s fabulous!

In addition to flowers, check out our special section below where we tell you where to see hummingbirds, ferns, and a Chicago-area canyon!

PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, 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 get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (8/31+): Wow! Colorful flowers are everywhere, and certainly worth making a trip to Zion. The black oak savanna offers omnipresent displays of rough blazing star, western sunflower, and white goldenrod (they look like asters), along with remaining blooms of flowering spurge and large flowered false foxglove. And like the savanna, the sand prairie is offering a beautiful show of rough blazing star, western sunflower, flowering spurge, and white goldenrod. It is this preserve’s grandest display of the year. And that’s saying a lot!

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (9/5+): Splendid! Come see the prairie as an ocean of gold, with sawtooth sunflower, tall coreopsis, and several species of goldenrod (stiff, tall, grass-leaved, etcetera). You’ll also find obedient plant, round-headed bush clover, the occasional smooth ironweed, cream gentian, big bluestem, and Indian grass.

Spears Woods in Willow Spring (last scouted on 9/5+): Wonderful! This is another prairie with fantastic golden blooms amidst a sea of purple of big bluestem and the tawny tassels of Indian grass. You’ll find dense, wide-spread populations of the towering sawtooth sunflower and the red-stemmed long-bracted tickseed sunflower, as well as tall coreopsis and various goldenrods (stiff, tall, grass-leaved, etcetera). Bushy populations of the white-flowered false aster can be found in the wetter spots. Adding a touch of purple to the prairie is smooth ironweed with the occasional rough blazing star and slender false foxglove. A small colony of American lotus in Hogwash Slough can be seen from a high point along the trail.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (9/2+): Somme Prairie Grove is known for the simultaneous blooms of many species. And that’s what you’ll find, right now. The best blooms are happening under the trees where you’ll discover beautiful golden displays of sweet coneflower and brown-eyed Susan mixed with rich purples of Missouri ironweed and spotted Joe-Pye weed. You’ll also find great blue lobelia, white turtlehead, flat-topped aster, and savanna blazing star. Under the sun, you’ll find tall coreopsis, sawtooth sunflower, goldenrods, obedient plant, rough blazing star, cardinal flower, big bluestem, blooming tassels of Indian grass, and beautiful patches of cream gentian.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (9/4+): There’s a lot to see across the preserve, from savanna and kames to prairie and seep. Soon after entering the savanna from the kiosk, you’ll go over the friendly troll bridge where the trolls have helped to restore the wetland habitat. Right now, you can see the stunning beauty of their work, as dense, colorful stands of yellow sawtooth sunflower and pink spotted Joe-Pye weed provide a glorious scenic view. Continuing under the oaks of the savanna, you’ll see golden wingstem, cutleaf coneflower, and brown-eyed Susan alongside sweet Joe-Pye weed, bottlebrush grass, cow parsnip, jewelweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed, and a few specimens of pasture thistle. (Our native thistles can be identified by the the whitish color under their leaves.) As you emerge from the savanna, you’ll have a great view of the bowl that contains the prairie, the seep of fen, and distance kames. Stop here, and soak up the purple hues of the grasses and golden sparkles of flowers. The grasses are prominent this time of year, with big bluestem lining many trails along with the occasional flourish of Canada wild rye. Don’t miss the glorious “forest” of tall compass plant that occupies the southwest corner of the preserve. The seep in the bottom of the bowl is also a glorious place with highlights of yellow and white. You’ll find goldenrod, shrubby cinquefoil, white flat-topped aster, more pink spotted Joe-Pye weed, and swamp thistle (another native thistle with white under its leaves). As you emerge north from the bowl, you’ll climb up the “switchback kame” where you’ll come upon a wonderful display of rough blazing star and remaining cylindrical blazing star. This is good place to pause to absorb the panoramic view. As you descend westward, turn left towards the creek, and you’ll find goldenrods, great blue lobelia, cutleaf coneflower, spotted Joe-Pye weed, and more.
NOTE: Consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (8/28+): We scouted this preserve last week, which gives us a pretty good idea of what’s happening now. At this moment, expect to see the dramatic display of rough blazing star which usually reaches peak bloom at this time. Field goldenrod should now be exhibiting its golden hues. And you’re bound to find more yellow in the form of large flowered false foxglove and western sunflower. The fluffy plumes of the elegant round-headed bush clover provide added texture and whimsy as they bob in the wind. And flashes of white can be found in the last blooms of flowering spurge and the senescing blossoms of spotted bee balm.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (8/27+): We scouted the preserve last week. Expect to see an uptick in gold, this week, due to incoming goldenrods and sawtooth sunflower. This is what I wrote last week, “Many dramatic plants are blooming in large numbers, providing colorful vistas of yellow and gold from the goldenrods, rosinweed and the towering composite blooms of cup plant, sawtooth sunflower, tall coreopsis, and prairie sunflower. Highlights of pearl can be seen in tall boneset and in the fading rattlesnake master and mountain mint. The dramatic purples of prairie blazing star are gone, but those of ironweed add visual excitement. And there’s much more to see: blue vervain, obedient plant, nodding wild onion, great blue lobelia, the glorious red cardinal flower, and the sublime cream gentian. In the wetter areas, you’ll find the deep-pink blooms of spotted Joe-Pye weed and the big blossoms of swamp rose mallow.”

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (last scouted on 9/5+): Go for the golden highlights amidst a purple sea of big bluestem and Indian grass. Contributing the golden highlights are tall coreopsis, prairie sunflower, prairie dock, and many goldenrods that include stiff, tall, and grass-leaved. Dense patches of white come from tall boneset with occasion flashes of rose from rough blazing star, obedient plant, and pasture thistle.

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (9/2+): The annual show of rough blazing star is happening right now, but the numbers are not as strong as in previous years. The stars of the preserve are rough blazing star, obedient plant, cylindrical blazing star, the various goldenrods (stiff, showy, etc.), and sunflowers like (woodland, western, and more). The subtle, yet gorgeous, round-headed bush clover is showing off its fuzzy green head. And then there’s white goldenrod, which looks nothing like goldenrod. It’s white and resembles a short aster plant. From the overlook atop the hill, soak up the colors and textures of the grassland vista to the south, where the celebration continues. Venturing out into the vista you’ll find many sunflowers, tall coreopsis, goldenrods, big bluestem, Indian grass, and lots of rattlesnake master. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s not far away.

Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills (last scouted on 9/1+): Go for the goldenrods that populate most of the preserve, including the tall goldenrod and showy goldenrod species! Also omnipresent are  big bluestem. Indian grass, and tall boneset. Several other flowers dot the way through the prairie. And, along the edge of the seeps, look for these beauties: Riddell’s goldenrod. Kalm’s lobelia, swamp lousewort, and Grass-of-Parnassus.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (9/4+): Right now, this intimate remnant prairie is not nearly as showy as the preserves on our “Go” list (above). Currently, you’ll find a scattered display of rough blazing star along with the towering grasses that give the tallgrass prairie its misleading name. A tunnel of big bluestem takes over much of the southern path, obscuring everything from view. If you visit in the morning, make sure to wear rain gear or you’ll get drenched from head to toe. You’ll see tall goldenrod and skyward sawtooth sunflower with other goldenrod species beginning their blooms. There are sparkles of ivory in a late-blooming patch of wild quinine, the whitish pink blooms of nodding wild onion, and the sublime cream gentian. To find this cream-colored flower that resembles blue bottle gentian (see pictures below), keep your eyes down and pay careful attention as you walk the trail.

