ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
08-12-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
August 12, 2024
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”
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WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago nature:
August overflowers with floral splendor, including stunning shows of cylindrical blazing star, obedient plant, sweet and spotted Joe-Pye Weed, prairie dock, and the beautiful grasses of big bluestem, Indian grass, and Canada wild rye. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming scent of mountain mint. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
It’s a beautiful moment to live in Chicago if you explore its finest wildflower preserves. According to my database, this should be another memorable week, as the region is staging floral shows in our woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. The best performances often take place at Spears Woods, Wolf Road Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Somme Prairie Grove, and Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen each feature many performances thanks to a fanfare of color from at least two dozen flowering species, including a dramatic show of woodland sunflower.
Spears Woods features wildflower shows in its prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. This preserve also provides great trails far away from traffic that pass through a variety of habitats and dramatic vistas. While you’re there, catch a glimpse of the majestic American lotus flowers that rise above Hogwash Slough. I love Spears Woods for its the rolling terrain and for Hogwash Slough—the prettiest wetland in the region.
NOTE: It’s August. But I sometimes call it “Fogust” as a reminder that August is the foggiest month of the year. Therefore, if you visit a preserve in the morning, wear rain gear or risk ending up soaked to the skin from the dew.
Wolf Road Prairie has the potential to blow you away, with flowering in both the savanna and the prairie. In the prairie, there can be forests of prairie dock that will make you hyperventilate. And the oak savanna puts on a show of woodland sunflower and sweet Joe-Pye weed.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Pembroke Savanna often overflow with sparkling florets of flowering spurge amidst the occasional buttery blooms of large flowered false foxglove.
TIP: I recommend visiting grasslands at the beginning or the end of the day when it’s much cooler and the sunlight is beautiful. Prairies are treeless expanses with no escape from the sun. It’s a challenge to appreciate the prairie in the blinding light of ninety-degree afternoon.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie and the adjacent prairie should be blooming strong with many different species, including cylindrical blazing star in the former and potentially breathtaking expanses of prairie blazing star, wild quinine, and rattlesnake master in the latter.
Belmont Prairie can be a beautiful little dream.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie, located in the south suburbs, is one of the finest prairies in the world. It offers a wide array of color and seas of blowing grasses.
TIP: Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
The grasses are quite prominent at this time of year, both in the prairies and oak savannas. Of our four Plants of the Week, three are grasses: big bluestem, Indian grass, side oats grama, and Canada wild rye. The first three should be flowering. And under the trees, look for bottlebrush grass and the wild ryes of Virginia and silky. The fifth Plant of the Week is the whimsical obedient plant.
The scent of the flowers are especially invigorating right now. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, and the wonderful lemon-carrot scent of faded brown heads of purple prairie clover. And of course, experience the scents of the milkweeds of common, whorled, and swamp.
Summer is a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented that describes the bright-green glow of foliage from sunlight shining through it. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.
And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is flowering. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.
If you’re looking for longer walks, try these showcase preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Lake in the Hills Fen, Spears Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: You can usually find tremendous beauty around this time, with at least twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. The trail begins by the kiosk where the oak savanna greets you and where you’ll find yourself protected under the warm embrace of majestic oaks. The trail winds you through the trees and along the kames, around the sunny prairie, and through the main wetland known as a fen. At first, should see the fluffy and tall sweet Joe-Pye weed, towering white pale Indian plantain, the aptly named bottlebrush grass, and silky wild rye and its larger cousin Canada wild rye. Look for the white five-petaled fringed blooms of starry campion, lavender puffs of wild bergamot, rockets of yellow coneflower, the buttery blooms of large flowered false foxglove and mullein foxglove, and any remaining blue American bellflower. The towering stands of white pale Indian plantain and mauve sweet Joe-Pye weed are stunning. At the troll bridge, where friendly trolls have helped to restore the adjacent wetland habitat, look to your right for a grand expanse of spotted Joe-Pye weed alongside towering white cowbane, gorgeous great blue lobelia, and the occasional cup plant. Continuing under the protection of oaks, look to your right at the base of the kame to find a glorious golden show of tall cutleaf coneflower and the wingstem. On your left is narrow trail that takes you to the top of the “big kame.” On your way up, look for the white five-petaled fringed blooms of starry campion and whimsical displays of the aptly named bottlebrush grass. Once atop gravelly peak, you’ll experience a unique view of the preserve and a potentially breathtaking display of pink-buttoned cylindrical blazing star, nodding wild onion, and pearly plumes of whorled milkweed. After returning to ground level, 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. Once under the sun, you’ll find blue vervain, fading marsh blazing star, wild bergamot, creamy tuberous Indian plantain, sparkling flowering spurge, fading wild quinine and rattlesnake master, the three flowering grasses of big bluestem, side oats grama, and Indian grass, plus sprays of switch grass and the wonderful bristled heads of Canada wild rye that will soak you to the skin when loaded with morning dew. And you may find a glorious “forest” of tall compass plant to the west. To see them up close, take the trail to the right at the “Y.” Twist and turn through a tangle of delightfully bristly compass plant stalks to experience the best skin exfoliation service that Chicago nature has to offer. Talk about the best arm-scratch ever!
Returning to the main trail, head east through a dense stand of big bluestem grass full of miniature flowers that can give off fragrant plumes of pollen as you brush past. After a short walk, you’ll run into a gravelly area with hoary vervain, named for its soft hairy leaves, as well as dried-up, yet still fragrant, flower heads of purple prairie clover. Ahead to your right is what we call the “transplant kame.” We call it that because Healy Road Prairie, located six miles away, was being mined for its gravel, and a community of hundreds of volunteers dug it up and transplanted it here. Years before, the transplant kame was also mined to the ground, but it was reconstructed to become the new home of Healy Road Prairie. Blossoming upon the kame are compass plant, wild quinine, and yellow coneflower. If you circumnavigate the base of the kame, you might find lots of yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and whorled milkweed, each emitting its own wonderful fragrance. Make a left at the end of the kame to descend into the bowl of the fen. Move slowly and watch your step as you pass through dense willows (which always need trimming) that also hides a narrow boardwalk that’s easy to trip over. Crossing the boardwalk will take you towards a gravelly bowl with pools of trickling water. That’s the main seep of the fen and one of the rarest habitats on earth. On higher, drier ground surrounding the bowl you should find nice patches of pale Indian plantain mixed in with wild quinine, wild bergamot yellow coneflower, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, early goldenrod, showy tick trefoil, and fading purple spikes of marsh blazing star. In and immediately around the alkaline water of the seep, you’ll find the yellow blooms of prairie loosestrife, rough cinquefoil, and bushy shrubby cinquefoil along with the flamboyantly pink spotted Joe-Pye weed and a smattering of purple pasture thistle.
As you continue to the north, watch for the narrow hard-to-see boardwalk. After crossing it, stay straight (don’t veer left), as the trail ducks under a low tree and up the “switchback kame.” On your way to the top you should find a beautiful pink show of cylindrical blazing star with the deepest roots of any prairie plant. (See an illustration of root depth at the very bottom of this post.) On the switchback kame, you’ll also notice a plant with white balls dotting the vertical stems. That’s rough blazing star which will start blooming as its cylindrical cousin fades. At the top of the kame, the trail steers west and downward, where you’ll see some of the same species as before, including especially nice stands of pale Indian plantain, sweet Joe-Pye weed, and American bellflower. Soon, you’ll reach an intersection that you’ll take to the left and across a small creek with stepping stones. This is the place to experience plants from the fen, the prairie, and oak savanna. As you reach the kame, stay left with the kame to your right and you’ll soon find yourself back where you started and into the sun. If you visit early in the morning, wear rain gear or you’ll end up soaked to the skin from dew. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Note: While you’re here, consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: This preserve offers many blooms and habitats you can experience while you’re hiking about. Around this time, the best wildflower shows are probably happening in the woodland around Hogwash Slough, while the prairies are staging a comeback. Under the sun of the prairie, you should find flowering spurge, nodding wild onion, and prairie dock (I once found a nine-footer). The flowers atop prairie dock’s cousin, compass plant, are mostly gone. But the middle and bottom of the plants are in full bloom. While the ivory Tinker Toy shapes of rattlesnake master and the cauliflower-heads of wild quinine are fading, they still maintain their whimsical nature. The white button flower heads of mountain mint don’t have many flowers left, but they still retain their stimulating scent. As the purples of the occasional ironweed and pasture thistle mingle with the faded spikes of prairie blazing star, petals of rosinweed, woodland sunflower, and early goldenrod are waiting to be replaced by grass-leaved goldenrod, long-bracted tickseed sunflower, and the skyward blooms of sawtooth sunflower. Notice the pink filigree of showy tick trefoil that can look like a purple mist mingling amongst the other flowers. And the tops of big bluestem and Indian grass are now aflower. The woodland should be brimming with fluffy mauve heads of sweet Joe-Pye weed and fading rays of woodland sunflower. And a spectacular scene of the aquatic American lotus blossom is taking place at the the north end of Hogwash Slough. Along the shoreline, it’s difficult to see the lotus through the towering sedges and cattails. But there’s a beautiful view of Hogwash Slough and the colony of American lotus located halfway between the eastern prairie trailhead and the shore of Hogwash Slough. 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 finally, swamp rose mallow should be present around the shore of Boomerang Slough. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie is not too far away. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie is not too far away.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: This week can sometimes be spectacular with soaring jungles of golden prairie dock that make you feel small. Most of the action is taking place in the southern portion of the preserve, which includes both oak savanna and grassland. The savanna is alive with fading blooms of woodland sunflower alongside pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed and bristly sprays of bottlebrush grass. And the prairie is overflowing with all manner of flowers, including an abundance of glistening flowering spurge and the possible golden forests of flowering prairie dock, plus compass plant, rosinweed, grass-leaved goldenrod, and early goldenrod. The cauliflower heads of wild quinine and playful scenes of rattlesnake master are fading, but still hold the power to delight. Flickering purple torches of prairie blazing star, royal puffs of ironweed and pasture thistle, and light-pink balls of nodding wild onion add beautifully to the mix of silver and gold. And rough blazing star should be starting soon. The blooming grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass soften the sharpest textures. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are not too far away.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This is one of the finest preserves in the region. This week, the woodland surrounding the savanna usually makes a strong statement with big displays of woodland sunflower and many more flowers and grasses that include the pink-plumed sweet Joe-Pye weed, lofty pale Indian plantain, blue American bellflower, alabaster starry campion, the yellow-petaled sweet coneflower, black-eyed Susan, large flowered false foxglove, the purple buttons of Missouri ironweed, and the perfectly named bottlebrush grass. Under the open sky, golden rays of prairie dock, compass plant, and tall coreopsis reach for the clouds. Closer to Earth, you’ll find scores of other flowers that will take your breath away with sparkling textures and colors that include the following species: white filigrees of flowering spurge, fading wild quinine, mountain mint and rattlesnake master, the goldenrods (including early and grass-leaved), the wonderfully woolly flower heads of round-headed bush clover, and the pinks of showy tick trefoil, nodding wild onion, swamp milkweed, obedient plant, and spotted Joe-Pye weed. If you run into the yellow-flowered rosinweed, run your fingers over the stiff foliage and you’ll instantly understand the name. Along your walk, you may also find these flowering plants: wild bergamot, blue vervain, self heal, fading prairie blazing star, and the miniature blooms of big bluestem and Indian grass. The floppy stringy hairdos of prairie dropseed is growing everywhere under the sun, but watch your step. It’s very easy to trip over. Come early or late in the day to experience green glow from compass plant and prairie dock. NOTE: If you visit in the morning, wear waterproof pants and shoes, otherwise you’ll probably get soaked from the dew.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This Illinois Nature Preserve is located inside the fence, where the color is often dominated by pink, yellow, and white. Beautiful blushing displays of cylindrical blazing star and obedient plant should be stealing the show alongside a smattering of nodding wild onion and the start of rough blazing star. Rosinweed is the main contributor to the yellows along with its cousins prairie dock and compass plant, plus yellow coneflower and early goldenrod. In the savanna, look for a large display of woodland sunflower. The whites come mainly from rattlesnake master and flowering spurge. Outside the fence, you’ll experience a wider array of flowers, including a vast display of Tinker-Toy shaped rattlesnake master. Notice how they smell. I can’t put my nose on it, but it’s odd. The best I can do is to describe it as sour and powdery. Let me know how you’d describe it by writing a comment below. You’ll also find nodding wild onion and lots of yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, and wild bergamot. Just along the perimeter of the fence, you should see both white prairie clover and purple prairie clover. The latter has the best smell—a refreshing mix of lemons and carrots. But the white species has a traditional floral scent, just as the color suggests. A fabulous show of prairie blazing star is purpling up the southern base of the hill. You’ll also see early goldenrod, wild quinine, rosinweed, compass plant, and round-headed bush clover. Note: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: This is often the time when floating white blooms of flowering spurge are aflower across the preserve, in both the savanna and sand prairie. It’s a beautiful sparkling scene. There are other flowers blooming here and there, but not many. However, there is a beautiful one that always makes me very happy: large flowered false foxglove with blossoms like yellow megaphones. Along your way, you’ll find a few remaining blooms of purple prairie clover, the lovely scented whorled milkweed, some grass-leaved and early goldenrod, shrubby cinquefoil and blue vervain. The tall golden rays of western sunflower are beginning to open and will soon spread across the site.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: At this time, this remnant prairie can be gloriously aglow with tones of yellow, white, and flashes of purple. The most prominent shows are often staged by towering compass plant and prairie dock. These golden blossoms are joined by others of its hue, including yellow coneflower, early goldenrod, black-eyed Susan, and rosinweed. Sparkling sprays of flowering spurge are to the prairie what baby’s breath is to a floral arrangement. And the purple buttons of rough blazing star should be starting. The whimsical ivory balls of rattlesnake master stand amidst the lavenders of wild bergamot and the fragrant gray flower heads of mountain mint. On the more intimate side, I particularly like the nodding tassels of prairie brome that frolic between the forbs. And look for the beautiful filigreed foliage of scurfy pea floating amidst the large leaves of prairie dock and compass plant, glowing bright green in the low warm sunlight. And finally, cream gentian and pasture thistle should now be aflower.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: Expect to see at about two dozen plants in bloom. The most conspicuous and widespread are cup plant, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, prairie dock, compass plant, wild bergamot, and yellow coneflower. The latter two are past their prime. 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, and nodding wild onion. In the wetter areas, you’ll find spires of great blue lobelia, the brilliantly red cardinal flower, the gorgeous pink blooms of swamp milkweed and spotted Joe-Pye weed, the spectacular purple spikes of pickerel weed, and the large magenta blossoms of halberd-leaved rose mallow. And finally, this is the perfect time to experience the many grasses that include Canada wild rye, big bluestem, and Indian grass.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Sparkling flowering spurge should be at or beyond peak bloom across the preserve, alongside purple rough blazing star, which may be on the verge of a dramatic performance. The yellow blossoms of partridge pea may still be hanging on alongside the beautiful buttery trumpets of large flowered false foxglove and the pinks of spotted bee balm (also known as spotted or dotted horsemint). This is your last chance for the year to experience its refreshing fragrance. And if any whorled milkweed remain, I recommend taking in its beautiful aroma, as well.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain to enter, and then move it back when you leave. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails to enjoy the many flowers that vary along the way. In August, you can often find at least two dozen species in bloom at the same time, while the textures of the grasses and sedges add to the grand experience. As you enter, take the path to your left where you may be immediately greeted by a caboodle of color coming from compass plant, yellow coneflower, prairie dock, flowering spurge, marsh phlox, wild bergamot, early goldenrod, and marsh blazing star, which can sometimes take over large portions of the prairie. The trail is square. And this northbound leg has the most floral color and diversity, with blooms of blue vervain, fading Culver’s root and white prairie clover, occasional dense stands of rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, pink nodding wild onion, tall green milkweed, golden rosinweed and partridge pea, towering forests of pale Indian plantain, and the fragrant brown heads of purple prairie clover. As you approach the north end, there’s a beautiful spot to your left that’s composed of a complementary mix of pink marsh blazing star, pearly wild quinine, the golds of brown-eyed Susan and early goldenrod. As the trail turns to the right (east), you’ll find rattlesnake master, swamp milkweed, marsh phlox, and ironweed. Looking south, oceans of prairie cordgrass rise and fall like waves in the wind. And as the trail turns back to the south, you’ll sail into seas of sedges and a small fleet of flowers that includes the fading whites of mountain mint. I highly suggest that you stop for a moment to smell this invigorating plant. For that short time, your mind will sail away from the worries of the world. As you circle right (and to the west) on the returning leg of the trail, the scenery turns to shrubs and royal ferns. Along the way, look for a pretty stand of wild senna. The grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass are blooming, and the heads of Canada wild rye and switch grass look fabulous right now! And finally, your journey ends with a flourish of the minty lavender-colored plant, wild bergamot. If you like to smell stuff, then this is the a good week for you.
Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s not so hot and sunny. Experience an array of blooms that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including grand displays of rough blazing star beginning around the third week of the month. You may still find potentially dense displays of yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and faded prairie blazing star and black-eyed Susan, the lovely pinks of marsh phlox, nodding wild onion, and the start of sawtooth sunflower. The rare white prairie clover is fading, but can be quite abundant. And you should find early goldenrod and grass-leaved goldenrod plus the uncommon white goldenrod, which looks nothing like goldenrod and more like an aster. It blooms on an exposed gravelly kame near the entrance. The large sunny flowers of towering compass plant reach for the clouds. A forest of prairie dock can be found along the far southern trail. And many other flowers are abloom, including the spikes of blue vervain, hoary vervain, as well as prominent pink plumes of spotted Joe-Pye weed in the wet areas. And look for the tiny flowers on the heads of big bluestem and Indian grass.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: Around this time, many of the forbs are beyond their peak blooms and the grasses make their presence known in an attempt to make up for the lack of vibrant color. Big bluestem is blooming and Indian grass is just starting to flower. Little bluestem is turning red. Switch grass, Canada wild rye, and northern dropseed provide rich texture. And rough blazing star is beginning to flower in the dolomite prairie on the eastern half of the preserve. Amidst the grasses, you’ll find displays of flowers in various stages of bloom, including early goldenrod and dense displays of fading yellow coneflower throughout the western mesic prairie alongside others: wild bergamot, rosinweed, compass plant, Culver’s root, pale Indian plantain, false sunflower, and the yellow blossoms of partridge pea. The deep pinks of ironweed make a great addition to the panorama. Rattlesnake master and wild quinine can create fantastic spreads alongside fragrant mountain mint. The grasses of Indian grass and big bluestem should be in bloom. And check for the beautiful pink swamp milkweed in the low or wet areas. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you’ll find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. This is where rough blazing star flowers amidst a reddish sea of little bluestem and the occasional tower of prairie dock. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. And you may also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. Though fading, both of these plants are still giving off their fresh scents. Simply drop to your knees and breathe them in! The grasses of Canada wild rye, switch grass, northern dropseed, Indian grass, little bluestem, and big bluestem provide rich texture. And finally, look for the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. And I just adore the fuzzy touch of the leaves. Note: Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are located nearby.
Lockport Prairie in Lockport: If you’re in the area and can’t travel elsewhere, the short hike through the grand expanse of this dolomite prairie prairie along the out-and-back trail should help to clear your head. You should see the remaining pink blooms of nodding wild onion mixed in with fading fragrant patches of whorled milkweed and a sprinkling of blue vervain, hoary vervain, pale-spiked lobelia, Canada wild rye, and spotted Joe-Pye weed amidst the waves of grasses like big bluestem, Canada wild rye, little bluestem, and Indian grass that seem to dominate this rare habitat.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: OBEDIENT PLANT, BIG BLUESTEM, CANADA WILD RYE, INDIAN GRASS, & SIDE OATS GRAMA
Obedient Plant
Obedient plant can be found at many local preserves, like here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Wolf Road Prairie. Use your finger to pivot the flower on the stem and it will obediently remain in place, hence the name. Though, grow it in your garden, and it has a habit of spreading and not staying put.*
Big Bluestem
The towering height of big bluestem grass gives true meaning to the term “tallgrass prairie.” It can be found at every black soil prairie on our list. It wasn’t uncommon for early pioneers to lose their travel companions in the ocean of big bluestem grass.*
Soon, miniature flowers delicately hang from the tassel of big bluestem grass at a prairie near you.*
Canada Wild Rye
In the morning, this plume of Canada wild rye and all the plants of the prairie become drenched in morning dew. Wear your rain gear!*
Grasses of Canada wild rye and big bluestem sparkle with dew in the morning prairie Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
Indian Grass
Indian grass is a tall charismatic plant with feather duster plumes. And August is when they bloom. In this picture, it’s the very end of August in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and where Indian grass shares the spotlight with western sunflower and rough blazing star.*
Side Oats Grama
In August, the delicate red flowers of side oats grama bloom in the dry Chicago prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
PHOTO SECTION
Spears Woods Often Explodes
Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity
In 1985 at Somme Prairie Grove, this area of woodland was cast in total darkness, a dirt floor under an endless gray barrier of scraggly buckthorn. Now, after lots of love from volunteers, it is the edge of a woodland, well lit and teeming with tall flowers that reach for the sun. Here, we can see an August a celebration of woodland sunflower, brown-eyed Susan, sweet Joe-Pye weed, and tall ironweed.*
The beautiful blue American bellflower blooms alongside sweet Joe-Pye weed and woodland sunflower, here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook and other local woodlands.*
Wolf Road Prairie: A State of Glorious Chaos
A jungle of prairie dock reaches for the sky at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester.*
Wolf Road Prairie puts on a lesson in biodiversity. Pictured are prairie blazing star, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, Culver’s root, rosinweed, and yellow coneflower.*
Bluff Spring Fen
Soon after entering Bluff Spring Fen, you’ll find yourself in an intimate oak savanna, where majestic bur oaks with outstretched limbs protect you in their nurturing embrace.*
Bottlebrush grass and wild bergamot glow in the morning light in the oak savanna at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Sweet Joe-Pye weed grows tall in the oak savanna at the side of a kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Soft sunlight, diffused by morning mist, filters across the preserve. Gathered at the base of the kame, fire-resistant bur oaks hover above a colorful caboodle of spotted Joe-Pye weed and tall goldenrod.*
At Elgin’s Bluff Spring Fen, the morning light arrives at the edge of a flowery seep where spotted Joe-Pye weed thrives.*
Purple buttons of cylindrical blazing star blooms cover the northeast kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Grasses of Canada wild rye and big bluestem sparkle with dew in the morning prairie Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Shoe Factory Road Prairie
Atop this hill prairie called Shoe Factory Road Prairie, obedient plant and Indian grass take in the view.*
Lake in the Hills Fen
In August at Lake in the Hills Fen, a knee-high carpet of grass-leaved goldenrod sparkles in the midst of tall goldenrod and a soaring phalanx of prairie dock.*
Middlefork Savanna
As summer progresses, most prairie plants grow ever taller in a battle for the sun. Like elegant dancers, they always want their moment in the spotlight. Here, in the morning stillness, blazing star, compass plant, and prairie dock stand adorned and erect.
In perfect dancing posture they wait for their partners to arrive. Soon, a feathered friend may be the first to show—possibly a bobolink moving from one bloom to another. A flighty partner, in a flash, it shares a fast flamenco with each awaiting dancer. Next on hand might be a soft morning breeze or a brief breath of wind. In the tentative hold of these reluctant leaders, the stalks sway like green children at their first dance. Later comes the firm embrace of an afternoon gale when the tall dancers twirl and waltz. And then comes you. As you brush past their slender torsos, they can’t help but do a little disco.*
Pembroke Savanna
The floating white blooms of flowering spurge erupt across the sand savanna at Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park, Illinois.*
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
Flowering spurge glows in the summer morning light on the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
In late summer, large flowered false foxglove blooms in profusion in the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois. You can also experience this flower at Pembroke Savanna, Indiana Dunes National Park, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Near the Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, the low light of morning revealed shapes in the sand that chronicled the secrets of time and affirmed the existence of wondrous creatures and invisible forces.*
A common snapping turtle trudges through the sandy Lake Michigan shoreline on its way to the Dead River at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
The Dead River, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, is the only remaining river in Illinois that flows into Lake Michigan. The name comes either from deep pools of quicksand hidden along the banks that devour unsuspecting hikers or from water that remains still and barely flows. On this sapphire morning, the latter was true.*
Cylindrical Blazing Star
Cylindrical blazing star (Liatris cylindracea if you care) likes dry sunny conditions. I often find it growing in gravel or moist sand. The plant only stands two feet tall, which is short for a late-summer bloomer. But it makes up for its above-ground stature by possessing the deepest roots of any prairie or savanna species, reaching down as far as fifteen feet. In August, cylindrical blazing star blooms, here, in the sand savanna at Indiana Dunes National Park and in the gravelly prairies of Bluff Spring Fen and Shoe Factory Road Prairie. *
Woodland Sunflower
Woodland sunflower of species Helianthus divaricatus is a beautiful plant that thrives in open woodlands, savannas, and prairies with mesic to sandy soil. It can be a bit weedy in many woodlands and savannas, especially after regular fires. Here at Somme Prairie Grove, woodland sunflower surrounds this majestic bur oak in the savanna.
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower
“Lavender in color and mint in fragrance” describes wild bergamot. “Whimsical with an aroma of anise” describes yellow coneflower. Both are native to the prairie, and both are healers. Known as pioneer species, they are among the first plants to colonize disturbed or degraded areas. Their presence improves soil quality while allowing other plants to move in, leading to greater biodiversity. You can see and smell these plants at most prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Nodding Wild Onion
On this sweltering and sticky August evening at Lockport Prairie, I returned to the car relieved to unload my nearly thirty pounds of camera gear and sweat-soaked photo vest. As I took my seat and started my Easy-Bake Oven of a car, the air conditioning suddenly circulated a cold breeze from below and I recognized a familiar scent, one that made me instinctively glance to the floor expecting to find a discarded Burger King bag baking in the heat. But there was no bag. Then it came to me. I was smelling exactly what I had been photographing: these pink, nodding wild onions that had transferred their sweet aroma to my boots. The pink blooms of nodding wild onion are the highlight of Lockport Prairie. But the sweetly stinky plant can also be found at many other prairies in our region and in our showcase preserves.*
Flowering Spurge
In late summer, early flowering spurge and purple rough blazing star blanket the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois.*
Prairie & Marsh Blazing Star
In late July and early August, the spectacular purple blooms of marsh blazing star and prairie blazing star turn the prairie ablaze. They are the first of the blazing stars to flower in the summer, followed by cylindrical, savanna, and then rough blazing star. Both marsh and prairie blazing star can easily reach five feet tall. The only way to differentiate them is to decipher this coded message from the Illinois Wildflowers website:, “Prairie Blazingstar has floral bracts (phyllaries) that are strongly recurved, while the floral bracts of Marsh Blazingstar are appressed together and relatively smooth.” Huh? Even my magic decoder ring can’t decipher that.
The flowers on these plants bloom from the top downward, which is helpful for photographers to know if the flowers are coming or going.
You can experience one or both of these magnificent plants at Belmont Prairie, Spears Woods, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Wolf Road Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Middlefork Savanna, and many other prairies on our list of showcase preserves.
In late July and early August, the prairies at Spears Woods can be a memorable experience. However, it’s not uncommon for the prairie to have a cast of thousands, one year, and only a handful the next.*
At Bluff Spring Fen, the seep of the main fen brings marsh blazing star to the high ground surrounding it.*
Rattlesnake Master
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that resembles Tinker Toys or molecular structures, or something you might find in Arizona or Texas. The plant gets its name because some Native Americans brewed a tea from the root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. To prevent bites, some chewed on the root, then spat on their hands before handling a rattlesnake. Of course, I’m interested to know if this really works. What’s more, the research may not even require a flight to the desert. That’s because, believe it or not, the rare and endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake lives right here in the Chicago area. So, if you perform the experiment, please get back to me with the results, either you or next of kin. To experience rattlesnake master, visit Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies and savannas.*
The prairie at Spears Woods teems with midsummer plant life: rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, ironweed, early goldenrod, and sawtooth sunflower.*
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, the late-July and early-August prairie erupts with an array of wildflowers like wild quinine, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Mountain Mint
Inhale the invigorating white flowers of mountain mint that grow here at Spears Woods and at many other preserves on our list.*
Sweet Joe-Pye Weed
In the open woodland at Spears Woods in Willow Springs, summer brings tall blooms of sweet Joe-Pye weed.*
Swamp Rose Mallow
The beautiful blooms of swamp rose mallow is a plant that can be found in August around some of Chicago’s wetlands, including here at Long John Slough near Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center.*
American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs
In July and August, Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs fills with American Lotus. You can also see it from a distance at Hogwash Slough in Spears Woods.
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs teems with the grand American Lotus. You an reach the wetland by first parking at the far end of Pulaski Woods parking lot and then walking a short distance along the trails.
Prairie Dock
You can find prairie dock at Middlefork Savanna, an imaginative creation dreamt up by Mother Nature. Stretching at least twelve feet beneath the prairie is the taproot—the life, the energy source, and the heart of this plant. The root is also the artery, transporting cold water from deep below to nourish and cool the affection of heart-shaped leaves, which are prone to shriveling under the summer sun. Where the root meets the air, a blood-red stalk takes over the job. Swerving towards the sky, the thick stem carries life to multiple golden flowers that may float as high as ten feet above the prairie. Here, the first flower has bloomed, while many ball-like buds are about to follow suit.*
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
Compass plant reaches for the summer clouds in the prairie at Middlefork Savanna.”
Landscape of compass plant at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Mountain Mint
Summer storm clouds brew at Kickapoo Prairie where mountain mint, rattlesnake master, Indian grass, and compass plant glow in the sun.*
Swamp Milkweed
Swamp milkweed glistens in the late afternoon sunlight at Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
08-05-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
August 5, 2024
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WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:
August overflowers with floral splendor, including stunning shows of cylindrical blazing star, sweet and spotted Joe-Pye Weed, rattlesnake master, and prairie dock. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming scent of mountain mint. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
This should be a remarkable week of flower shows in our woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. It’s hard to go wrong when picking a preserve to visit because they all have something exciting to offer. According to my database for this moment in time, this should be another memorable week with flower shows happening in woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. The best flower shows often take place at Spears Woods, Wolf Road Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Illinois Beach Nature Preserve,
Spears Woods may still be the frontrunner for floral beauty with blooming in the prairies, woodlands, and wetlands, especially if it’s a good year for prairie blazing star. This preserve also provides great trails far away from traffic, with varied habitats, and dramatic vistas. And while you’re there, catch a glimpse of the aquatic American lotus in Hogwash Slough. I also love Spears Woods for its the rolling terrain, and Hogwash Slough—easily, the prettiest wetland around here.