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins (scouted 9/3): If you’re in the area, take a walk to experience the tall, late-summer grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass. In the eastern dolomite prairie, a small pretty patch of rough blazing star is blooming strong alongside reddish sprays of the beautiful little bluestem grass, pink blooms of nodding wild onion, yellow highlights of field goldenrod and prairie dock, and a good amount of the unusual white goldenrod. The rest of the preserve is mostly made up of tall grasses, but you’ll also find tall coreopsis, goldenrods, smooth ironweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed, great blue lobelia, sneezeweed, and sweet coneflower, swamp rose mallow, native thistles, and stands of late boneset.
NOTE: The preserve is located quite close to Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie, which are both on our “Go” list.

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia (8/31+): Much of the preserve is covered with waves of purple and brown grasses combined with soft highlights of gold. Goldenrod is starting, and many sunflower-like flowers dot the preserve, including tall coreopsis and sweet coneflower. This prairie is a reconstruction, not a restoration. It was originally a prairie that was turned into farmland and turned back into prairie (sort of). In 1971, Dr. Robert Betz embarked on a bold experiment to reconstruct the prairie from nothing, employing the same agricultural practices that caused its demise. While the soil will take eons to replenish and, though not as rich as other remnants or restored prairies, Fermilab Prairie provides the region with a large expanse of grassland for people to explore. I say “grassland” because, in proportion to the flowering plants (forbs), you’ll find much more big bluestem and Indian grass than most prairies. You can find a similar situation with the prairie at Carl Hansen Woods—the expanse south of the Shoe Factory Road Prairie. It was once thought that planting grasses first would help heal the land. But it was later learned that they prevented the forbs from taking hold. Nowadays, forbs and less-aggressive grasses (like side oats grama) are planted first. Then, after they’re well-established, the grasses are introduced. You can see an example of this success in the southwest corner of Bluff Spring Fen, where you’ll find towering compass plant and other flowers. My friend and a true man-of-the-prairie, Roger Hotham, was instrumental in restoring this area of the preserve.

PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:

This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago. If you live in the Calumet region, here’s your chance to help bring nature to your neighbors.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds!
The hummingbirds are here! You can find them buzzing about at many nature centers including: Sagawau Canyon, Pilcher Park (at the nature center and south of the greenhouse), and Little Red Schoolhouse.

Ferns & Canyon Tours
Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes, Cowles Bog Trail, and Hoosier Prairie (all in northwestern Indiana) are leaping with gymnastic ferns that are beginning to change into their autumn colors. If you’d like to experience a beautiful fern-lined canyon, call Sagawau Canyon in Lemont to sign up for their next canyon tour. Hurry! They fill up fast.

See a Summer Sunset
Saganashkee Slough in Palos Hills: Sensational for sunsets, as our celestial star—a bright, burning brass ball—slowly sinks in the sky to start a sultry summer eve.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: SAWTOOTH SUNFLOWER

PHOTO SECTION

Rough Blazing Star

Obedient Plant

Bottle Gentian

Cylindrical Blazing Star

The Grasses of Big Bluestem & Indian Grass

American Lotus at Tomahawk Slough

Swamp Rose Mallow

Wolf Road Prairie

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Somme Prairie Grove

Shoe Factory Road Prairie

Bluff Spring Fen

Pembroke Savanna

Lake in the Hills Fen

Theodore Stone Preserve

Ferns & Canyon Tours

Sultry Summer Sunsets Over Saganashkee Slough (That’s a mouthful!)

Prairie Root System

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/29/2019 (Labor Day Edition)

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 4:51 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/29/2019 (Labor Day Edition)

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
August 29, 2019
Labor Day Edition

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

Get Out This Labor Day to Experience
The Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE BY BECOMING A NATURE SCOUT! Each week, we help your neighbors find peace. Lean about becoming a nature scout.

The summer blooms have been so frequent and dramatic that I’m worried that you’re taking the beauty for granted and not actually getting out there. Let us know what you’ve been up to by using the comment section (below) or by posting your messages and pictures on our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook group.

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR LABOR DAY OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:

This is an exciting time in Chicago nature with fabulous spectacles of rough blazing star, our Plant of the Week. You can find it blooming in large numbers at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, and to some extent Theodore Stone Preserve. However, most preserves are beginning their season of gold with the onset of goldenrods and sunflowers that can take your breath away. If I had to pick a preserve of the week, it would easily be Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. But you’ll be delighted with any of our choices! And check out our special section below where we tell you where to see hummingbirds, ferns, and a Chicago-area canyon!

PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, 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 get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (8/28+): Wow! If you only have time for one preserve, this Labor Day weekend, this is the place to visit. Blooms are everywhere, and certainly worth making a trip to Zion. The black oak savanna offers omnipresent displays of western sunflower, rough blazing star, and white goldenrod (they look like asters), along with remaining blooms of flowering spurge and large flowered false foxglove. And like the savanna, the sand prairie is offering a beautiful show of rough blazing star, western sunflower, and white goldenrod. It is this preserve’s grandest display of the year. And that’s saying a lot!

Spears Woods in Willow Spring (last scouted on 8/21=): This is a great Labor Day preserve to visit because it’s big, and you’ll have more time to explore its rolling terrain and diverse habitats. And even though we didn’t get to this preserve, this week, there are going to be lots of flowers, like the many goldenrods and forests of sawtooth sunflower. Here’s what I wrote in last week’s report:  “This preserve is beautiful right now, especially the prairie—a vast scene of white and gold with flashes of purple. Again this week, flowering spurge is sparkling white throughout much of the landscape along with fading white flower heads of rattlesnake master and wild quinine. Contributing the gold to the prairie are woodland sunflower, early goldenrod (and others), rosinweed, and a little bit of long-bracted tickseed sunflower in the northern prairie. Now that the blazing star has faded, smooth ironweed now provides the purple. The grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass are blooming, too! In the woodland, you’ll find fading blooms of the towering pinkish sweet Joe-Pye weed and more woodland sunflower. And in the wetland, specifically Hogwash Slough, you’ll find a small colony of American lotus. But you can only see it from from the trail where the vantage point is high. The tall, dense plants along the shore prevent viewing from the water’s edge.”

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (8/27+): The great annual show of rough blazing star is on, and it’s only getting better as other species reach peak bloom. This small rare hill prairie is surrounded by a fence. The site offers short trails that will quickly take you to the best flower shows. South of the fence is the prairie associated with Carl Hansen Woods, formerly known as Poplar Creek Prairie. The stars of the hill prairie are rough blazing star, cylindrical blazing star, obedient plant, the various goldenrods (stiff, showy, etc.), and sunflowers like (woodland, western, and more). The subtle, yet gorgeous, round-headed bush clover is blooming or showing off its fuzzy green head. And then there’s white goldenrod, which looks nothing like goldenrod. It’s white and looks more like a short aster plant. From the overlook at the top of the hill, absorb the colors and textures of the grassland vista to the south, where the celebration continues. Venturing out into the vista you’ll find many sunflowers, tall coreopsis, goldenrods, big bluestem, Indian grass, and lots of rattlesnake master.  NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s not far away.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (8/24+): Somme Prairie Grove is known for the simultaneous blooms of many species. And that’s what you’ll find, right now. The woodland is harboring a great mix of woodland sunflower, brown-eyed Susan, the rich purples of Missouri ironweed and spotted Joe-Pye weed, and the skyward plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed. Out from the trees and into the sun, you’ll find a mix of the following flowers with none taking a clear leading role: mountain mint and rattlesnake master, large flowered false foxglove, rosinweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed, ironweed, nodding wild onion, compass plant, blue vervain, obedient plant, cardinal flower (way out in the NE corner), and the tiny blooms of big bluestem. The most beautiful flower in bloom could be cream gentian, which is quite abundant throughout the preserve. But you need to look closely because they’re low to the ground and easily obscured by the growth of other plants.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (8/25+): There’s a lot to see across the preserve, from savanna and kames to prairie and seep. Along the savanna, you’ll find golden wingstem, cutleaf coneflower, and brown-eyed Susan alongside sweet Joe-Pye weed, bottlebrush grass, nodding wild onion, cow parsnip, jewelweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed, and a few specimens of pasture thistle. (Our native thistles can be identified by the the whitish color under their leaves.) As you emerge from the savanna, you’ll have a great view of the bowl that contains the prairie, the seep of fen, and distance kames. Stop here, and soak up the purple hues of the grasses and golden sparkles of flowers. The grasses are prominent this time of year, with big bluestem lining many trails along with the occasional flourish of Canada wild rye. Don’t miss the glorious “forest” of tall compass plant that occupies the southwest corner of the preserve. The seep in the bottom of the bowl is also a glorious place. You’ll find goldenrod, shrubby cinquefoil, and more spotted Joe-Pye weed. As you emerge north from the bowl you’ll climb up the “switchback kame.” It’s now offering the best flowering experience in the preserve. You’ll find flowering spurge, cylindrical blazing star, nodding wild onion, and a beautiful display of rough blazing star. As you descend westward, turn left towards the creek, and you’ll find goldenrods, great blue lobelia, cutleaf coneflower, spotted Joe-Pye weed, and more. If you don’t make the left turn and continue straight, you’ll find sublime blooms of blue bottle gentian along the trail. NOTE: Consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (8/28+): September is my favorite time to visit this dreamy sand savanna. There’s something special about the softer light and flavescent tones of the understory. On Wednesday, the preserve was preparing for its biggest show of the year: the dramatic display of rough blazing star. Their purple flowers are starting to provide color, while the goldenrods are exhibiting their golden hues. You’re also bound to find more yellows in the form of large flowered false foxglove and western sunflower. The plumes of the elegant round-headed bush clover provide added texture and whimsy as they bob in the wind. And flashes of white can be found in the last blooms of flowering spurge and the senescing blossoms of spotted bee balm.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (8/27+): Many dramatic plants are blooming in large numbers, providing colorful vistas of yellow and gold from the goldenrods, rosinweed and the towering composite blooms of cup plant, sawtooth sunflower, tall coreopsis, and prairie sunflower. Highlights of pearl can be seen in tall boneset and in the fading rattlesnake master and mountain mint. The dramatic purples of prairie blazing star are gone, but those of ironweed add visual excitement. And there’s much more to see: blue vervain, obedient plant, nodding wild onion, great blue lobelia, the glorious red cardinal flower, and the sublime cream gentian. In the wetter areas, you’ll find the deep-pink blooms of spotted Joe-Pye weed and the big blossoms of swamp rose mallow.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (8/28+): The prairie is in the early stage of flavesence as it ramps up for its grand golden September display. The savanna is ending its blooming for the season. But the prairie is where the action is, as it starts its transformation to gold. At the moment, tall coreopsis contributes most of the golden hues, with small yellow rays float atop their thin dangly stems. Sawtooth sunflower is about to begin its spectacular run along with several goldenrods (stiff, tall, grass-leaved, etc). You’ll also find round-headed bush clover, the occasional smooth ironweed, cream gentian (on the north side of the prairie), along with big bluestem and Indian grass.

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (8/28+): This intimate remnant prairie is showing off a scattered display of rough blazing star along with the towering grasses that give the tallgrass prairie its misleading name. A tunnel of big bluestem takes over much of the southern path, obscuring everything from view. If you visit in the morning, make sure to wear rain gear or you’ll get drenched from head to toe. The whites of flowering spurge are showing near the entrance, but there’s also sparkles of ivory in a late-blooming patch wild quinine , the whitish pink blooms of nodding wild onion, and newly blooming cream gentian. To find this closed cream-colored flower that resembles blue bottle gentian (see pictures below), keep your eyes down and pay careful attention as you walk the trail. And the goldenrods are just starting.

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia (8/26+): The preserve looks the best it’s been this year. It can be described as “golden.” Goldenrod is starting, and many sunflower-like flowers dot the preserve, including tall coreopsis, brown-eyed Susan, and woodland sunflower. This prairie is a reconstruction, not a restoration. It was originally a prairie that was turned into farmland and turned back into prairie (sort of). In 1971, Dr. Robert Betz embarked on a bold experiment to reconstruct the prairie from nothing, employing the same agricultural practices that caused its demise. While the soil will take eons to replenish and, though not as rich as other remnants or restored prairies, Fermilab Prairie provides the region with a large expanse of grassland for people to explore. I say “grassland” because, in proportion to the flowering plants (forbs), you’ll find much more big bluestem and Indian grass than most prairies. You can find a similar situation with the prairie at Carl Hansen Woods—the expanse south of the Shoe Factory Road Prairie. It was once thought that planting grasses first would help heal the land. But it was later learned that they prevented the forbs from taking hold. Nowadays, forbs and less-aggressive grasses (like side oats grama) are planted first. Then, after they’re well-established, the grasses are introduced. You can see an example of this success in the southwest corner of Bluff Spring Fen, where you’ll find towering compass plant and other flowers. My friend and a true man-of-the-prairie, Roger Hotham, was instrumental in restoring this area of the preserve.

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins (last scouted 8/5):  We did not scout here this week. According to my database, the purple blooms of rough blazing star should be starting to bloom in the eastern dolomite prairie. You should also find white goldenrod in the same gravelly area. If you’re in the area, take a walk to experience the tall grasses that give the tall grass prairie its name. NOTE: The preserve is located quite close to Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie, which are both on our “Go” list.

PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:

This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago. If you live in the Calumet region, here’s your chance to help bring nature to your neighbors.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds, Hummingbirds!
The hummingbirds are here! You can find them buzzing about at many nature centers including: Sagawau Canyon, Pilcher Park (at the nature center and south of the greenhouse), and Little Red Schoolhouse.

Ferns & Canyon Tours
Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes, Cowles Bog Trail, and Hoosier Prairie (all in northwestern Indiana) are leaping with gymnastic ferns that are beginning to change into their autumn colors. If you’d like to experience a beautiful fern-lined canyon, call Sagawau Canyon in Lemont to sign up for their next canyon tour. Hurry! They fill up fast.

See a Summer Sunset
Saganashkee Slough in Palos Hills: Sensational for sunsets, as our celestial star—a bright, burning brass ball—slowly sinks in the sky to start a sultry summer eve.

COMING SOON: SAWTOOTH SUNFLOWER

PLANT OF THE WEEK: ROUGH BLAZING STAR

PHOTO SECTION

Obedient Plant

Bottle Gentian

Cylindrical Blazing Star

Big Bluestem Grass

Canada Wild Rye

American Lotus at Tomahawk Slough

Swamp Rose Mallow

Spears Woods

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Somme Prairie Grove

Shoe Factory Road Prairie

Bluff Spring Fen

Pembroke Savanna

Theodore Stone Preserve

Ferns & Canyon Tours

Sultry Summer Sunsets Over Saganashkee Slough (That’s a mouthful!)

Prairie Root System

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/23/2019

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 7:40 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/23/2019

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
August 23, 2019

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

Plan the Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE BY BECOMING A NATURE SCOUT! Each week, we help your neighbors find peace. Lean about becoming a nature scout.

The summer blooms have been so frequent and dramatic that I’m worried that you’re taking the beauty for granted and not actually getting out there. Let us know what you’ve been up to by using the comment section (below) or by posting your messages and pictures on our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook group.

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:

For starters, Wolf Road Prairie is holding their FREE Annual Prairie Fest on Saturday, August 24 from 10 to 4. It’s a family event with a live raptor program, prairie tours, and more.

The summer wildflower season is still going strong. This includes the fascinating flowers of obedient plant, our Plant of the Week. Its pink flowers pivot and then obediently stay as you push them around with your fingers. The glimmering array of flowering spurge are blooming strong at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Wolf Road Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Spears Woods, Pembroke Savanna, and others on our list. The fluffy deep-purple blooms of the ironweeds are now blooming in most prairies and woodlands. 

Big bluestem has been blooming for weeks, but now the miniature yellow flowers dangle upon the tall plumes of Indian grass. Gaze into the prairie landscape and you’ll notice how the grasses can create a purple hue. You can find these iconic prairie grasses at most, if not every, prairie on our list. And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is still 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 Picture Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.

PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, 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 get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (last scouted 8/17+): The preserve is in bloom everywhere, and certainly worth making a trip to Zion. The black oak savanna steals the show with gorgeous, omnipresent displays of flowering spurge and western sunflower, along with dense patches of large flowered false foxglove. I’ve never seen so many false foxglove before. Some woodland sunflower can also be found under the trees. Rough blazing star is beginning to blossom with this preserve’s grandest display of the year. And that’s saying a lot! In the sand prairie, flowering spurge is the biggest bloomer. Along the way, you’ll find nodding wild onion, cylindrical blazing star, and purple prairie clover. And like the savanna, the prairie is about to explode with rough blazing star.

Spears Woods in Willow Spring (8/21=): This preserve is beautiful right now, especially the prairie—a vast scene of white and gold with flashes of purple. Again this week, flowering spurge is sparkling white throughout much of the landscape along with fading white flower heads of rattlesnake master and wild quinine. Contributing the gold to the prairie are woodland sunflower, early goldenrod (and others), rosinweed, and a little bit of long-bracted tickseed sunflower in the northern prairie. Now that the blazing star has faded, smooth ironweed now provides the purple. The grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass are blooming, too! In the woodland, you’ll find fading blooms of the towering pinkish sweet Joe-Pye weed and more woodland sunflower. And in the wetland, specifically Hogwash Slough, you’ll find a small colony of American lotus. But you can only see it from from the trail where the vantage point is high. The tall, dense plants along the shore prevent viewing from the water’s edge.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (8/21+): If you thought that two dozen species in bloom at Middlefork Savanna was remarkable, there’s now at least twenty-six bloomers at Somme Prairie Grove! The woodland is looking great with golden woodland sunflower alongside towering and flowering sweet Joe-Pye weed and the start of tall ironweed and brown-eyed Susan. Out from the trees and into the sun, you’ll find a mix of the following flowers with none taking a clear leading role: mountain mint, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, flowering spurge, large flowered false foxglove, rosinweed, early goldenrod, prairie blazing star, showy tick trefoil, spotted Joe-Pye weed, swamp milkweed, ironweed, nodding wild onion, compass plant, blue vervain, obedient plant, cardinal flower, and the tiny blooms of big bluestem. IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (8/20+): There’s a lot to see, this week! As you enter the preserve, you’ll find yourself protected within the embrace of majestic oaks in the savanna. Quickly, you’ll see the fluffy, tall sweet Joe-Pye weed, pale Indian plantain, bottlebrush grass, and nodding wild onion. The stand of sweet Joe-Pye weed upon the kame is stunning! As you pass the savanna, I recommend making a right turn into the open prairie and moving counter-clockwise around the preserve back to this spot. Along the counter-clockwise route, you’ll experience the wonderful bristled heads of Canada wild rye, which will soak you with dew in the mornings. You’ll also find a glorious “forest” of tall compass plant to the west. Take the trail at the “Y” to see them up close. Returning to the main trail, you’ll head east through a dense stand of big bluestem grass, which was giving off fragrant plumes of pollen as we passed through it. Lavender wild bergamot is still hanging on, and the golden rays of rosinweed and black-eyed Susan are prominent, along with the fading yellow blooms of yellow coneflower and early goldenrod. The next nice display along your way happens at the “switchback” kame, where you’ll see beautiful displays of cylindrical blazing star, nodding wild onion, and the new kid on the block, rough blazing star. At the top of the kame, head west towards the savanna and turn left at the intersection towards a small creek with stepping stones. Near the intersection, look for the sublime blooms of bottle gentian. Continue along, staying left when you reach the kame. You’ll come around the kame to your right, and you’ll find yourself where you began your journey into the sun. NOTE: Consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (8/21=): The prairie is blooming with a splendid mix of flowers. Taking a wide view of the prairie, the color can be described much like Spears Woods: white and gold with occasional flashes of pink and purple. The miniature white blossoms of flowering spurge catch the eye, while fading ivory blooms of rattlesnake master and wild quinine still call for your attention. Rosinweed and goldenrod (grass-leaved, early, and stiff) contribute to the golds. Obedient plant provides a punch of pink. And smooth ironweed helps make up for the vanishing purples of the once-flamboyant prairie blazing star. While you’re walking around, also look for nodding wild onion and one of my favorites, round-headed bush clover. It’s not the tiny flowers that attract me. I love their bushy green heads. Last year, prairie dock pushed up hundreds of skyward stalks with golden flowers. This year, there are only a few. Still, the foliage of this plant is wonderful to see, along that of its cousin, compass plant, and prairie dropseed‘s bob hairdo. Big bluestem and Indian grass are also blooming. The oak savanna has lost much of its pizzazz, this week, because much of the woodland sunflower has disappeared. But there’s still plenty of sweet Joe-Pye weed alongside bottlebrush grass, and the occasional tall ironweed. NOTE: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are located close by.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (8/19=): Many dramatic plants are blooming in large numbers. Our scout, Karen, counted about two dozen native plants in bloom! The most conspicuous and widespread are cup plant, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, wild bergamot, and yellow coneflower. The latter two are past their prime, but still provide good color. Dramatic purples of prairie blazing star are fading, but those of ironweed add visual excitement. Skyward sawtooth sunflower and pale Indian plantain make an impression. And there’s much more to see: mountain mint, blue vervain, obedient plant, nodding wild onion, great blue lobelia, and the glorious red cardinal flower. In the wetter areas, you’ll find the gorgeous pink blooms of swamp milkweed, the bright pink blooms of spotted Joe-Pye weed, the spectacular purple spikes of pickerel weed, and the large pink blossoms of swamp rose mallow.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (8/20+): This intimate remnant prairie is rich in blooms, this week. The whites of flowering spurge are almost everywhere, making the prairie sparkle. Adding to the ivory palette are fading flowers of wild quinine, rattlesnake master, and newly blooming cream gentian. The whitish-pink blooms of nodding wild onion seem omnipresent. And the yellows are coming from the vanishing blooms of rosinweed, yellow coneflower, and early goldenrod, along with a handful of newly blooming prairie dock. However, prairie dock and compass plant are not blooming very much, this year. But you can still appreciate their wondrous foliage that glows bright green in the low sun. Towering big bluestem grass runs throughout the preserve, especially along one trail where it feels like you’re walking through a tunnel.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (8/21+): This small rare hill prairie is surrounded by a fence. The site offers short trails that will quickly take you to the best flower shows. South of the fence is the prairie associated with Carl Hansen Woods, formerly known as Poplar Creek Prairie. This week, the stars of the hill prairie are cylindrical blazing star, obedient plant, flowering spurge, various goldenrods (early, stiff, etc.), woodland sunflower, and some rosinweed. But, in just a few days, the display of rough blazing star will steal the show. The prairie outside the fence features rattlesnake master, obedient plant, sparkling goldenrods, nodding wild onion, and newly emerging rough blazing star. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s not far away.