NOTE: It’s August. But I sometimes call it Fogust because August is the foggiest month of the year. Therefore, if you visit a preserve in the morning, wear rain gear or risk ending up soaked to the skin from the dew.
Wolf Road Prairie has the potential to blow you away, with flowering happening in both the savanna and the prairie. In the prairie, there can be forests of prairie dock that will make you hyperventilate. And the oak savanna puts on a show of woodland sunflower (our first of two Plants of the Week) and sweet Joe-Pye weed.
TIP: I recommend visiting grasslands at the beginning or the end of the day when it’s much cooler and the sunlight is beautiful. Prairies are treeless expanses with no escape from the sun. It’s a challenge to appreciate the prairie in the blinding light of ninety-degree afternoon.
Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen each feature many performance stages thanks to a fanfare of color from at least two dozen flowering species, including a dramatic show of woodland sunflower.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie and the adjacent prairie should be blooming strong with many different species, including cylindrical blazing star (our second Plant of the Week) in the former and potentially breathtaking expanses of prairie blazing star, wild quinine, and rattlesnake master in the latter.
Belmont Prairie can be a beautiful little dream. Nodding wild onion should be blooming across the vast grasslands of Lockport Prairie, Chiwaukee Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, and also at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie, located in the south suburbs, is one of the finest prairies in the world. It offers a wide array of color and blowing seas of grasses.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Pembroke Savanna often overflow with sparkling florets of flowering spurge amidst the occasional buttery blooms of large flowered false foxglove. And Theodore Stone Preserve usually provides a great show that stars yellow coneflower and a cast of others plants.
TIP: Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
The scent of the flowers are especially invigorating right now. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, and the wonderful lemon-carrot scent of fading purple prairie clover. And of course, experience the scents of the milkweeds of common, whorled, and swamp.
Summer is a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented that describes the bright-green glow of foliage from sunlight shining through it. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.
And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is flowering. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.
If you’re looking for longer walks, try these showcase preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Lake in the Hills Fen, Spears Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: This preserve offers many blooms and habitats you can experience while you’re hiking about. Around this time, the freshest wildflowers often come from flowering spurge, nodding wild onion, and prairie dock (I once found a nine-footer). The flowers atop prairie dock’s cousin, compass plant, are mostly gone. But the middle and bottom of the plants are in full bloom. The ivory Tinker Toy shapes of rattlesnake master are still showing their white balls while the once alabaster wild quinine is fading to brown. The white button flower heads of mountain mint don’t have many flowers left, but they still retain their stimulating scent. The purples of the occasional ironweed try to replace the pinks of fading prairie blazing star. And the yellow petals of rosinweed, woodland sunflower, and early goldenrod faded to be replaced by the budding grass-leaved goldenrod, long-bracted tickseed sunflower, and the skyward blooms of sawtooth sunflower. Notice the pink filigree of showy tick trefoil that can look like a purple mist mingling amongst the other flowers. The turkey-footed heads of big bluestem grass are now aflower. And the feathery heads Indian grass may also be blooming. The woodland should be alive and brimming with fluffy mauve heads of sweet Joe-Pye weed and golden rays of woodland sunflower. And a spectacular scene of the aquatic American lotus blossom is taking place at the the north end of Hogwash Slough. Along the shoreline, it’s difficult to see the lotus through the towering sedges and cattails. But there’s a beautiful view of Hogwash Slough and the colony of American lotus located halfway between the eastern prairie trailhead and the shore of Hogwash Slough. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie is not too far away. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie is not too far away.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This is one of the finest preserves in the region. This week, the woodland surrounding the savanna usually makes a strong statement with a glorious displays of woodland sunflower and many more flowers and grasses that include the pink-plumed sweet Joe-Pye weed, blue American bellflower, alabaster starry campion and lofty pale Indian plantain, the yellow-petaled sweet coneflower, black-eyed Susan, and large flowered false foxglove, the purple buttons of ironweed, and the perfectly named bottlebrush grass. Under the open sky, golden rays of prairie dock, compass plant, and tall coreopsis reach for the sky. Closer to Earth, you’ll find scores of other flowers that will take your breath away with sparkling textures and colors that include the following species: white filigrees of flowering spurge and mountain mint, fading wild quinine, mountain mint, and rattlesnake master, early goldenrod, the wonderfully woolly flower heads of round-headed bush clover, and the pinks of showy tick trefoil, nodding wild onion, swamp milkweed, obedient plant, and spotted Joe-Pye weed. . If you run into the yellow-flowered rosinweed, run your fingers over the stiff foliage and you’ll instantly understand the name. Along your walk, you may also find these flowering plants: wild bergamot, prairie blazing star, self heal, blue vervain, and the miniature blooms of big bluestem and possibly Indian grass. The floppy stringy hairdos of prairie dropseed is growing everywhere under the sun, but watch your step. It’s very easy to trip over. Come early or late in the day to experience green glow from compass plant and prairie dock. NOTE: If you visit in the morning, wear waterproof pants and shoes, otherwise you’ll probably get soaked from the dew.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: You can usually find tremendous beauty around this time, with at least twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. The trail begins by the kiosk where the oak savanna greets you and where you’ll find yourself protected under the warm embrace of majestic oaks. The trail winds you through the trees and along the kames, around the sunny prairie, and through the main wetland known as a fen. At first, should see the fluffy and tall sweet Joe-Pye weed, towering white pale Indian plantain, the aptly named bottlebrush grass, and silky wild rye and its larger cousin Canada wild rye. Look for the white five-petaled fringed blooms of starry campion, lavender puffs of wild bergamot, rockets of yellow coneflower, the buttery blooms of large flowered false foxglove and mullein foxglove, and any remaining blue American bellflower. The towering stands of white pale Indian plantain and mauve sweet Joe-Pye weed are stunning. At the troll bridge, where friendly trolls have helped to restore the adjacent wetland habitat, look to your right for a grand expanse of spotted Joe-Pye weed alongside towering white cowbane, gorgeous great blue lobelia, and the occasional cup plant. Continuing under the protection of oaks, look to your right at the base of the kame to find a tremendous golden show of tall cutleaf coneflower and the wingstem. On your left is narrow trail that takes you to the top of the “big kame.” On your way up, look for the white five-petaled fringed blooms of starry campion and whimsical displays of the aptly named bottlebrush grass. Once atop gravelly peak, you’ll experience a unique view of the preserve with pink-buttoned cylindrical blazing star alongside pearly plumes of whorled milkweed, flat-topped wild quinine, and blue hoary vervain. After returning to ground level, 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. Once under the sun, you’ll find blue vervain, fading marsh blazing star, wild bergamot, creamy tuberous Indian plantain, sparkling flowering spurge, plus wild quinine, flowering rattlesnake master and big bluestem grass, and the wonderful bristled heads of Canada wild rye that will soak you to the skin when loaded with morning dew. And you may find a glorious “forest” of tall compass plant to the west. To see them up close, take the trail to the right at the “Y.” Twist and turn through a tangle of delightfully bristly compass plant stalks to experience the best skin exfoliation service that Chicago nature has to offer. Talk about the best arm-scratch ever!
Returning to the main trail, head east through a dense stand of big bluestem grass full of miniature flowers that can give off fragrant plumes of pollen as you brush past. After a short walk, you’ll run into a gravelly area with hoary vervain, named for its soft hairy leaves, and some remaining blooms of purple prairie clover. Ahead to your right is what we call the “transplant kame.” We call it that because Healy Road Prairie, located six miles away, was being mined for its gravel, and a community of hundreds of volunteers dug it up and transplanted it here. Years before, the transplant kame was also mined to the ground, but it was reconstructed to become the new home of Healy Road Prairie. Blossoming upon the kame are compass plant, wild quinine, and yellow coneflower. If you circumnavigate the base of the kame, you might find lots of yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and whorled milkweed, each emitting its own wonderful fragrance. Make a left at the end of the kame to descend into the bowl of the fen. Move slowly and watch your step as you pass through dense willows (which always need trimming) that also hides a narrow boardwalk that’s easy to trip over. Crossing the boardwalk will take you towards a gravelly bowl with pools of trickling water. That’s the main seep of the fen and one of the rarest habitats on earth. On higher, drier ground surrounding the bowl you should find nice patches of pale Indian plantain mixed in with wild quinine, wild bergamot yellow coneflower, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, early goldenrod, showy tick trefoil, and fading purple spikes of marsh blazing star. In and immediately around the alkaline water of the seep, you’ll find the yellow blooms of prairie loosestrife, rough cinquefoil, and bushy shrubby cinquefoil along with the flamboyantly pink spotted Joe-Pye weed and a smattering of newly blooming purple pasture thistle.
As you continue to the north, watch for the narrow hard-to-see boardwalk. After crossing it, stay straight (don’t veer left), as the trail ducks under a low tree and up the “switchback kame.” On your way to the top you should find a beautiful pink show of cylindrical blazing star with the deepest roots of any prairie plant. (See an illustration of root depth at the very bottom of this post.) On the switchback kame, you’ll also notice a plant with white balls dotting the vertical stems. That’s rough blazing star which will start blooming as its cylindrical cousin fades. As the trails steers left and down, you’ll see some of the same species as before, including especially nice stands of pale Indian plantain, sweet Joe-Pye weed, and American bellflower. 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. This is the place to experience plants from the fen, the prairie, and oak savanna. As you reach the kame, stay left with the kame to your right and you’ll soon find yourself back where you started and into the sun. If you visit early in the morning, wear rain gear or you’ll end up soaked to the skin from dew. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Note: While you’re here, consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: This is often the time when floating white blooms of flowering spurge are aflower across the preserve, in both the savanna and sand prairie. It’s a beautiful sparkling scene. There are other flowers blooming here and there, but not many. However, there is a beautiful one that always makes me happy: the round trumpeted yellow blossom of large flowered false foxglove. Along your way, you’ll find a few remaining blooms of purple prairie clover, the lovely scented whorled milkweed, some grass-leaved and early goldenrod, shrubby cinquefoil and blue vervain. The tall golden rays of western sunflower are beginning to open and will soon spread across the site.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This Illinois Nature Preserve is located inside the fence, where the color is often dominated by yellow and white with patches of pink. Rosinweed is the main contributor to the yellows along with its cousins prairie dock and compass plant, plus yellow coneflower and early goldenrod. In the savanna, look for a large display of woodland sunflower. The whites come mainly from rattlesnake master and flowering spurge. Nice patches of obedient plant provide most of the pink alongside a smattering of nodding wild onion, a growing display of cylindrical blazing star, and the final blooms of purple prairie clover. Outside the fence, you’ll experience a wider array of flowers, including a vast display of Tinker-Toy shaped rattlesnake master. Notice how they smell. I can’t put my nose on it, but it’s odd. The best I can do is to describe it as sour and powdery. Let me know how you’d describe it by writing a comment below. You’ll also find nodding wild onion and lots of yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, and wild bergamot. Just along the perimeter of the fence, you should see both white prairie clover and purple prairie clover. The latter has the best smell—a refreshing mix of lemons and carrots. But the white species has a traditional floral scent. Just as the color suggests. A fabulous show of prairie blazing star is purpling up the southern base of the hill. You’ll also see early goldenrod, wild quinine, rosinweed, compass plant, and round-headed bush clover. Note: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Most of the action is taking place in the southern portion of the preserve, which includes both oak savanna and grassland, where there can be soaring jungles of golden prairie dock that steal the show. The savanna is alive with fading blooms of woodland sunflower alongside pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed and bristly sprays of bottlebrush grass. And the prairie is overflowing with all manner of flowers, including incredible forests of golden flowering prairie dock and compass plant, with rosinweed, grass-leaved goldenrod, early goldenrod contributing a matrix of yellow to the palette. The white bursts of flowering spurge add a beautiful lift of contrast to the prairie bouquet. The cauliflower heads of wild quinine and playful scenes of rattlesnake master bring their usual delight. Flickering purple torches of prairie blazing star, royal puffs of ironweed, and light-pink balls of nodding wild onion add beautifully to the mix of silver and gold. And big bluestem grass softens the sharp textures. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are not too far away.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: Many dramatic plants may be blooming in large quantities. The most conspicuous and widespread shows come from wild bergamot, cup plant, rosinweed, prairie dock, compass plant, yellow coneflower, rattlesnake master, and rosinweed. Dramatic purples of prairie blazing star and ironweed add visual excitement. Skyward stalks of pale Indian plantain make an impression. And there’s much more to see: mountain mint, blue vervain, obedient plant, Culver’s root, 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.
Lockport Prairie in Lockport: The best flower show at this dolomite prairie happens around this time, when nodding wild onion spreads across the preserve mixed in with fragrant patches of whorled milkweed and waves of towering big bluestem with tassels that may now be flowering. On your walk along the out-and-back trail (that seems to end soon after the trees begin), you’ll find the wonderfully fragrant whorled milkweed and a sprinkling of blue vervain, hoary vervain, pale-spiked lobelia, Canada wild rye, and spotted Joe-Pye weed amidst the waves of grasses that dominate this rare habitat. You may still find some American bellflower under the trees at the end of the trail.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Sparkling flowering spurge should be at or beyond peak bloom and in glorious flower across the preserve alongside the purple rough blazing star on the verge of a potentially dramatic performance. The yellow blossoms of partridge pea should also be at peak alongside the beautiful buttery trumpets of large flowered false foxglove. The tiny ivory flowers of whorled milkweed may still be 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 inhale its pleasant aroma. And while you’re down there, experience the fresh minty scent of pink spotted bee balm (also known as spotted or dotted horsemint).
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails to enjoy the many flowers that vary along the way. In August, you can often find at least two dozen species in bloom at the same time, while the textures of the grasses and sedges add to the grand experience. As you enter, take the path to your left where you may be immediately greeted by a caboodle of color coming from compass plant, yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, white prairie clover, marsh phlox, wild bergamot, early goldenrod, and marsh blazing star, which can sometimes take over large portions of the prairie. The trail is square. And this northbound leg has the most floral color and diversity, with blooms of blue vervain, Culver’s root, dense stands of rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, nodding wild onion, tall green milkweed, rosinweed, forests of towering pale Indian plantain, freshly flowering partridge pea, and fading purple prairie clover. As you approach the north end, there’s a beautiful spot to your left that’s composed of a complementary mix of pink marsh blazing star, pearly wild quinine, the golds of brown-eyed Susan and early goldenrod. As the trail turns to the right (east), you’ll find rattlesnake master, swamp milkweed, marsh phlox, and ironweed. Looking south, oceans of prairie cordgrass rise and fall like waves in the wind. And as the trail turns back to the south, you’ll sail into seas of sedges and a small fleet of flowers that includes the fading whites of mountain mint. I highly suggest that you stop for a moment to smell this invigorating plant. For that short time, your mind will sail away from the worries of the world. As you circle right (and to the west) on the returning leg of the trail, the scenery turns to shrubs and royal ferns. Along the way, look for a pretty stand of wild senna. The grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass may both be blooming, and the heads of Canada wild rye and switch grass should look fabulous now! And finally, your journey ends with a flourish of color that incorporates the lavenders of another minty plant, wild bergamot. If you like to smell stuff, then this is a good week for you.