 

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins (last scouted 8/5): We did not scout here this week. According to my database, the purple blooms of rough blazing star should be starting to bloom in the eastern dolomite prairie. If you’re in the area, take a walk to experience the tall grasses that give the tall grass prairie its name. Here’s what we reported on August 5: “The star of the week is yellow coneflower, though the blooms are getting a little old. The plant grows in vast golden expanses throughout the black-soil prairie located on the west half of the preserve. Rattlesnake master offers a single fantastic spread, but the plant can also be found scattered about. Along your stroll, you’ll also see an abundances of partridge pea, wild quinine, ironweed, and wild bergamot. Other flowers of note are prairie blazing star, mountain mint, early goldenrod, pale Indian plantain, rosinweed, and the blooming grass of big bluestem.”
NOTE: The preserve is located quite close to Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie, which are both on our “Go” list.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (last scouted 8/5): We did not scout here this week. However, my database suggests that its most famous display featuring rough blazing star is about to erupt alongside large flowered false foxglove, western sunflower, and round-headed bush clover. On August 5, we reported: “The yellow blossoms of partridge pea is at peak flower along with the pink spotted bee balm. And the sparkling flowering spurge is reaching its peak, as well. The tiny ivory flowers of whorled milkweed are still hanging on, which you can smell if you stop for a moment and concentrate on the fragrances around you. It might help to first calibrate your nose by bending down to smell it. And while you’re down there, take in the minty aroma of spotted bee balm (also known as, spotted or dotted horsemint).”

 

PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:

This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago. If you live in the Calumet region, here’s your chance to help bring nature to your neighbors.

COMING SOON: ROUGH BLAZING STAR

PLANT OF THE WEEK: OBEDIENT PLANT

 

 

PHOTO SECTION

Flowering Spurge

Bottle Gentian

Cylindrical Blazing Star

Rattlesnake Master

Big Bluestem Grass

 

Canada Wild Rye

Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

American Lotus at Tomahawk Slough

Swamp Rose Mallow

Spears Woods

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Somme Prairie Grove

Bluff Spring Fen

Wolf Road Prairie

Pembroke Savanna

Prairie Root System

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/16/2019

Posted by Zhiyong Wei on 11:11 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/16/2019

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
August 16, 2019

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

Plan the Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE BY BECOMING A NATURE SCOUT! Each week, we help your neighbors find peace. Lean about becoming a nature scout.

The summer blooms have been so frequent and dramatic that I’m worried that you’re taking the beauty for granted and not actually getting out there. Let us know what you’ve been up to by using the comment section (below) or by posting your messages and pictures on our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook group.

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:

 

Prairie

by Stan Slaughter

Prarie_eee_eee where the grass grows tall and the wind blows free
Prarie_eee_eee you know it’s the way the land is supposed to be

You’re never gonna see just plain old dirt
Nature’s makin’ life for all she’s worth
Bison and coyote and prairie chicken
If you go once you’ll go back again

Most of the prairie has now been plowed
All of the bison have changed to cows
If we plant a prairie, we can just relax
Nature takes over and grows great grass

Get lost in the ocean of wild sweet flowers
Where the wind’s old song s you can hear right now
Where the roots grow deep into the ground
Where the fires sweep over, but you can’t burn down

Where the earth sends the sky a great big smile
Where the grass rolls on for mile after mile
When the prairie grows wild we”ll have no lack

Won’t you help us to bring ’em back.

 

Did you follow our past few weeks’ posts to visit the best prairies in Chicagoland? If you did, I bet you “got lost in the ocean of wild sweet flowers.” From April to September, there are non-stop wild flower and plant shows at the featured woodlands or prairies in Chicagoland. There is no national park that has such a long blooming season. Every week there is something new happening. This week, the tall grass that defines our prairie are in good shape. In a week or two, another wave of blazing star, rough blazing star, will carpet some of the featured prairies here.

Our Plant of the Week is still flowering spurge, which you can find at many prairies and savannas across the region.  It has reached peak condition. Big bluestem and Indian grass are quickly filling the prairies. These tall grasses look great in the early morning when the first sunlight hits the heads of the grasses with morning dew. Prairie blazing star and marsh blazing star have done their duty in the prairie. The grand show of woodland sunflower might have just passed the peak, but still looking good along with sweet Joe-Pye weed.   

According to our last year’s record, prairie dock and compass plant should be displaying their golden sunflowers upon tall stalks that can easily reach ten feet high. When growing in a group, they look like forests. See if you can find these dreamy prairie forests at Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, and Somme Prairie Grove. We did not scout all of these preserves as we are short handed right now, but let us know what you find out if you do visit.

 

NOTE: Prairies are wet in the morning, so wear rain gear to avoid being drenched in dew.

PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, 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 get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

Spears Woods in Willow Spring (8/13=): If you were impressed by woodland sunflower, early goldenrod, and prairie blazing star in this preserve last week, you will be impressed again by the new bloom of flowering spurge.  There are good coverage of this flower in both prairie and savanna. The delicate pearly blooms of flowering spurge create newfound sparkle, reminiscent of baby’s breath in a floral bouquet. Many of the flowers that were blooming in the past few weeks started to show age, but still look good.  The turkey-foot tassels of big bluestem are filling the prairie quickly. In the woodland, you can still find peak blooms of the towering pinkish sweet Joe-Pye weed and woodland sunflower.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (8/13=): Many dramatic plants are still blooming in large quantities. The most conspicuous and widespread are wild bergamot, cup plant, yellow coneflower, rattlesnake master, and rosinweed. Dramatic purples of prairie blazing star and ironweed add visual excitement. Skyward sawtooth sunflower and pale Indian plantain make an impression. And there’s much more to see: mountain mint, blue vervain, obedient plant, Culver’s root, prairie sundrop, nodding wild onion, and the gloriously red cardinal flower. In the wetter areas, you’ll find the gorgeous pink blooms of swamp milkweed, the bright pink blooms of spotted Joe-Pye weed, the spectacular purple spikes of pickerel weed, and the large pink blossoms of swamp rose mallow.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (Last 8/7+): We did not scout this preserve this week.  Here is the report from the same week of last year: “The woodland surrounding the preserve is gorgeous, featuring a grand display of woodland sunflower, brown-eyed Susan, ironweed, and sweet Joe-Pye weed. Under the sun. peruse the panoply of prairie plants, including early goldenrod, prairie dock, flowering spurge, and prairie dropseed. The long hairlike leaves of dropseed are turning yellow, making a beautiful combination of color and texture against the sprays of brown seed heads of prairie clover. The plumes of prairie dropseed smell like slightly burnt buttered popcorn. Flowers are beginning to appear on obedient plant, rough blazing star, and the lovely, understated round-headed bush clover.”
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (8/10=): This intimate remnant prairie is rich in blooms. Walk slowly to absorb the special moments. The main players are flowering spurge, early goldenrod, rattlesnake master, and, to a lesser extent, prairie blazing star. The flowering and towering big bluestem grass runs throughout the preserve, especially along one trail where it feels like you’re walking through a tunnel. Notice the wondrous foliage of prairie dock and compass plant that glow a bright green in the low sun. See Photo Section for a picture of the leaves.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (Last 8/5=): We did not scout this preserve this week.  Please let us know what you find if you visit.  Here is the report from the same week of last year: “Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much prairie dock in one place. As you enter the oak savanna from the 31st Street trail head you’ll pass through a beautiful expanse of woodland sunflower and sweet Joe-Pye weed. In the prairie, you’ll find towering stalks of prairie dock. Look around for the tallest prairie dock plant. I found at nine-footer! Many other flowers are part of the prairie mix, as well, including flowering spurge, rosinweed, compass plant, and early goldenrod.”

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (8/10=): The site offers a varied terrain and a mix of habitats that bring interest and an added dimension to your visit, and there are good blooms of many flowers: flowering spurge, nodding wild onion, mountain mint, blue vervain, early goldenrod, and still some butterfly weed.  In a week or two, the sand prairie will be exploded with rough blazing star.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (Last 8/5-): We did not scout this preserve this week.  According to last year’s record, this preserve may still be covered with flowering spurge and partridge pea. And rough blazing star may just start to bloom and will only get better in the coming weeks.

Fermilab Prairie in Batavia (8/13=) There are large quantity of showy tick trefoil in the prairie. You can find many other flowers such as early goldenrod, prairie dock, flowering spurge, nodding wild onion, brown-eyed Susan, partridge pea, and more.

 

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (Last 8/4=): We did not scout this preserve this week.  The show of cylindrical blazing star was early this year, so should be done by now. According to last year’s report, you may find western sunflower, flowering spurge, nodding wild onion, and the emerging blooms of obedient plant and rough blazing star. Note: Bluff Spring Fen is located nearby.

 

PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:

This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago.

Miller Woods at Indiana Dunes National Park: We’re looking for a scout to regularly visit this big, beautiful preserve. Let us know if you’re interested.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!

COMING SOON: OBEDIENT PLANT, ROUGH BLAZING STAR

PLANT OF THE WEEK: FLOWERING SPURGE

PHOTO SECTION

Prairie & Marsh Blazing Star

Rattlesnake Master

Big Bluestem Grass

 

Canada Wild Rye

Mountain Mint 

Compass Plant

The Wonderful Large Leaves of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

Swamp Rose Mallow

Spears Woods

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Somme Prairie Grove

Bluff Spring Fen

Wolf Road Prairie

Gensburg-Markham Prairie

Prairie Root System

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Zeke & Mike

Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/08/2019

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 7:37 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on Chicago Wildflower Report & Info – 08/08/2019

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
August 8, 2019

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

Plan the Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower alerts!

SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE BY BECOMING A NATURE SCOUT! Each week, we help your neighbors find peace. Lean about becoming a nature scout.

The summer blooms have been so frequent and dramatic that I’m worried that you’re taking the beauty for granted and not actually getting out there. Let us know what you’ve been up to by using the comment section (below) or by posting your messages and pictures on our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook group.

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:

Before I say anything else, you just have to go to Spears Woods! Bring an extra pair of socks because the experience will knock them off and fling them over to nearby Theodore Stone Preserve.

We’re experiencing another dramatic week of blooming in our prairies, savannas, woodlands, and wetlands. The summer is exploding with gold, purple, lavender, and white. Our Plant of the Week is flowering spurge, which you can find at many prairies and savannas across the region. Last week’s floral stars, prairie blazing star and marsh blazing star, are blooming strong, though they’re beginning to fade in some places. When flowering in great numbers, the experience is the highlight of the summer season. Spears Woods is usually the best place to find them in great densities, though it varies from year to year. That’s nature for you. And to prove that point, cylindrical blazing star is now blooming, It’s about two weeks early. This plant has the deepest root of any prairie plant. (See illustration below.) Experience it now at Bluff Spring Fen and Shoe Factory Road Prairie.