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: Around this time, the rays of yellow coneflower play a leading role throughout the western mesic prairie alongside other flowers that include wild bergamot, early goldenrod, rosinweed, prairie blazing star, compass plant, Culver’s root, pale Indian plantain, false sunflower, and the yellow blossoms of partridge pea. The deep pinks of ironweed make a great addition to the panorama. Rattlesnake master and wild quinine can create fantastic spreads alongside fragrant mountain mint. The grass of big bluestem should now be blooming. And check for the beautiful pink swamp milkweed in the low or wet areas. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you’ll find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. And you may also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. It, too, has a wonderful scent. Also, the grasses of Canada wild rye, Indian grass, switch grass, northern dropseed, and big bluestem provide rich texture. The latter is probably flowering, right now. And finally, look for the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. And I just adore the fuzzy touch of the leaves. Note: Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are located nearby.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s not so hot and sunny. Experience an array of blooms that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including potentially dense displays of yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and prairie blazing star along with black-eyed Susan, the lovely pinks of marsh phlox, nodding wild onion, and the start of sawtooth sunflower. The rare white prairie clover can be quite abundant. Early goldenrod can sometimes carpet the brae of the kames, and cylindrical blazing star is blooming here and there. And white goldenrod blooms on an exposed gravelly kame. It which looks nothing like goldenrod and more like an aster. The large sunny flowers of towering compass plant reach for the clouds. A forest of prairie dock can be found along the far southern trail. And many other flowers are abloom, including the spikes of both Culver’s root and blue vervain, and hoary vervain, as well as prominent pink plumes of spotted Joe-Pye weed in the wet areas. And look for the flowering tassels of big bluestem grass.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: At this time, this remnant prairie can be gloriously aglow with tones of mostly yellow and white. The most prominent shows are often staged by towering compass plant and prairie dock. These golden blossoms are joined by others of its hue, including yellow coneflower, early goldenrod, black-eyed Susan, and rosinweed. The whimsical ivory balls of rattlesnake master are supported by sparkling sprays of flowering spurge and the fragrant, but occasional, wild bergamot and mountain mint. And along the way, you may experience purple torches of prairie blazing star that are likely fading. On the more intimate side, I particularly like the nodding tassels of prairie brome that frolic between the forbs. And look for the beautiful filigreed foliage of scurfy pea floating amidst the large leaves of prairie dock and compass plant, glowing bright green in the low warm sunlight.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake often features beautiful expanses of many flowers including nodding wild onion, marsh blazing star, tuberous Indian plantain and a mix of other flowers that include pink marsh phlox, golden black-eyed Susan, alabaster wild quinine, and prairie dock. As you stroll, you may see the yellows of rosinweed and shrubby cinquefoil along with the occasional pale-spiked lobelia. Look for beautiful pink displays of spotted Joe-Pye weed in the wet spots. And consider checking out Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in nearby Zion. It’s the most biologically rich preserve in the state.
Kickapoo Prairie in Riverdale: This southside prairie offers a variety of flowers, including rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, mountain mint, wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, compass plant, and blooming big bluestem grass.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: CYLINDRICAL BLAZING STAR & WOODLAND SUNFLOWER
Cylindrical Blazing Star
Cylindrical blazing star (Liatris cylindracea if you care) likes dry sunny conditions. I often find it growing in gravel or moist sand. The plant only stands two feet tall, which is short for a late-summer bloomer. But it makes up for its above-ground stature by possessing the deepest roots of any prairie or savanna species, reaching down as far as fifteen feet. In August, cylindrical blazing star blooms, here, in the sand savanna at Indiana Dunes National Park and in the gravelly prairies of Bluff Spring Fen and Shoe Factory Road Prairie. *
Woodland Sunflower
Woodland sunflower of species Helianthus divaricatus is a beautiful plant that thrives in open woodlands, savannas, and prairies with mesic to sandy soil. It can be a bit weedy in many woodlands and savannas, especially after regular fires. Here at Somme Prairie Grove, woodland sunflower surrounds this majestic bur oak in the savanna.
PHOTO SECTION
Spears Woods Often Explodes
In late July and early August at Spears Woods, wildflowers float above the prairie like musical notes in a symphony of color and texture: rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod *
At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, the late-July and early-August prairie erupts with an array of wildflowers like wild quinine, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity
In 1985 at Somme Prairie Grove, this area of woodland was cast in total darkness, a dirt floor under an endless gray barrier of scraggly buckthorn. Now, after lots of love from volunteers, it is the edge of a woodland, well lit and teeming with tall flowers that reach for the sun. Here, we can see an August a celebration of woodland sunflower, brown-eyed Susan, sweet Joe-Pye weed, and tall ironweed.*
The beautiful blue American bellflower blooms alongside sweet Joe-Pye weed and woodland sunflower, here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook and other local woodlands.*
Wolf Road Prairie: A State of Glorious Chaos
Wolf Road Prairie puts on a lesson in biodiversity. Pictured are prairie blazing star, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, Culver’s root, rosinweed, and yellow coneflower.*
This image is fairly representative of what you’ll see, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie: wild bergamot, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, Culver’s root, and prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Wolf Road Prairie, wildflowers combine to resemble a fireworks display.*
Culver’s root blooms en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester.*
Bluff Spring Fen
Soon after entering Bluff Spring Fen, you’ll find yourself in an intimate oak savanna, where majestic bur oaks with outstretched limbs protect you in their nurturing embrace.*
Bottlebrush grass and wild bergamot glow in the morning light in the oak savanna at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Sweet Joe-Pye weed grows tall in the oak savanna at the side of a kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin*
Cylindrical blazing star blooms cover the northeast kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
Shoe Factory Road Prairie
Atop this hill prairie called Shoe Factory Road Prairie, obedient plant and Indian grass take in the view.*
Lockport Prairie
Nodding wild onion blooms across the vast prairie at Lockport Prairie in Lockport and in lesser amounts at many prairies on our list.*
Gensburg-Markham Prairie
Gensburg-Markham Prairie is famous for its midsummer fanfare, when the fields ignite with white sparks of flowering spurge and purple torches of marsh blazing star. *
Middlefork Savanna
As summer progresses, most prairie plants grow ever taller in a battle for the sun. Like elegant dancers, they always want their moment in the spotlight. Here, in the morning stillness, blazing star, compass plant, and prairie dock stand adorned and erect.
In perfect dancing posture they wait for their partners to arrive. Soon, a feathered friend may be the first to show—possibly a bobolink moving from one bloom to another. A flighty partner, in a flash, it shares a fast flamenco with each awaiting dancer. Next on hand might be a soft morning breeze or a brief breath of wind. In the tentative hold of these reluctant leaders, the stalks sway like green children at their first dance. Later comes the firm embrace of an afternoon gale when the tall dancers twirl and waltz. And then comes you. As you brush past their slender torsos, they can’t help but do a little disco.*
Fermilab Prairie
Wild bergamot of species Monarda fistulosa is a popular and prolific pioneer species and part of the mint family. The plant often inhabits gaps of disturbed soil, which is a great service to the prairie because it prevents non-native invaders from taking hold. The flowers have a lavender color, whereas the flowers of its cousin, bee balm (Monarda didyma), are bright red. Most notably, wild bergamot is known for its minty fragrance and frequently used in tea. The name comes from the similarity of its fragrance to the aromatic oils pressed from Bergamot oranges that are grown around Bergamot, Italy. Here, the sun sets over Fermilab Prairie brimming with wild bergamot, prairie cordgrass, and big bluestem.*
Pembroke Savanna
The floating white blooms of flowering spurge erupts across the sand savanna at Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park, Illinois.*
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
Flowering spurge glows in the summer morning light on the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
In late summer, large flowered false foxglove blooms in profusion in the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois. You can also experience this flower at Pembroke Savanna, Indiana Dunes National Park, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Near the Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, the low light of morning revealed shapes in the sand that chronicled the secrets of time and affirmed the existence of wondrous creatures and invisible forces.*
A common snapping turtle trudges through the sandy Lake Michigan shoreline on its way to the Dead River at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
The Dead River, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, is the only remaining river in Illinois that flows into Lake Michigan. The name comes either from deep pools of quicksand hidden along the banks that devour unsuspecting hikers or from water that remains still and barely flows. On this sapphire morning, the latter was true.*
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower
“Lavender in color and mint in fragrance” describes wild bergamot. “Whimsical with an aroma of anise” describes yellow coneflower. Both are native to the prairie, and both are healers. Known as pioneer species, they are among the first plants to colonize disturbed or degraded areas. Their presence improves soil quality while allowing other plants to move in, leading to greater biodiversity. You can see and smell these plants at most prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Nodding Wild Onion
On this sweltering and sticky August evening at Lockport Prairie, I returned to the car relieved to unload my nearly thirty pounds of camera gear and sweat-soaked photo vest. As I took my seat and started my Easy-Bake Oven of a car, the air conditioning suddenly circulated a cold breeze from below and I recognized a familiar scent, one that made me instinctively glance to the floor expecting to find a discarded Burger King bag baking in the heat. But there was no bag. Then it came to me. I was smelling exactly what I had been photographing: these pink, nodding wild onions that had transferred their sweet aroma to my boots. The pink blooms of nodding wild onion are the highlight of Lockport Prairie. But the sweetly stinky plant can also be found at many other prairies in our region and in our showcase preserves.*
Flowering Spurge
In late summer, early flowering spurge and purple rough blazing star blanket the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois.*
Prairie & Marsh Blazing Star
In late July and early August, the spectacular purple blooms of marsh blazing star and prairie blazing star turn the prairie ablaze. They are the first of the blazing stars to flower in the summer, followed by cylindrical, savanna, and then rough blazing star. Both marsh and prairie blazing star can easily reach five feet tall. The only way to differentiate them is to decipher this coded message from the Illinois Wildflowers website:, “Prairie Blazingstar has floral bracts (phyllaries) that are strongly recurved, while the floral bracts of Marsh Blazingstar are appressed together and relatively smooth.” Huh? Even my magic decoder ring can’t decipher that.
The flowers on these plants bloom from the top downward, which is helpful for photographers to know if the flowers are coming or going.
You can experience one or both of these magnificent plants at Belmont Prairie, Spears Woods, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Wolf Road Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Middlefork Savanna, and many other prairies on our list of showcase preserves.
In late July and early August, the prairies at Spears Woods can be a memorable experience. However, it’s not uncommon for the prairie to have a cast of thousands, one year, and only a handful the next.*
At Bluff Spring Fen, the seep of the main fen brings marsh blazing star to the high ground surrounding it.*
Rattlesnake Master
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that resembles Tinker Toys or molecular structures, or something you might find in Arizona or Texas. The plant gets its name because some Native Americans brewed a tea from the root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. To prevent bites, some chewed on the root, then spat on their hands before handling a rattlesnake. Of course, I’m interested to know if this really works. What’s more, the research may not even require a flight to the desert. That’s because, believe it or not, the rare and endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake lives right here in the Chicago area. So, if you perform the experiment, please get back to me with the results, either you or next of kin. To experience rattlesnake master, visit Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies and savannas.*
The prairie at Spears Woods teems with midsummer plant life: rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, ironweed, early goldenrod, and sawtooth sunflower.*
Culver’s Root
It is thought that Culver’s root gets is named after a Dr. Culver, a physician who prescribed the use of the plant to cure a variety of maladies. The seeds of Culver’s root are very small and light, allowing the wind to spread them several feet from the plant. The plant has a central taproot, but it also has some rhizomes that allows it to spread. The plant is distributed across much of Illinois, but it’s not commonly seen. That’s because the plant can only thrive in the highest quality habitats. On this mysterious summer morning at Wolf Road Prairie, white spikes of Culver’s root, extend into the outer reaches and, like a dream, disappear into the fog. You can also see this plant at Middlefork Savanna, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, Theodore Stone Preserve, Spears Woods, and the prairie around Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, the prairie erupts with an array of wildflowers like wild quinine, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Mountain Mint
Inhale the invigorating white flowers of mountain mint that grow here at Spears Woods and at many other preserves on our list.*
Sweet Joe-Pye Weed
In the open woodland at Spears Woods in Willow Springs, summer brings tall blooms of sweet Joe-Pye weed.*
Swamp Rose Mallow
The beautiful blooms of swamp rose mallow is a plant that can be found in August around some of Chicago’s wetlands, including here at Long John Slough near Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center.*
American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs fills with American Lotus. You can also see it from a distance at Hogwash Slough in Spears Woods.
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs teems with the grand American Lotus. You an reach the wetland by first parking at the far end of Pulaski Woods parking lot and then walking a short distance along the trails.
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
Compass plant reaches for the summer clouds in the prairie at Middlefork Savanna.”
Landscape of compass plant at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville.*
Prairie Dock
You can find prairie dock at Middlefork Savanna, an imaginative creation dreamt up by Mother Nature. Stretching at least twelve feet beneath the prairie is the taproot—the life, the energy source, and the heart of this plant. The root is also the artery, transporting cold water from deep below to nourish and cool the affection of heart-shaped leaves, which are prone to shriveling under the summer sun. Where the root meets the air, a blood-red stalk takes over the job. Swerving towards the sky, the thick stem carries life to multiple golden flowers that may float as high as ten feet above the prairie. Here, the first flower has bloomed, while many ball-like buds are about to follow suit.
A “forest” of prairie dock reaches for the sky at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Mountain Mint
Summer storm clouds brew at Kickapoo Prairie where mountain mint, rattlesnake master, Indian grass, and compass plant glow in the sun.*
Swamp Milkweed
Swamp milkweed glistens in the late afternoon sunlight at Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois.*
Grasses of the Season
In the morning, this plume of Canada wild rye and all the plants of the prairie become drenched in morning dew. Wear your rain gear!
Grasses of Canada wild rye and big bluestem sparkle with dew in the morning prairie Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.
Soon, miniature flowers delicately hang from the tassel of big bluestem grass at a prairie near you.*
The towering height of big bluestem grass gives true meaning to the term “tallgrass prairie.” It can be found at every black soil prairie on our list.*
In August, the delicate red flowers of side oats grama bloom in the dry Chicago prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Obedient Plant
Obedient plant can be found at many local preserves, like here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Wolf Road Prairie. Use your finger to pivot the flower on the stem and it will obediently remain in place, hence the name. Though, grow it in your garden, and it has a habit of spreading and not staying put.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-29-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
July 29, 2024
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WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:
As July turns into August, our preserves are teeming with unsurpassed beauty, including stunning shows of cylindrical blazing star, nodding wild onion, sweet Joe-Pye Weed, rattlesnake master, compass plant, wild bergamot, and yellow coneflower. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming scent of mountain mint. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
This should be another memorable week with flower shows happening in woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. It’s hard to go wrong when picking a preserve to visit because they all have something exciting to offer. According to my database for this moment in time, this should be another memorable week with flower shows happening in woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. The best flower shows often take place at Spears Woods, Wolf Road Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Somme Prairie Grove, and Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Spears Woods is again the frontrunner for floral beauty with blooming in the prairies, woodlands, and wetlands, especially if it’s a good year for prairie blazing star. This preserve also provides great trails far away from traffic, with varied habitats, and dramatic vistas. And while you’re there, catch a glimpse of the aquatic American lotus in Hogwash Slough. I also love Spears Woods for its the rolling terrain, and Hogwash Slough—easily, the prettiest wetland around here.
NOTE: It’s August. But I sometimes call it Foggust because August is the foggiest month of the year. Therefore, if you visit a preserve in the morning, wear rain gear or risk ending up soaked to the skin from the dew.
Wolf Road Prairie has the potential to blow you away, with flowering happening in both the savanna and the prairie. In the prairie, the purple spikes of prairie blazing star and marsh blazing star add beautifully to the stunning array of gold and white blooms, including the kooky rattlesnake master with its ivory Tinker Toy shaped molecular shaped flower heads.
TIP: I recommend visiting grasslands at the beginning or the end of the day when it’s much cooler and the sunlight is beautiful. Prairies are treeless expanses with no escape from the sun. It’s a challenge to appreciate the prairie in the blinding light of ninety-degree afternoon.
Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen each feature many performance stages thanks to a fanfare of color from at least two dozen flowering species.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie and the adjacent prairie should be blooming strong with many different species, including the potentially breathtaking expanses of prairie blazing star, wild quinine, and rattlesnake master.
Belmont Prairie can be a beautiful little dream. Nodding wild onion (our Plant of the Week) should be blooming across the vast grasslands of Lockport Prairie, Chiwaukee Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, and also at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie, located in the south suburbs is one of the finest prairies in the world. It offers a wide array of color and blowing seas of grasses. And the prairies at Spears Woods offer beautiful blooms and a gorgeous nature experience, especially if it’s a good year for prairie blazing star.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Pembroke Savanna often overflow with sparkling florets of flowering spurge. And Theodore Stone Preserve usually provides a great show that stars yellow coneflower and a cast of others plants.
TIP: Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
The scent of the flowers are especially invigorating right now. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, and the wonderful lemon-carrot scent of fading purple prairie clover. And of course, experience the scents of the milkweeds of common, whorled, and swamp.
Summer is a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented that describes the bright-green glow of foliage from sunlight shining through it. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.
And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is flowering. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.
If you’re looking for longer walks, try the showcase preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Lake in the Hills Fen, Spears Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: The last week of July and the first week of August often bring fantastic flowering to the prairie, woodland, and wetlands. In the prairies, expanses of flowers may be seen flowing across the rolling terrain. You may need to catch your breath with large jaw-dropping expanses of purple prairie blazing star amidst drooping heads of early goldenrod and a glistening white filigree of flowering spurge combined with dense colonies of alabaster wild quinine, mountain mint, and the whimsical Tinker Toys of rattlesnake master. Adding to the color are the deep purple hues of ironweed, the golden rays of woodland sunflower that leak out from the wooded edges, lavender balls of wild bergamot, and white spikes of Culver’s root. Along your way, you’ll experience the golden blooms at all levels: black-eyed Susan near your feet, rosinweed at your waist, and the large sunflowers of compass plant above your head. Notice the floating blooms of showy tick trefoil that can create a pink mist amidst above the grasses. And turkey-footed heads of big bluestem grass may be displaying their miniature flowers. If you stand at a high spot, scan the prairie below for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. The woodland comes alive with a magnificent show of the fluffy mauve sweet Joe-Pye weed and the happy yellow woodland sunflower. And a spectacular scene of the aquatic American lotus blossom is taking place at the the north end of Hogwash Slough. Along the shoreline, it’s difficult to see the lotus through the towering sedges and cattails. But there’s a beautiful view of Hogwash Slough and the colony of American lotus located halfway between the eastern prairie trailhead and the shore of Hogwash Slough. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie is not too far away.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: The woodland surrounding the savanna is making a strong statement with a glorious display of woodland sunflower and many more flowers and grasses that include the pink-plumed sweet Joe-Pye weed, the beautiful blue American bellflower, alabaster starry campion and towering pale Indian plantain, yellow sweet coneflower, black-eyed Susan, and large flowered false foxglove, the purple buttons of ironweed, and the perfectly named bottlebrush grass. Under the open sky, golden rays of prairie dock and compass plant stretch for the clouds. Closer to the ground, you’ll find scores of other flowers that will take your breath away with sparkling textures and colors. You should see the shining yellow coneflower and early goldenrod along with pinks of swamp milkweed and spotted Joe-Pye weed, nodding wild onion, and obedient plant, You find orange butterfly weed amongst the whites of spiked Culver’s root, cauliflowers of wild quinine, whimsical rattlesnake master, and sparking filigrees of flowering spurge and mountain mint. Along your walk, you may also find these flowering plants: wild bergamot, prairie blazing star, self heal, showy tick trefoil, blue vervain, and the tiny blooms of big bluestem. If you run into the yellow-flowered rosinweed, run your fingers over the foliage and you’ll instantly understand the name. The floppy stringy hairdos of prairie dropseed is growing everywhere under the sun, but watch your step. It’s very easy to trip over. Come early or late in the day to experience green glow from compass plant and prairie dock. NOTE: If you visit in the morning, wear waterproof pants and shoes, otherwise you’ll probably get soaked from the dew.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: You can usually find tremendous beauty around this time, with at least twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. The trail begins by the kiosk where the oak savanna greets you and where, you’ll find yourself protected under the warm embrace of majestic oaks. The trail winds you through the trees and along the kames, around the sunny prairie, and through the main wetland known as a fen. At first, should see the fluffy and tall sweet Joe-Pye weed, towering white pale Indian plantain, the aptly named bottlebrush grass, the white five-petaled fringed blooms of starry campion, lavender puffs of wild bergamot, rockets of yellow coneflower, and possibly some remaining blue American bellflower. The towering stands of white pale Indian plantain and mauve sweet Joe-Pye weed are stunning. At the troll bridge, where friendly trolls have helped to restore the adjacent wetland habitat, look to your right for what will soon be a grand expanse of spotted Joe-Pye weed. Continuing under the protection of oaks, look to your right at the base of the kame to find the the beginnings of tall cutleaf coneflower and the start of wingstem. On your left is narrow trail that takes you to the top of the “big kame.” On your way up, look for the white five-petaled fringed blooms of starry campion and whimsical displays of the aptly named bottlebrush grass. Once atop gravelly peak, you’ll experience a unique view of the preserve with the start of pink-buttoned cylindrical blazing star alongside pearly plumes of whorled milkweed, flat-topped wild quinine, and blue hoary vervain. After returning to ground level, 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. Once under the sun, you’ll find blue vervain, marsh blazing star, wild bergamot, creamy tuberous Indian plantain, sparkling flowering spurge, plus wild quinine, flowering rattlesnake master and big bluestem grass, and the wonderful bristled heads of Canada wild rye that will soak you to the skin when loaded with morning dew. You’ll also find a glorious “forest” of tall compass plant to the west. To see them up close, take the trail to the right at the “Y.” Twist and turn through a tangle of delightfully bristly compass plant stalks to experience the best skin exfoliation service that Chicago nature has to offer, Talk about the best arm-scratch ever!
Returning to the main trail, head east through a dense stand of big bluestem grass full of miniature flowers that can give off fragrant plumes of pollen as you brush past. and into a gravelly area with hoary vervain, named for its soft hairy leaves, and some remaining blooms of purple prairie clover. Ahead to your right is what we call the “transplant kame.” We call it that because Healy Road Prairie, located six miles away, was being mined for its gravel, and a community of hundreds of volunteers dug it up and transplanted it here. Years before, the transplant kame was also mined to the ground, but it was reconstructed to become the new home of Healy Road Prairie. Blossoming upon the kame are compass plant, wild quinine, and yellow coneflower. If you circumnavigate the base of the kame, you might find lots of yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and whorled milkweed, each emitting its own wonderful fragrance. Make a left at the end of the kame to descend into the bowl of the fen. Move slowly and watch your step as you pass through dense willows (which always need trimming) that also hides a narrow boardwalk that’s easy to trip over. Crossing the boardwalk will take you towards gravelly bowl with pools of trickling water. That’s the main seep of the fen and one of the rarest habitats on earth. On higher, drier ground surrounding the bowl you should find nice patches of pale Indian plantain mixed in with wild quinine, wild bergamot yellow coneflower, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, early goldenrod, showy tick trefoil, and the glorious purple spikes marsh blazing star. In and immediately around the alkaline water of the seep, you’ll find the yellow blooms of prairie loosestrife, rough cinquefoil, and bushy shrubby cinquefoil along with the start of the flamboyantly pink spotted Joe-Pye weed.
As you continue to the north, watch for the narrow hard-to-see boardwalk. After crossing it, stay straight (don’t veer left), as the trail ducks under a low tree and up the “switchback kame.” On your way to the top you should find the start of the beautiful pink show of cylindrical blazing star. with the deepest roots of any prairie plant. (See an illustration of root depth at the very bottom of this post.) On the switchback kame, you’ll also notice a plant with white balls dotting the vertical stems. That’s rough blazing star which will start blooming as its cylindrical cousin fades. As the trails steers left and down, you’ll see some of the same species as before, including especially nice stands of pale Indian plantain, sweet Joe-Pye weed, and American bellflower. 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. This is the place to experience plants from the fen, the prairie, and oak savanna. As you reach the kame, stay left with the kame to your right and you’ll soon find yourself back where you began your journey into the sun. If you visit early in the morning, wear rain gear or you’ll end up soaked to the skin from dew. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Note: While you’re here, consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester” At this point, the flowering can be tremendous, especially in the southernmost portion of preserve, which includes both prairie and oak savanna. The savanna comes alive with dense blooms of woodland sunflower alongside pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed and bristly sprays of bottlebrush grass. The prairie overflows with all manner of flowers, including incredible forests of golden flowering prairie dock and compass plant. Rosinweed, early goldenrod, yellow coneflower, and black-eyed Susan add a range of yellows to the palette. The shimmering and exploding whites of wild quinine, rattlesnake master, and Culver’s root are joined by purple torches of prairie blazing star, touches of lavender wild bergamot, early puffs of ironweed, balls of nodding wild onion, and a pink haze of showy tick trefoil. White flowering spurge and the occasional splashes of mountain mint add sparkle amidst the tall big bluestem grass that may be in bloom. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are located nearby.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This is usually when the official preserve Illinois Nature Preserve, located inside the fence, puts on a beautiful show of cylindrical blazing star amidst a variety of flowers and grasses. But most likely, the much more dramatic show is taking place outside the fence in the larger prairie, home to a breathtaking amount of wild quinine, whimsical rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, yellow coneflower, and wild bergamot, along with compass plant, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, and the final fragrant blooms of purple prairie clover. Note: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: At this time, this remnant prairie can be gloriously aglow with tones of mostly yellow and white. The most prominent shows are often staged by towering compass plant and prairie dock. These golden blossoms are joined by others of its hue, including yellow coneflower, early goldenrod, black-eyed Susan, false sunflower, and rosinweed. The whimsical ivory balls of rattlesnake master are supported by sparkling sprays of flowering spurge, wild quinine, and the fragrant, but occasional, wild bergamot and mountain mint. And along the way, you’ll also experience purple torches of prairie blazing star and beautiful orange highlights of butterfly weed. On the more intimate side, I particularly like the nodding tassels of prairie brome that frolic between the forbs. And look for the beautiful filigreed foliage of scurfy pea floating amidst the large leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow bright green in the low warm sunlight.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: Many dramatic plants may be blooming in large quantities. The most conspicuous and widespread shows come from wild bergamot, cup plant, yellow coneflower, rattlesnake master, and rosinweed. Dramatic purples of prairie blazing star and ironweed add visual excitement. Skyward stalks of pale Indian plantain make an impression. And there’s much more to see: mountain mint, blue vervain, obedient plant, Culver’s root, 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.
Lockport Prairie in Lockport: The best flower show at this rare dolomite prairie happens around this time, when nodding wild onion spreads across the preserve mixed in with fragrant patches of whorled milkweed and waves of towering big bluestem with tassels that may now be flowering. Along the out-and-back path, you should also find pale-spiked lobelia, blue vervain and hoary vervain, spotted Joe-Pye weed, Canada wild rye, and American bellflower under the shade of the trees at the end of the trail.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: At this time, the yellow blossoms of partridge pea is often at peak bloom 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 may still be still hanging on, which you can smell if you simply 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).
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails to enjoy the many flowers that vary along the way. In the second half of July, you can often find at least two dozen species in bloom at the same time, while the textures of the grasses and sedges add to the grand experience. As you enter, take the path to your left where you may be immediately greeted by a caboodle of color coming from compass plant, yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, white prairie clover, marsh phlox, wild bergamot, early goldenrod, and marsh blazing star, which can sometimes take over large portions of the prairie. The trail is square. And this northbound leg has the most floral color and diversity, with blooms of blue vervain, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, nodding wild onion, purple prairie clover, tall green milkweed, rosinweed, and partridge pea. As you approach the north end, there’s a beautiful spot to your left that’s composed of a complementary mix of pink marsh blazing star, pearly wild quinine, and the golds of brown-eyed Susan and early goldenrod. As the trail turns to the right (east), you’ll find rattlesnake master, swamp milkweed, marsh phlox, and ironweed. Looking south, oceans of prairie cordgrass rise and fall like waves in the wind. And as the trail turns back to the south, you’ll sail into seas of sedges and a small fleet of flowers that includes mountain mint. I highly suggest that you stop for a moment to smell this invigorating plant. For that short time, your mind will sail away from the worries of the world. As you circle right (and to the west) on the returning leg of the trail, the scenery turns to shrubs and royal ferns. Along the way, look for a pretty stand of wild senna. Finally, your journey ends with a flourish of color that incorporates the lavenders of wild bergamot.
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: Around this time, the rays of yellow coneflower play a leading role throughout the western mesic prairie alongside other flowers that include wild bergamot, early goldenrod, rosinweed, prairie blazing star, compass plant, Culver’s root, pale Indian plantain, false sunflower, and the new yellow flowers of partridge pea. The deep pinks of ironweed make a great addition to the panorama. You should also see an abundance of rattlesnake master and wild quinine alongside fragrant mountain mint. And check for the beautiful pink swamp milkweed in the low or wet areas. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you’ll find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like the purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. And you may also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. It, too, has a wonderful scent. Also, the grasses of Canada wild rye, Indian grass. switch grass, northern dropseed, and big bluestem provide rich texture. The latter is probably flowering, right now. And finally, look for the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. It’s a great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. And I just adore the fuzzy touch of the leaves. Note: Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are located nearby.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The floating white blooms of flowering spurge may be aflower across the preserve, in both the savanna and sand prairie. It can be a beautifully sparkling scene. Look for a flower that makes me very happy: the round trumpeted yellow blossoms of large flowered false foxglove. Along your way, you’ll find a few remaining blooms of butterfly weed, plus purple prairie clover, early goldenrod, and shrubby cinquefoil. The tall golden rays of western sunflower should be just starting to flower and will soon be blooming throughout the site.
Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s not so hot and sunny. Enjoy an array of flowers that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including potentially dense displays of yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and prairie blazing star along with black-eyed Susan, the lovely pinks of marsh phlox and nodding wild onion, and the start of sawtooth sunflower. The rare white prairie clover can be quite abundant. Early goldenrod can sometimes carpet the brae of the kames, and cylindrical blazing star is probably blooming. The large sunny flowers of towering compass plant reach for the clouds. And many other flowers are abloom, including white spikes of Culver’s root and the azure spikes of blue vervain and hoary vervain, prominent pink plumes of spotted Joe-Pye weed in the wet areas, and the mauve-flowered common milkweed that smells like a bunch of over-perfumed old ladies on Bingo night. And look for the tall tassels of big bluestem grass that may now be flowering.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake often features beautiful expanses of many flowers including nodding wild onion, marsh blazing star, tuberous Indian plantain and a mix of other flowers that include pink marsh phlox, orange butterfly weed, golden black-eyed Susan, alabaster wild quinine, and prairie dock. As you stroll, you may see the yellows of rosinweed, St. John’s wort and shrubby cinquefoil along with the occasional pale-spiked lobelia. Look for beautiful pink displays of spotted Joe-Pye weed in the wet spots. And consider checking out Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in nearby Zion. It’s the most biologically rich preserve in the state
Kickapoo Prairie in Riverdale: This southside prairie offers a variety of flowers, including rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, mountain mint, wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, compass plant, and big bluestem grass that should be blooming about now..