Our famous pioneer species, wild bergamot and yellow coneflower, are reaching the end of their fragrant run. (See my latest post to learn about these flowers and what they may signify.) You can see them blooming almost everywhere at this time of year, even along the road. Experience huge displays of both flowers at Theodore Stone Preserve. Rattlesnake master is still showing off its molecular flower heads. The flower plays a leading role at many prairies, including Spears Woods, Belmont Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, and more. Meanwhile, the flat-topped cauliflower flower heads of wild quinine are looking spectacular at the same preserves as rattlesnake master. Butterfly weed can still be found at the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and at Belmont Prairie. Big bluestem is starting to bloom, but their tiny flowers are easy to miss when more conspicuous flowers attract our attention. Look for this iconic prairie grass at most, if not every, prairie on our list. And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is now 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 Picture Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.

PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, 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 get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

Spears Woods in Willow Spring (8/5+): Wow! The beauty and color of the prairie will blow your mind! You’ll want to give us a thousand-dollar donation after your visit. The last two weeks have been fantastic, but it’s even more colorful, right now! How can this be? It’s because woodland sunflower and early goldenrod are now in full flower, adding an explosion of gold to an already kaleidoscopic scene. The purple torches of prairie blazing star are at peak and the deep purple hues of ironweed is just beginning. The delicate pearly blooms of flowering spurge create newfound sparkle, reminiscent of baby’s breath in a floral bouquet. And the whites continue with the whimsical round heads of rattlesnake master that occur in breathtaking numbers, cauliflower blooms of wild quinine, and fragrant mountain mint. Golden rosinweed, with its sandpaper leaves, is still hanging on. The turkey-foot tassels of big bluestem are beginning to show their miniature flowers. And finally, a parasitic summer vine called field dodder can be found draped like orange Silly String over vegetation at the bottom of the bowl in the eastern prairie. In the woodland, you’ll find peak blooms of the towering pinkish sweet Joe-Pye weed and more woodland sunflower.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (8/3=): There is so much beauty this week! I counted twenty-seven blooming plants, and I probably missed or dismissed a few. As you enter the preserve, you’ll find yourself protected within the embrace of majestic oaks in the savanna. Quickly, you’ll see the fluffy, tall sweet Joe-Pye weed, pale Indian plantain, bottlebrush grass, starry campion, and some remaining American bellflower. The stand of sweet Joe-Pye weed upon the kame is absolutely stunning. As you pass the savanna, I recommend making a right turn into the open prairie and moving counter-clockwise around the preserve back to this spot. Along the counter-clockwise route, you’ll experience the wonderful bristled heads of Canada wild rye, which will soak you with dew in the mornings. You’ll also find a glorious “forest” of tall compass plant to the west. Take the trail at the “Y” to see them up close. Returning to the main trail, you’ll head east through a dense stand of big bluestem grass, which was giving off fragrant plumes of pollen as we passed through it. The next dramatic display along your way happens at the main seep in the center of the bowl. (Turn left at the end of the “transplant kame,” and carefully traverse the narrow trail over the boardwalk. Soon, you’ll arrive at the main seep.) The scene is gorgeous with a mixture of marsh blazing star and rosinweed. In and around the alkaline water of the seep you’ll find the yellow blooms of shrubby cinquefoil. The plant looks like a low bush. As you continue to the north, there’s a narrow boardwalk that’s hard to see. Take care and continue up the brae of the “switchback” kame where you’ll see an beautiful display of cylindrical blazing star. This plant has the deepest root of any prairie plant. (See an illustration of root depth at the very bottom of this article.) On the kame, you’ll also notice a plant with white balls dotting the vertical stems. That’s rough blazing star which will start blooming in a couple of weeks. At the top of the kame, head west towards the savanna. Soon, you’ll reach an intersection that you’ll take to the left and across a small creek with stepping stones. Continue along, staying left when you reach the kame. You’ll come around the kame to your right and you’ll find yourself where you began your journey into the sun. NOTE: Consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (8/7=): Many dramatic plants are all blooming in large quantities. Our scout, Karen, counted twenty-one native plants in bloom! The most conspicuous and widespread are wild bergamot, cup plant, yellow coneflower, rattlesnake master, and rosinweed. Dramatic purples of prairie blazing star and ironweed add visual excitement. Skyward sawtooth sunflower and pale Indian plantain make an impression. And there’s much more to see: mountain mint, blue vervain, obedient plant, Culver’s root, prairie sundrop, nodding wild onion, and the gloriously red cardinal flower. In the wetter areas, you’ll find the gorgeous pink blooms of swamp milkweed, the bright pink blooms of spotted Joe-Pye weed, the spectacular purple spikes of pickerel weed, and the large pink blossoms of swamp rose mallow.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (8/7+): If you thought that twenty-one species in bloom at Middlefork Savanna was remarkable, there’s now at least twenty-six bloomers at Somme Prairie Grove! The woodland may be stealing the show, this week, as expanses of golden woodland sunflower exploding under the trees alongside towering and flowering sweet Joe-Pye weed and the start of tall ironweed and brown-eyed Susan. Yet, the preserve would be a “Go” even if the woodland were “just green” because the sunny areas of this oak savanna are overflowing with more than twenty different flowering species. Mountain mint is the most prominent blooming flower, but my favorite sunny spot has little, if any, mountain mint present. It’s an area on the west side where prairie dropseed is the backdrop for shorter-than-usual rattlesnake master, wild quinine, Culver’s root, and the last of the purple prairie clover. Along your walk, you’ll also find these flowering plants: flowering spurge, wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, rosinweed, early goldenrod, prairie blazing star, self heal, showy tick trefoil, spotted Joe-Pye weed, swamp milkweed, ironweed, butterfly weed, nodding wild onion, compass plant, blue vervain, obedient plant, and the tiny blooms of big bluestem.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.

Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (8/7=): This intimate remnant prairie is rich in blooms. Walk slowly to absorb the special moments. The main players are flowering spurge, early goldenrod, rattlesnake master, wild quinine and, to a lesser extent, prairie blazing star. And blossoms of wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, and rosinweed fade, orange butterfly weed still flowers along with showy tick trefoil and nodding wild onion. The flowering and towering big bluestem grass runs throughout the preserve, especially along one trail where it feels like you’re walking through a tunnel. Notice the wondrous foliage of prairie dock and compass plant that glow a bright green in the low sun. See Photo Section for a picture of the leaves.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (8/5=): The oak savanna is now blooming as well as the prairie, with a dramatic display of woodland sunflower and towering fluffy blooms of sweet Joe-Pye weed. Don’t let the drama under the trees distract you from the small wonders. Take note of the whimsical bristled heads of bottlebrush grass. The prairie is putting on celebration of biodiversity, with a large variety of flowering plants on display. The most prominent are rattlesnake master, Culver’s root, and wild quinine. The newly blooming flowering spurge makes the prairie sparkle. And the flamboyant purple spikes of prairie blazing star is still flowering nicely, and easily steals the show wherever you find it. You’ll also find flowers of compass plant and rosinweed alongside the grand leaves of prairie dock. NOTE: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are located close by.

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (8/5=): Blooms of marsh blazing star are still looking good, while early goldenrod has reached peak color to add wonderful golden highlights to the dominant mixture of green and white. After entering the gate with the “dummy lock” (see preserve page for details), take the trail that goes to the left. You’re immediately greeted by yellow coneflower, nodding wild onion. some remaining wild bergamot, and a little bit of marsh phlox. After a few seconds, you’ll find a delicate display of prairie dock foliage mixed with prairie dropseed, yellow coneflower, and rattlesnake master. Soon following, you’ll discover stunning dense stands of rattlesnake master and wild quinine. As you hike around the preserve, you’ll see blooms of partridge pea, compass plant, along with a tall forest of the white-flowered pale Indian plantain located about fifty yards from the trail. The texture of the grasses look great. And the tassels of big bluestem are blooming. If you like to smell stuff. then this is the a good week for you.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (8/4=): This small rare hill prairie is surrounded by a fence. The preserve offers short trails that will quickly take you to the best flower shows. South of the fence is the prairie associated with Carl Hansen Woods, formerly known as Poplar Creek Prairie. This week, the star of the hill prairie is cylindrical blazing star, which has the deepest root of any in the prairie. (See illustration at bottom of this post.) You’ll also find flowering spurge and wild quinine, along with a little rosinweed and wild bergamot. Obedient plant is just starting to bloom. But it’s the prairie beyond the barrier that steals the show with dramatic scenes of the flaming prairie blazing star, the molecular models of rattlesnake master, and the golden sparks of early goldenrod. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.

Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (8/5-): The yellow blossoms of partridge pea is at peak flower along with the pink spotted bee balm. And the sparkling flowering spurge is reaching its peak, as well. The tiny ivory flowers of whorled milkweed are still hanging on, which you can smell if you stop for a moment and concentrate on the fragrances around you. It might help to first calibrate your nose by bending down to smell it. And while you’re down there, take in the minty aroma of spotted bee balm (also known as, spotted or dotted horsemint).

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hogkins (8/5-): The star of the week is yellow coneflower, though the blooms are getting a little old. The plant grows in vast golden expanses throughout the black-soil prairie located on the west half of the preserve. Rattlesnake master offers a single fantastic spread, but the plant can also be found scattered about. Along your stroll, you’ll also see an abundances of partridge pea, wild quinine, ironweed, and wild bergamot. Other flowers of note are prairie blazing star, mountain mint, early goldenrod, pale Indian plantain, rosinweed, and the blooming grass of big bluestem. NOTE: The preserve is located quite close to Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie, which are both on our “Go” list.

 

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (last scouted 7/25): This preserve may very well be a “Go!,” but we didn’t get there this week, and we can’t have you driving a hundred miles (round-trip) to find out. The site offers a varied terrain and a mix of habitats that bring interest and an added dimension to your visit, even if there weren’t any blooms. But there are flowers to see. However, it’s been two weeks since our last visit. We predict that there is a good bloom of flowering spurge across both the sand prairie and sand savanna. And we also think that the butterfly weed is fading, but that it still looks pretty nice. Please help us scout this preserve by becoming an official Nature Scout.

 

PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:

This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago.

Miller Woods at Indiana Dunes National Park: We’re looking for a scout to regularly visit this big, beautiful preserve. Let us know if you’re interested.

Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!

COMING SOON: OBEDIENT PLANT

PLANT OF THE WEEK: FLOWERING SPURGE

PHOTO SECTION

Prairie & Marsh Blazing Star

Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower

Cylindrical Blazing Star

Rattlesnake Master

Big Bluestem Grass

 

Canada Wild Rye

Purple Prairie Clover and It’s Remarkably Fresh Scent

Mountain Mint 

Compass Plant

The Wonderful Large Leaves of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

American Lotus at Tomahawk Slough

Swamp Rose Mallow

Spears Woods

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

Somme Prairie Grove

Bluff Spring Fen

Wolf Road Prairie

Gensburg-Markham Prairie

Theodore Stone Preserve

Prairie Root System

If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.

—Mike

The Importance of Biodiversity: When Beauty Disguises the Truth

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 7:42 am in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on The Importance of Biodiversity: When Beauty Disguises the Truth

The Importance of Biodiversity:
When Beauty Disguises the Truth

Many prairies are especially beautiful at this time of year. And after seeing spectacular blooms of wild bergamot and yellow coneflower at sites across the region, people will ask me why those preserves are not on our showcase list. But these colorful plants may disguise a troubling, but hopeful, truth.

Wild bergamot and yellow coneflower are beneficial native plants and common residents of many prairies. But dense expanses of their lavenders and golds may be a sign of a damaged and healing habitat. Known as pioneer species, they temporarily colonize degraded areas, eventually giving way to other native species. They act as a defensive army, holding their piece of prairie ground until reinforcements arrive. Therefore, low densities of wild bergamot and yellow coneflower are usually a good sign.

You don’t have to look far to find our healing helpers. Some sites, like Springbrook Prairie in Naperville, are covered with them because much of the prairie is in the healing process. Soon, tall goldenrod (aka Canada goldenrod) will be blooming there. It’s another native species that loves disturbed soil. And most people unwittingly go gaga over it. But unlike a pioneer species, it is aggressive and doesn’t play well with others, often crowding out large areas of more desirable plants to create a monoculture of its own kind. A preserve may be pretty or photogenic, but that says nothing about the quality of the species or the habitat. Most people don’t understand that beauty is only chlorophyll deep. And that simplified way of thinking is something I’m trying to change. After all, educating people about biodiversity is part of our mission at ChicagoNatureNOW!.

In the beginning, I didn’t need to experience a healthy ecosystem to enjoy being out in nature. I found recreation and escape in the worst habitats: hiking, biking, picnicking, bird-watching, and photographing at places that, today, would make me cringe. I once thought that a woodland dense with European buckthorn and garlic mustard was a wonder to behold. (See the photo below.) But none of those places ever hooked me on local nature. I only started to understand biodiversity after several of my photographs of barren or infested habitats were rejected by Chicago Wilderness magazine. The experience motivated me to learn about my natural subjects and to pay close attention to the habitats and plants that inhabited my viewfinder. And it inspired me to search out and share the magical places that I feature in my book and on this website.

There are more than three hundred nature preserves around Chicago. Anyone looking for a hit of nature can find one nearby. Unfortunately, most Chicago-area preserves are not healthy and won’t have much blooming going on. But at least they’re green and can provide an escape. Openlands created an interactive map that will help you find a preserve. And that’s great! But that’s not us. Our showcase preserves excite, inspire, and educate. They are home to hundreds of native plant species. And they are full of life. Just moments after entering one of these oases, you’ll understand in your heart what a true Chicago habitat should look and feel like. And this visceral understanding is triggered by the magic of biodiversity.

My wish is that every Chicago-area preserve would make our list, though we’d need a thousand volunteers to scout them all. Yet, to restore all of those sites to good health would mean decades of work by thousands of dedicated conservation workers spread out across the region. At that point, our mission would be complete. A critical mass of nature appreciation and awareness would be reached. And this is the goal of ChicagoNatureNOW!. But until that time comes, we will continue to celebrate biodiversity, using the magic of our preserves to help Chicagoans understand and fall in love with nature.

—Mike