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: NODDING WILD ONION
On this sweltering and sticky August evening at Lockport Prairie, I returned to the car relieved to unload my nearly thirty pounds of camera gear and sweat-soaked photo vest. As I took my seat and started my Easy-Bake Oven of a car, the air conditioning suddenly circulated a cold breeze from below and I recognized a familiar scent, one that made me instinctively glance to the floor expecting to find a discarded Burger King bag baking in the heat. But there was no bag. Then it came to me. I was smelling exactly what I had been photographing: these pink, nodding wild onions that had transferred their sweet aroma to my boots. The pink blooms of nodding wild onion are the highlight of Lockport Prairie. But the sweetly stinky plant can also be found at many other prairies in our region and in our showcase preserves.*
PHOTO SECTION
Spears Woods Often Explodes
Here in late July at Spears Woods, wildflowers float above the prairie like musical notes in a symphony of color and texture: rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod *
At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, the July prairie erupts with an array of wildflowers like wild quinine, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity
Here at Somme Prairie Grove we see the large, deeply lobed leaf of compass plant among a sea of purple prairie clover.*
At Somme Prairie Grove, the many flowers of the oak savanna sparkled brilliantly in the last light of day.*
Wolf Road Prairie: A State of Glorious Chaos
Wolf Road Prairie puts on a lesson in biodiversity. Pictured are prairie blazing star, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, Culver’s root, rosinweed, and yellow coneflower.*
This image is fairly representative of what you’ll see, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie: wild bergamot, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, Culver’s root, and prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
In July at Wolf Road Prairie, wildflowers combine to resemble a fireworks display.*
Culver’s root blooms en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester.*
Bluff Spring Fen
Soon after entering Bluff Spring Fen, you’ll find yourself in an intimate oak savanna, where majestic bur oaks with outstretched limbs protect you in their nurturing embrace.*
Bottlebrush grass and wild bergamot glow in the morning light in the oak savanna at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Sweet Joe-Pye weed grows tall in the oak savanna at the side of a kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin*
Cylindrical blazing star blooms cover the northeast kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
There’s hardly a dull moment in the prairie of Bluff Spring Fen. Just as blooms of leadplant and coreopsis fade, purple prairie clover rises to take their place.*
Lockport Prairie
Nodding wild onion blooms across the vast prairie at Lockport Prairie in Lockport and in lesser amounts at many prairies on our list.*
Gensburg-Markham Prairie
Gensburg-Markham Prairie is famous for its late July fanfare, when the fields ignite with white sparks of flowering spurge and purple torches of marsh blazing star. *
Middlefork Savanna
As summer progresses, most prairie plants grow ever taller in a battle for the sun. Like elegant dancers, they always want their moment in the spotlight. Here, in the morning stillness, blazing star, compass plant, and prairie dock stand adorned and erect.
In perfect dancing posture they wait for their partners to arrive. Soon, a feathered friend may be the first to show—possibly a bobolink moving from one bloom to another. A flighty partner, in a flash, it shares a fast flamenco with each awaiting dancer. Next on hand might be a soft morning breeze or a brief breath of wind. In the tentative hold of these reluctant leaders, the stalks sway like green children at their first dance. Later comes the firm embrace of an afternoon gale when the tall dancers twirl and waltz. And then comes you. As you brush past their slender torsos, they can’t help but do a little disco.*
Theodore Stone Preserve
Yellow coneflower (aka, gray-headed coneflower) of species Ratibida pinnata is a pioneer species of the prairie. It colonizes disturbed or degraded habitats until conditions improve, when it allows other plants to move in, leading to a more stable and biodiverse ecosystem. The flowers perch atop slender stems that rise to four feet tall. At that height, it’s easy to inhale the licorice scent of the gray cones. Yellow coneflowers bloom throughout the region’s prairies including here in the mesic prairie in the western half of Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins.*
Fermilab Prairie
Wild bergamot of species Monarda fistulosa is a popular and prolific pioneer species and part of the mint family. The plant often inhabits gaps of disturbed soil, which is a great service to the prairie because it prevents non-native invaders to take hold. The flowers have a lavender color, whereas the flowers of its cousin, bee balm (Monarda didyma), are bright red. Most notably, wild bergamot is known for its minty fragrance and frequently used in tea. The name comes from the similarity of its fragrance to the aromatic oils pressed from Bergamot oranges that are grown around Bergamot, Italy. Here, the sun sets over Fermilab Prairie brimming with wild bergamot, prairie cordgrass, and big bluestem.*
Pembroke Savanna
The floating white blooms of flowering spurge erupts across the sand savanna at Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park, Illinois.*
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
Flowering spurge glows in the summer morning light on the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
In late summer, large flowered false foxglove blooms in profusion in the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois. You can also experience this flower at Pembroke Savanna, Indiana Dunes National Park, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Butterfly weed blooms across the oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. You can also find it at many other preserves including, Somme Prairie Grove, Belmont Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Near the Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, the low light of morning revealed shapes in the sand that chronicled the secrets of time and affirmed the existence of wondrous creatures and invisible forces.*
A common snapping turtle trudges through the sandy Lake Michigan shoreline on its way to the Dead River at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
The Dead River, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, is the only remaining river in Illinois that flows into Lake Michigan. The name comes either from deep pools of quicksand hidden along the banks that devour unsuspecting hikers or from water that remains still and barely flows. On this sapphire morning, the latter was true.*
American Bellflower
The beautiful blue American bellflower blooms alongside sweet Joe-Pye weed and woodland sunflower, here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook and other local woodlands.*
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower
“Lavender in color and mint in fragrance” describes wild bergamot. “Whimsical with an aroma of anise” describes yellow coneflower. Both are native to the prairie, and both are healers. Known as pioneer species, they are among the first plants to colonize disturbed or degraded areas. Their presence improves soil quality while allowing other plants to move in, leading to greater biodiversity. You can see and smell these plants at most prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Flowering Spurge
In late summer, early flowering spurge and purple rough blazing star blanket the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois.*
Prairie & Marsh Blazing Star
In late July and early August, the spectacular purple blooms of marsh blazing star and prairie blazing star turn the prairie ablaze. They are the first of the blazing stars to flower in the summer, followed by cylindrical, savanna, and then rough blazing star. Both marsh and prairie blazing star can easily reach five feet tall. The only way to differentiate them is to decipher this coded message from the Illinois Wildflowers website:, “Prairie Blazingstar has floral bracts (phyllaries) that are strongly recurved, while the floral bracts of Marsh Blazingstar are appressed together and relatively smooth.” Huh? Even my magic decoder ring can’t decipher that.
The flowers on these plants bloom from the top downward, which is helpful for photographers to know if the flowers are coming or going.
You can experience one or both of these magnificent plants at Belmont Prairie, Spears Woods, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Wolf Road Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Middlefork Savanna, and many other prairies on our list of showcase preserves.
In late July and early August, the prairies at Spears Woods can be a memorable experience. However, it’s not uncommon for the prairie to have a cast of thousands, one year, and only a handful the next.*
During the second half of July at Bluff Spring Fen, the seep of the main fen brings marsh blazing star to the high ground surrounding it.*
Cylindrical Blazing Star
Cylindrical blazing star blooms in the sand savanna, here at Indiana Dunes National Park, and at other preserves that include Bluff Spring Fen and Shoe Factory Road Prairie.*
Purple Prairie Clover and its Remarkably Fresh Scent
The fresh scent of purple prairie clover is my overall favorite. The fragrance combines the sweet smell of carrots with the invigorating scent of lemons. The thimble-shaped flower heads holds dozens of small five-petaled flowers that span just a quarter of an inch. And each flower contains five anthers that are covered with the gold or orange pollen that the anthers produce. Like a ring around the thimble, the flowers bloom from the bottom up, one ring at at time. As you can see, here, a female honey bee has collected the pollen in her pollen baskets, an appendage that only females possess. Therefore, the females do all the work. The males are forced to carry wallets prior to mating. That’s because the males penises get ripped off their bodies after the five-second mating process. The pollen basket is a smooth cavity located on the hind legs. It’s perimeter is covered with a fuzzy corona of hair. The bee licks its foreleg and then rubs and compacts the pollen into a sticky ball. A single follicle resides inside the pollen basket, which acts as a skewer to securely hold the load of moistened pollen in place.*
Come to Bluff Spring Fen early on a July morning and you might experience a chromatic expanse of purple prairie clover.*
Rattlesnake Master
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that resembles Tinker Toys or molecular structures, or something you might find in Arizona or Texas. The plant gets its name because some Native Americans brewed a tea from the root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. To prevent bites, some chewed on the root, then spat on their hands before handling a rattlesnake. Of course, I’m interested to know if this really works. What’s more, the research may not even require a flight to the desert. That’s because, believe it or not, the rare and endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake lives right here in the Chicago area. So, if you perform the experiment, please get back to me with the results, either you or next of kin. To experience rattlesnake master, visit Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies and savannas.*
The prairie at Spears Woods teems with midsummer plant life: rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, ironweed, early goldenrod, and sawtooth sunflower.*
Culver’s Root
It is thought that Culver’s root gets is named after a Dr. Culver, a physician who prescribed the use of the plant to cure a variety of maladies. The seeds of Culver’s root are very small and light, allowing the wind to spread them several feet from the plant. The plant has a central taproot, but it also has some rhizomes that allows it to spread. The plant is distributed across much of Illinois, but it’s not commonly seen. That’s because the plant can only thrive in the highest quality habitats. On this mysterious summer morning at Wolf Road Prairie, white spikes of Culver’s root, extend into the outer reaches and, like a dream, disappear into the fog. You can also see this plant at Middlefork Savanna, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, Theodore Stone Preserve, Spears Woods, and the prairie around Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, the July prairie erupts with an array of wildflowers like wild quinine, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Mountain Mint
Inhale the invigorating white flowers of mountain mint that grow here at Spears Woods and at many other preserves on our list.*
Sweet Joe-Pye Weed
In the open woodland at Spears Woods in Willow Springs, summer brings tall blooms of sweet Joe-Pye weed.*
American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs
In July, Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs fills with American Lotus. You can also see it from a distance at Hogwash Slough in Spears Woods.
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs teems with the grand American Lotus. You an reach the wetland by first parking at the far end of Pulaski Woods parking lot and then walking a short distance along the trails.
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
Compass plant reaches for the summer clouds in the prairie at Middlefork Savanna.”
Landscape of compass plant at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville.*
Prairie Dock
You can find prairie dock at Middlefork Savanna, an imaginative creation dreamt up by Mother Nature. Stretching at least twelve feet beneath the prairie is the taproot—the life, the energy source, and the heart of this plant. The root is also the artery, transporting cold water from deep below to nourish and cool the affection of heart-shaped leaves, which are prone to shriveling under the summer sun. Where the root meets the air, a blood-red stalk takes over the job. Swerving towards the sky, the thick stem carries life to multiple golden flowers that may float as high as ten feet above the prairie. Here, the first flower has bloomed, while many ball-like buds are about to follow suit.
A “forest” of prairie dock reaches for the sky at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Mountain Mint
Summer storm clouds brew at Kickapoo Prairie where mountain mint, rattlesnake master, Indian grass, and compass plant glow in the sun.*
Swamp Milkweed
Swamp milkweed glistens in the late afternoon sunlight at Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois.*
Grasses of the Season
In the morning, this plume of Canada wild rye and all the plants of the prairie become drenched in morning dew. Wear your rain gear!
Grasses of Canada wild rye and big bluestem sparkle with dew in the morning prairie Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.
Soon, miniature flowers delicately hang from the tassel of big bluestem grass at a prairie near you.*
The towering height of big bluestem grass gives true meaning to the term “tallgrass prairie.” It can be found at every black soil prairie on our list.*
In the second half of August, the delicate red flowers of side oats grama bloom in the dry Chicago prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Butterfly Weed
Great spangled fritillary butterflies (species Speyeria cybele) and butterfly weed in the prairie at Spears Woods in Willow Springs.*
Butterfly weed is a milkweed, but it doesn’t possess the milky sap that gives milkweeds their name. Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can also find this plant at several high-quality prairies and savannas, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-22-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
July 22, 2024
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WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:
The middle of July brings tremendous color to our prairies, wetlands, and savannas, including stunning shows of Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and wild quinine. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming scent of mountain mint. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
According to my database for this moment in time, the best flower shows often take place at Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen, where you should find a fanfare of color from myriad flowering species, including purple prairie clover, the bright pink torches of prairie blazing star and marsh blazing star (Plants of the Week), and omnipresent wild bergamot and yellow coneflower that can be seen in most prairies across the region. White blossoms of Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, flowering spurge, and mountain mint bloom alongside the golden rays of rosinweed and compass plant. Even the grasses of big bluestem and side oats grama should be starting to flower!
Wolf Road Prairie, located not too far from the city, teaches a class in biodiversity by featuring a colorful array of prairie flowers.
For those in the southern section of Chicagoland, visit Gensburg-Markham Prairie, considered one of the most beautiful preserves in the region, and perhaps one of the finest prairies in the world. It offers a wide array of color and blowing oceans of grasses. And the prairies at Spears Woods offer beautiful blooms and a gorgeous nature experience, especially if it’s a good year for prairie blazing star. I love the varied habitats, the rolling terrain, and Hogwash Slough—easily, the prettiest wetland around here. If you visit, consider checking out the prairies at Theodore Stone Preserve in nearby Hodgkins.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie and its surrounding prairie should be gorgeous, right now. Outside the fence, experience the whimsical and breathtaking expanses of rattlesnake master.
The scent of the flowers are especially invigorating right now. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, and the wonderful lemon-carrot scent of purple prairie clover.
Summer is a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented that describes the bright-green glow of foliage from sunlight shining through it. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.
TIP: I recommend visiting grasslands at the beginning or the end of the day when it’s much cooler and the sunlight is beautiful. Prairies are treeless expanses with no escape from the sun. It’s a challenge to appreciate the prairie in the blinding light of ninety-degree afternoon.
And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is flowering. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.
Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve tops our list because of the many plant species that provide a vibrant mix of color and texture. The most abundant blooms include the wonderfully scented purple prairie clover and mountain mint alongside glorious white displays of rattlesnake master, wild quinine, flowering spurge, tuberous Indian plantain, daisy fleabane, and Culver’s root. Other notable flowers include spotted Joe-Pye weed, black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, prairie blazing star, compass plant, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and pink marsh phlox, plus the orange blooms of butterfly weed and Michigan lily. Under the trees, look for the beautiful blue American bellflower and fluffy pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and forbs, including heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. I especially like the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, but watch your step. It’s easy to trip over them as you walk the narrow trails. Come early or late in the day to experience green glow from compass plant and prairie dock.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Around this time, there can easily be twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. Begin your hike at the main trailhead that winds you under the trees and along the kames of the oak savanna, around the sunny prairie and through the main wetland known as a fen. Before the path leaves the savanna, take the trail on your left to the top of the large kame where you’ll get a unique view of the preserve. Among the most conspicuous flowers, this week, are yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, pale Indian plantain, cup plant, false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, wild quinine, compass plant, and purple prairie clover—my favorite smelling flower that thrives in the gravel left behind by ancient glaciers. Aside from pale Indian plantain, most of these can be found under the sun along with many others: showy tick trefoil, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, prairie loosestrife, Culver’s root, mountain mint, daisy fleabane, St. John’s wort, spotted Joe-Pye weed, fading pale purple coneflower and leadplant, a few white prairie clover, the wonderfully fragrant whorled milkweed, and the less-wonderfully-fragrant common milkweed that fill the air with a scent reminiscent of overly perfumed Bingo ladies who’ve lost their sense of smell. In the woodland, look for aptly named bottlebrush grass, the white blooms of starry campion, the fluffy sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the tall plants of blue American bellflower, golden cup plant, and pale Indian plantain. And you should also find that the purple spikes of marsh blazing star are beginning to bloom. And keep your eyes open for the diminutive and delicate flowers on the grasses of side oats grama and big bluestem.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This is usually when the preserve puts on a beautiful show of purple prairie clover and rattlesnake master. But there should also be a lot of blooming taking place outside the fence of the official Illinois Nature Preserve, home to a vast amount of wild quinine, whimsical rattlesnake master, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and daisy fleabane, along with compass plant, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, purple prairie clover, and possibly some prairie blazing star. The rare hill prairie inside the fence offers some of the same flowers, but fewer in number and less variety. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Around this time, the best flower shows begin to take place in the southernmost portion of the prairie. The shimmering and exploding whites of wild quinine, rattlesnake master, and Culver’s root join an array of colors ranging from yellow to lavender to purple. It can be a glorious sight. The yellow blossoms come from rosinweed, early goldenrod, yellow coneflower, black-eyed Susan, plus forests of towering compass plant and newly flowering prairie dock. Wild bergamot provides flashes of lavender alongside purple stalks of prairie blazing star and a pink haze of showy tick trefoil. The occasional whites of mountain mint, flowering spurge and white wild indigo add some additional sparkle. And look for orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder that wraps around plants and then feeds off them. In the woodland, you’ll find whimsical sprays of bottlebrush grass, pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the beginnings of woodland sunflower. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts that glow in the light of a low sun. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are located nearby.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This cute remnant prairie, nestled within a quiet neighborhood, often shows off dense golden displays of compass plant alongside yellow coneflower and rosinweed. But the star of the show is usually the dense stands of rattlesnake master with their white Tinker-Toy flower heads. You’ll my also experience butterfly weed, wild quinine, hairy sunflower, rosinweed, the inconspicuous yellows of tall agrimony, and the mint-scented blooms of mountain mint and wild bergamot. And the torches of prairie blazing star may be starting to bloom purple, as well. I particularly like the nodding tassels of prairie brome that frolic between the forbs. Look for the beautiful filigree foliage of scurfy pea floating amidst the large leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow bright green in the low sun.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: During the second half of July, the rating can be a “Go!” or a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood” depending on the year. The flashiest shows take place in the prairies, where expanses of flowers flow across the landscape. You may find dense colonies of alabaster wild quinine and the ivory Tinker Toys of rattlesnake master that are beautifully breathtaking on their own. But you may need to catch your breath when they blend with large jaw-dropping expanses of purple prairie blazing star amidst drooping heads of early goldenrod, lavender balls of wild bergamot, and white spikes of Culver’s root. Along your way, you’ll experience the golden blooms at all levels: black-eyed Susan near your feet, rosinweed at your waist, and the large sunflowers of compass plant above your head. Notice the pink filigree of showy tick trefoil that can look like a purple mist mingling amongst the other flowers. And turkey-footed heads of big bluestem grass may be flowering. If you stand at a high spot, scan the prairie below for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. The woodland is coming alive with the fluffy mauve heads of sweet Joe-Pye weed, while the golden rays of woodland sunflower should be starting to bloom. And the magnificent aquatic American lotus flower is blooming at the north end of Hogwash Slough. There’s a beautiful view of Hogwash Slough and the colony of American lotus located halfway between the eastern prairie trailhead and the shore of Hogwash Slough. Along the shoreline, it’s difficult to see the lotus through the towering sedges and cattails. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie are located nearby.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails to enjoy the many flowers that vary along the way. In the second half of July, you can often find at least two dozen species in bloom at the same time, while the textures of the grasses and sedges add to the grand experience. As you enter, take the path to your left where you may be immediately greeted by a caboodle of color coming from compass plant, yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, white prairie clover, marsh phlox, wild bergamot, early goldenrod, and marsh blazing star. The trail is square. And this northbound leg has the most floral color and diversity, with blooms of blue vervain, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, purple prairie clover, tall green milkweed, rosinweed, and partridge pea. As you approach the north end, there’s a beautiful spot to your left that’s composed of a complementary mix of pink marsh blazing star, pearly wild quinine, and the golds of brown-eyed Susan and early goldenrod. As the trail turns to the right (east), you’ll find rattlesnake master, swamp milkweed, marsh phlox, and ironweed. Looking south, oceans of prairie cordgrass rise and fall like waves in the wind. And as the trail turns back to the south, you’ll sail into seas of sedges and a small fleet of flowers that includes mountain mint. I highly suggest that you stop for a moment to smell this invigorating plant. For that short time, your mind will sail away from the worries of the world. As you circle right (and to the west) on the returning leg of the trail, the scenery turns to shrubs and royal ferns. Along the way, look for a pretty stand of wild senna. Finally, your journey ends with a flourish of color that incorporates the lavenders of wild bergamot.
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: Around this time, the rays of yellow coneflower play a leading role throughout the western mesic prairie alongside other flowers that include wild bergamot, daisy fleabane, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, Culver’s root, false sunflower, and mountain mint. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you’ll find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like the purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. (My favorite “bad” scent comes from foxglove beardtongue seeds that smell exactly like vomit. Be still my heart!) You may also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. It, too, has a wonderful scent. I also found the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. And I just adore the fuzzy touch of the leaves. Note: Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are located nearby.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: Most of the color can be found in the black oak savanna, where you should be treated to many bright orange blooms of butterfly weed, pink marsh phlox, silver sprays of flowering spurge and daisy fleabane, and golden black-eyed Susan. Milkweeds are blooming under the trees, as well, including purple milkweed, common milkweed, and short green milkweed. And this week could possibly be your last chance to smell the wonderfully fragrant pink blossoms of pasture rose. Flowering spurge should be the star of the sand prairie with a supporting cast of purple prairie clover, shrubby cinquefoil and the occasional Cleland’s evening primrose. Note: GO EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the noisy beachgoers.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You might find large displays of daisy fleabane and buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. And the bright yellow flowers of partridge pea may now be blooming. This is a great place to experience spiderwort‘s cousin, slender dayflower, that also features melting flowers that dissolve in a purple liquid a few hours after they bloom. Scattered about the preserve are the wonderfully fragrant plumes of whorled milkweed, which I can smell before I see them.
Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s not hot and sunny. Enjoy an array of flowers that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including the lavenders of wild bergamot, white and purple prairie clover, golden black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, and early goldenrod, pale purple coneflower, Culver’s root, blue vervain, spotted Joe-Pye weed, compass plant, and mauve common milkweed that smells like a bunch of over-perfumed old ladies on Bingo night. Look for beautiful patches of purple marsh blazing star, and for plumes of big bluestem grass that will soon flower.
Lockport Prairie in Lockport: The best flower show at this rare dolomite prairie happens around this time, when nodding wild onion spreads across the preserve in a mixed in with fragrant patches of whorled milkweed and waves of towering big bluestem with tassels that may now be flowering. Along the out-and-back path, you should also find pale-spiked lobelia, blue vervain and hoary vervain, spotted Joe-Pye weed, Canada wild rye, and American bellflower under the shade of the trees at the end of the trail.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: There should be many different species in bloom that create a colorful panorama, including the plentiful displays of wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, whimsical Tinker-Toy patches of rattlesnake master, dramatic spikes of prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod. Joining the party are the sparkling whites of Culver’s root and mountain mint, plus the golds of false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, and cup plant. In the wet areas, check for beautiful pink displays of swamp milkweed and spotted Joe-Pye weed.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake often features beautiful expanses of wondrous patches of tuberous Indian plantain and a mix of other flowers that include pink marsh phlox butterfly weed, golden black-eyed Susan, alabaster wild quinine, and newly blooming marsh blazing star. As you stroll, you may see the yellows of rosinweed, St. John’s wort and shrubby cinquefoil along with the occasional pale-spiked lobelia. Also consider checking out Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in nearby Zion. It’s the most biologically rich preserve in the state.
Kickapoo Prairie in Riverdale: This prairie offers a variety of flowers, including rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, mountain mint, wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, compass plant, and big bluestem grass.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: MARSH & PRAIRIE BLAZING STAR
In late July and early August, the spectacular purple blooms of marsh blazing star and prairie blazing star turn the prairie ablaze. They are the first of the blazing stars to flower in the summer, followed by cylindrical, savanna, and then rough blazing star. Both marsh and prairie blazing star can easily reach five feet tall. The only way to differentiate them is to decipher this coded message from the Illinois Wildflowers website:, “Prairie Blazingstar has floral bracts (phyllaries) that are strongly recurved, while the floral bracts of Marsh Blazingstar are appressed together and relatively smooth.” Huh? Even my magic decoder ring can’t decipher that.
The flowers on these plants bloom from the top downward, which is helpful for photographers to know if the flowers are coming or going.
You can experience one or both of these magnificent plants at Belmont Prairie, Spears Woods, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Wolf Road Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Middlefork Savanna, and many other prairies on our list of showcase preserves.
PHOTO SECTION
Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity
At Somme Prairie Grove, the many flowers of the oak savanna sparkled brilliantly in the last light of day.*
Here at Somme Prairie Grove we see the large, deeply lobed leaf of compass plant among a sea of purple prairie clover.*
Wolf Road Prairie: A State of Glorious Chaos in July
This image is fairly representative of what you’ll see, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie: wild bergamot, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, Culver’s root, and prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
In July at Wolf Road Prairie, wildflowers combine to resemble a fireworks display.*
Wolf Road Prairie puts on a lesson in biodiversity. Pictured are prairie blazing star, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, Culver’s root, rosinweed, and yellow coneflower.*
Culver’s root blooms en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester.*
Spears Woods Often Explodes
Here in late July at Spears Woods, wildflowers float above the prairie like musical notes in a symphony of color and texture: rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod *
At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, the July prairie erupts with an array of wildflowers like wild quinine, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Bluff Spring Fen
Soon after entering Bluff Spring Fen, you’ll find yourself in an intimate oak savanna, where majestic bur oaks with outstretched limbs protect you in their nurturing embrace.*
Bottlebrush grass and wild bergamot glow in the morning light in the oak savanna at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
There’s hardly a dull moment in the prairie of Bluff Spring Fen. Just as blooms of leadplant and coreopsis fade, purple prairie clover rises to take their place.*
During the second half of July at Bluff Spring Fen, the seep of the main fen brings marsh blazing star to the high ground surrounding it.*
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
Butterfly weed blooms across the oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. You can also find it at many other preserves including, Somme Prairie Grove, Belmont Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Near the Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, the low light of morning revealed shapes in the sand that chronicled the secrets of time and affirmed the existence of wondrous creatures and invisible forces.*
A common snapping turtle trudges through the sandy Lake Michigan shoreline on its way to the Dead River at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
The Dead River, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, is the only remaining river in Illinois that flows into Lake Michigan. The name comes either from deep pools of quicksand hidden along the banks that devour unsuspecting hikers or from water that remains still and barely flows. On this sapphire morning, the latter was true.*
Gensburg-Markham Prairie
The summer sun goes down on wild quinine and marsh phlox as nonstop tollway traffic rolls past the eastern border of Middlefork Savanna in Markham. Each hour of each day, people drive by, unaware of the natural treasures they’d discover by taking the West 159th Street exit.*
Theodore Stone Preserve
Yellow coneflower (aka, gray-headed coneflower) of species Ratibida pinnata is a pioneer species of the prairie. It colonizes disturbed or degraded habitats until conditions improve, when it allows other plants to move in, leading to a more stable and biodiverse ecosystem. The flowers perch atop slender stems that rise to four feet tall. At that height, it’s easy to inhale the licorice scent of the gray cones. Yellow coneflowers bloom throughout the region’s prairies including here in the mesic prairie in the western half of Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins.*
Middlefork Savanna in July
As summer progresses, most prairie plants grow ever taller in a battle for the sun. Like elegant dancers, they always want their moment in the spotlight. Here, in the morning stillness, blazing star, compass plant, and prairie dock stand adorned and erect.
In perfect dancing posture they wait for their partners to arrive. Soon, a feathered friend may be the first to show—possibly a bobolink moving from one bloom to another. A flighty partner, in a flash, it shares a fast flamenco with each awaiting dancer. Next on hand might be a soft morning breeze or a brief breath of wind. In the tentative hold of these reluctant leaders, the stalks sway like green children at their first dance. Later comes the firm embrace of an afternoon gale when the tall dancers twirl and waltz. And then comes you. As you brush past their slender torsos, they can’t help but do a little disco.*
Fermilab Prairie
Wild bergamot of species Monarda fistulosa is a popular and prolific pioneer species and part of the mint family. The plant often inhabits gaps of disturbed soil, which is a great service to the prairie because it prevents non-native invaders to take hold. The flowers have a lavender color, whereas the flowers of its cousin, bee balm (Monarda didyma), are bright red. Most notably, wild bergamot is known for its minty fragrance and frequently used in tea. The name comes from the similarity of its fragrance to the aromatic oils pressed from Bergamot oranges that are grown around Bergamot, Italy. Here, the sun sets over Fermilab Prairie brimming with wild bergamot, prairie cordgrass, and big bluestem.*
American Bellflower
The beautiful blue American bellflower blooms alongside sweet Joe-Pye weed and woodland sunflower, here at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook and other local woodlands.*
Flowering Spurge
The floating white blooms of flowering spurge erupts across the sand savanna at Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park, Illinois.*
Purple Prairie Clover and its Remarkably Fresh Scent
The fresh scent of purple prairie clover is my overall favorite. The fragrance combines the sweet smell of carrots with the invigorating scent of lemons. The thimble-shaped flower heads holds dozens of small five-petaled flowers that span just a quarter of an inch. And each flower contains five anthers that are covered with the gold or orange pollen that the anthers produce. Like a ring around the thimble, the flowers bloom from the bottom up, one ring at at time. As you can see, here, a female honey bee has collected the pollen in her pollen baskets, an appendage that only females possess. Therefore, the females do all the work. And the males are forced to carry wallets prior to mating. That’s because the males penises get ripped off their bodies after the five-second mating process. The pollen basket is a smooth cavity located on the hind legs. It’s perimeter is covered with a fuzzy corona of hair. The bee licks its foreleg and then rubs and compacts the pollen into a sticky ball. A single follicle resides inside the pollen basket, which acts as a skewer to securely hold the load of moistened pollen in place. You can find purple prairie clover in great abundance at Somme Prairie Grove Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve, Somme Prairie Grove , and in fewer numbers at Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, and Illinois Beach Nature Preserve.*
Come to Bluff Spring Fen early on a July morning and you might experience a chromatic expanse of purple prairie clover.*
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower
“Lavender in color and mint in fragrance” describes wild bergamot. “Whimsical with an aroma of anise” describes yellow coneflower. Both are native to the prairie, and both are healers. Known as pioneer species, they are among the first plants to colonize disturbed or degraded areas. Their presence improves soil quality while allowing other plants to move in, leading to greater biodiversity. You can see and smell these plants at most prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Nodding Wild Onion
The drooping pink blossoms of nodding wild onion are just beginning to flower. The display is often quite dense at Lockport Prairie, but it depends on the year.*
Prairie & Marsh Blazing Star
In late July and early August, the spectacular purple blooms of marsh and prairie blazing star turns the prairie ablaze. They are the first of the blazing stars to flower in the summer, followed by cylindrical, savanna, and then rough blazing star. Both marsh and prairie blazing star can easily reach five feet tall The only way to differentiate them is to decipher this coded message from the Illinois Wildflowers website:, “Prairie blazingstar has floral bracts (phyllaries) that are strongly recurved, while the floral bracts of marsh blazingstar are appressed together and relatively smooth.” Huh? Even my magic decoder ring can’t decipher this message.
The flowers on these plants bloom from the top downward, which is helpful for photographers (and our scouts) to know if the flowers are coming or going.
You can experience one or both of these magnificent plants in most of our prairies on our list of showcase preserves.*
Gensburg-Markham Prairie is famous for its late July fanfare, when the fields ignite with white sparks of flowering spurge and purple torches of marsh blazing star. *
Cylindrical Blazing Star
Cylindrical blazing star blooms cover the northeast kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
Cylindrical blazing star blooms in the sand savanna, here at Indiana Dunes National Park, and at other preserves that include Bluff Spring Fen and Shoe Factory Road Prairie.*
Rattlesnake Master
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that resembles Tinker Toys or molecular structures, or something you might find in Arizona or Texas. The plant gets its name because some Native Americans brewed a tea from the root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. To prevent bites, some chewed on the root, then spat on their hands before handling a rattlesnake. Of course, I’m interested to know if this really works. What’s more, the research may not even require a flight to the desert. That’s because, believe it or not, the rare and endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake lives right here in the Chicago area. So, if you perform the experiment, please get back to me with the results, either you or next of kin. To experience rattlesnake master, visit Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies and savannas.*
The prairie at Spears Woods teems with midsummer plant life: rattlesnake master, prairie blazing star, ironweed, early goldenrod, and sawtooth sunflower.*
Culver’s Root
It is thought that Culver’s root gets is named after a Dr. Culver, a physician who prescribed the use of the plant to cure a variety of maladies. The seeds of Culver’s root are very small and light, allowing the wind to spread them several feet from the plant. The plant has a central taproot, but it also has some rhizomes that allows it to spread. The plant is distributed across much of Illinois, but it’s not commonly seen. That’s because the plant can only thrive in the highest quality habitats. On this mysterious summer morning at Wolf Road Prairie, white spikes of Culver’s root, extend into the outer reaches and, like a dream, disappear into the fog. You can also see this plant at Middlefork Savanna, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, Theodore Stone Preserve, Spears Woods, and the prairie around Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Leadplant is Fading
Here at Somme Prairie Grove, the purple plant in this panorama is leadplant, which can search for water fifteen feet below the arid surface. Other drought-tolerant species seen here include prairie dropseed and wild quinine, in the front; and farther out, prairie dock, compass plant, and rattlesnake master. You can find leadplant growing at many other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, and Wolf Road Prairie.*
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, the July prairie erupts with an array of wildflowers like wild quinine, prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Mountain Mint
Inhale the invigorating white flowers of mountain mint that grow here at Spears Woods and at many other preserves on our list.*
Sweet Joe-Pye Weed
In the open woodland at Spears Woods in Willow Springs, summer brings tall blooms of sweet Joe-Pye weed.*
American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs
In July, Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs fills with American Lotus. You can also see it from a distance at Hogwash Slough in Spears Woods.
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs teems with the grand American Lotus. You an reach the wetland by first parking at the far end of Pulaski Woods parking lot and then walking a short distance along the trails.*
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
Compass plant reaches for the summer clouds in the prairie at Middlefork Savanna.”
Landscape of compass plant at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville.*
Mountain Mint
Summer storm clouds brew at Kickapoo Prairie where mountain mint, rattlesnake master, Indian grass, and compass plant glow in the sun.*
Swamp Milkweed
Swamp milkweed glistens in the late afternoon sunlight at Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois.*
Grasses of the Season
In the morning, this plume of Canada wild rye and all the plants of the prairie become drenched in morning dew. Wear your rain gear!
Grasses of Canada wild rye and big bluestem sparkle with dew in the morning prairie Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.
Soon, miniature flowers delicately hang from the tassel of big bluestem grass at a prairie near you.*
The towering height of big bluestem grass gives true meaning to the term “tallgrass prairie.” It can be found at every black soil prairie on our list.*
In the second half of August, the delicate red flowers of side oats grama bloom in Chicago’s dry prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Butterfly Weed
Great spangled fritillary butterflies (species Speyeria cybele) and butterfly weed in the prairie at Spears Woods in Willow Springs.*
Butterfly weed is a milkweed, but it doesn’t possess the milky sap that gives milkweeds their name. Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can also find this plant at several high-quality prairies and savannas, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Light Shows in the Prairies
In June and July, fireflies light up the nighttime prairie at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester. This image was recorded over an 87-second period from the deck of the Franzosenbusch prairie house. Fireflies flash their bulbs as they look for mates. Males fly around, while females perch on plants.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-15-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
July 15, 2024
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WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:
The middle of July brings tremendous color to our prairies & savannas, as they overflow with color and texture, including stunning shows of purple prairie clover, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and wild quinine. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming scent of mountain mint. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
According to my database for this moment in time, the best flower shows often take place at Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen, where you’ll find a fanfare of color from myriad flowering species, including purple prairie clover and the possibility of prairie blazing star and marsh blazing star. White blossoms of Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, flowering spurge, and mountain mint bloom alongside the golden rays of rosinweed and compass plant. And our Plants of the Week, wild bergamot and yellow coneflower, can be seen in most prairies across the region. Even the grasses of big bluestem and side oats grama should be starting to flower! And you may still be able to find the large yellow blossoms of Chicago’s most unexpected nature plant: eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find it thriving in the sand at Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.
Wolf Road Prairie, located not too far from the city, teaches a class in biodiversity by featuring a colorful array of prairie flowers.
For those in the southern section of Chicagoland, visit Gensburg-Markham Prairie, considered one of the finest prairies in the world. It offers a wide array of color and blowing oceans of grasses. The prairies at Spears Woods also offer beautiful blooms and a gorgeous nature experience. It is easily one of the most beautiful preserves in the region. I love the varied habitats, the rolling terrain, and Hogwash Slough—easily, the prettiest wetland around here. If you visit, consider checking out the prairies at Theodore Stone Preserve in nearby Hodgkins.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie and the surrounding prairie are getting better by the day, including a whimsical and breathtaking expanse of rattlesnake master.
The scent of the flowers are especially invigorating right now. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, and the wonderful lemon-carrot scent of purple prairie clover.
Summer is a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented that describes the foliage when it glows bright-green from sunlight through. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.
TIP: I recommend visiting grasslands at the beginning or the end of the day when it’s much cooler and the sunlight is beautiful. Prairies are treeless expanses with no escape from the sun. It’s a challenge to appreciate the prairie in the blinding light of ninety-degree afternoon.
And finally, the dramatic aquatic American lotus is flowering. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.
Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve tops our list because of the many plant species that provide a vibrant mix of color and texture. The most abundant blooms include the wonderfully scented purple prairie clover and mountain mint alongside glorious white displays of rattlesnake master, wild quinine, flowering spurge, tuberous Indian plantain, daisy fleabane, and Culver’s root. Other notable flowers include spotted Joe-Pye weed, black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, prairie blazing star, compass plant, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and pink marsh phlox, plus the orange blooms of butterfly weed and Michigan lily. Under the trees, look for the beautiful blue American bellflower and fluffy pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and forbs, including heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. I especially like the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, but watch your step. It’s easy to trip over them as you walk the narrow trails. Come early or late in the day to experience green glow from compass plant and prairie dock.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Around this time, there can easily be twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. Begin your hike at the main trailhead that winds you under the trees and along the kames of the oak savanna, around the sunny prairie and through the main wetland known as a fen. Before the path leaves the savanna, take the trail on your left to the top of the large kame where you’ll get a unique view of the preserve. Among the most conspicuous flowers, this week, are yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, pale Indian plantain, cup plant, false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, wild quinine, compass plant, and purple prairie clover—my favorite smelling flower that thrives in the gravel left behind by ancient glaciers. Aside from pale Indian plantain, most of these can be found under the sun along with many others: showy tick trefoil, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, prairie loosestrife, Culver’s root, mountain mint, daisy fleabane, St. John’s wort, spotted Joe-Pye weed, fading pale purple coneflower and leadplant, a few white prairie clover, the wonderfully fragrant whorled milkweed, and the less-wonderfully-fragrant common milkweed that fill the air with a scent reminiscent of overly perfumed Bingo ladies who’ve lost their sense of smell. In the woodland, look for aptly named bottlebrush grass, the white blooms of starry campion, the fluffy sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the tall plants of blue American bellflower, golden cup plant, and pale Indian plantain. And you should also find that the purple spikes of marsh blazing star are beginning to bloom. And keep you eyes open for the diminutive and delicate flowers on the grasses of side oats grama and big bluestem.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This is usually when the preserve puts on a beautiful show of purple prairie clover with a mix of wild quinine with the possibility of prairie coreopsis and a variety of other flowers that include white prairie clover and yellow coneflower. But there should also be a lot of blooming outside the fence of the official Illinois Nature Preserve, home to a vast amount of wild quinine, whimsical rattlesnake master, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and daisy fleabane, along with compass plant, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, purple prairie clover, and possibly some prairie blazing star. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This cute remnant prairie, nestled within a quiet neighborhood, often shows off dense golden displays of compass plant alongside with yellow coneflower and rosinweed. But the star of the show is usually the dense stands of rattlesnake master with their white Tinker-Toy flower heads. You’ll my also experience butterfly weed, wild quinine, hairy sunflower, rosinweed, the inconspicuous yellows of tall agrimony, and the mint-scented blooms of mountain mint and wild bergamot. And the torches of prairie blazing star may be starting to bloom purple, as well. I particularly like the nodding tassels of prairie brome that frolic between the forbs. Look for the beautiful filigree foliage of scurfy pea floating amidst the large leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow bright green in the low sun.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: During the second half of July, the rating can be a “Go!” or a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood” depending on the year. The flashiest shows take place in the prairies, where expanses of flowers flow across the landscape. You may find dense colonies of alabaster wild quinine and the ivory Tinker Toys of rattlesnake master that are beautifully breathtaking on their own. But you may need to catch your breath when they blend with large jaw-dropping expanses of purple prairie blazing star amidst drooping heads of early goldenrod, lavender balls of wild bergamot, and white spikes of Culver’s root. Along your way, you’ll experience the golden blooms at all levels: black-eyed Susan near your feet, rosinweed at your waist, and the large sunflowers of compass plant above your head. Notice the pink filigree of showy tick trefoil that can look like a purple mist mingling amongst the other flowers. And turkey-footed heads of big bluestem grass may be flowering. If you stand at a high spot, scan the prairie below for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. The woodland is coming alive as the fluffy mauve heads of sweet Joe-Pye weed, while the golden rays of woodland sunflower should be starting to bloom. And the magnificent aquatic American lotus flower is blooming at the north end of Hogwash Slough. There’s a beautiful view of Hogwash Slough and the colony of American lotus located halfway between the eastern prairie trailhead and the shore of Hogwash Slough, Along the shoreline, it’s difficult to see the lotus through the towering sedges and cattails. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie is not too far away.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Around this time, the best flower shows begin to take place in the southernmost portion of the prairie. The shimmering and exploding whites of wild quinine, rattlesnake master, and Culver’s root join an array of colors ranging from yellow to lavender to purple. It can be a glorious sight. The yellow blossoms come from rosinweed, early goldenrod, yellow coneflower, black-eyed Susan, plus forests of towering compass plant and newly flowering prairie dock. Wild bergamot provides flashes of lavender alongside purple stalks of prairie blazing star and a pink haze of showy tick trefoil. The occasional whites of mountain mint, flowering spurge and white wild indigo add some additional sparkle. In the woodland, you’ll find whimsical sprays of bottlebrush grass, pink plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the beginnings of woodland sunflower. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts that glow in the light of a low sun. Note: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are not too far away.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails to enjoy the many flowers that vary along the way. In the second half of July, you can often find at least two dozen species in bloom at the same time, while the textures of the grasses and sedges add to the grand experience. As you enter, take the path to your left where you may be immediately greeted by a caboodle of color coming from compass plant, yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, white prairie clover, marsh phlox, wild bergamot, and marsh blazing star. The trail is square. And this northbound leg has the most floral color and diversity, with blooms of blue vervain, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, purple prairie clover, tall green milkweed, rosinweed, and the start of partridge pea, marsh blazing star, and early goldenrod. As you approach the north end, there’s a beautiful spot to your left that’s composed of a complementary mix of pink marsh blazing star, pearly wild quinine, and the golds of brown-eyed Susan and early goldenrod. As the trail turns to the right (east), you’ll find rattlesnake master, swamp milkweed, marsh phlox, and ironweed. Looking south, oceans of prairie cordgrass rise and fall like waves in the wind. And as the trail turns back to the south, you’ll sail into seas of sedges and a small fleet of flowers that includes mountain mint. I highly suggest that you stop for a moment to smell this invigorating plant. For that short time, your mind will sail away from the worries of the world. As you circle right (and to the west) on the returning leg of the trail, the scenery turns to shrubs and royal ferns. Along the way, look for a pretty stand of wild senna. Finally, your journey ends with a flourish of color that incorporates the lavenders of wild bergamot.
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: Around this time, the rays of yellow coneflower play a leading role throughout the western mesic prairie alongside other flowers that include wild bergamot, daisy fleabane, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, Culver’s root, false sunflower, and mountain mint. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you’ll find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like the purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. (My favorite “bad” scent comes from foxglove beardtongue seeds that smell exactly like vomit. Be still my heart!) You may also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. It, too, has a wonderful scent. I also found the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. And I just adore the fuzzy touch of the leaves.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: Most of the color can be found in the black oak savanna, where you should be treated to many bright orange blooms of butterfly weed, pink marsh phlox, silver sprays of flowering spurge and daisy fleabane, and golden black-eyed Susan. Milkweeds are blooming under the trees, as well, including purple milkweed, common milkweed, and short green milkweed. And this week could possibly be your last chance to smell the wonderfully fragrant pink blossoms of pasture rose. Flowering spurge should be the star of the sand prairie with a supporting cast of purple prairie clover, shrubby cinquefoil and the occasional Cleland’s evening primrose.
NOTE: Trust me when I tell you to GO EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the noisy beachgoers.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You might find large displays of daisy fleabane and buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. The beautiful pink pasture rose may also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. And though the flowers may already be spent by this time in July, this is a great place to experience spiderwort, as long as you arrive early before the flowers melt away. However, slender dayflower is beginning its bloom and, as a cousin of spiderwort, its flowers also dissolve in a purple liquid a few hours after they bloom. Scattered about the preserve are the wonderfully fragrant plumes of whorled milkweed. I can smell them before I see them. And the bright yellow flowers partridge pea may now be blooming.
Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s not hot and sunny. Enjoy an array of flowers that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including the lavenders of wild bergamot, white and purple prairie clover, pale purple coneflower, golden black-eyed Susan, compass plant, and yellow coneflower, the mauves of common milkweed, and the delicate ivory balls of whorled milkweed that like disturbed patches of soil.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: There should be many different species in bloom that create a colorful panorama, including the plentiful displays of wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, and rattlesnake master. Joining the party are the sparkling whites of Culver’s root and mountain mint, plus the golds of false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, and cup plant. You should find wonderful Tinker-Toy patches of rattlesnake master and possibly the start of prairie blazing star. Look closely, and you may find the sublime drooping orange blooms of Michigan lily. In the wet areas, check for beautiful pink displays of swamp milkweed.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake features often features beautiful expanses of prairie coreopsis and wondrous patches of tuberous Indian plantain and a mix of other flowers that include pink marsh phlox purple leadplant, orange butterfly weed, golden black-eyed Susan, and alabaster wild quinine. As you stroll, you may see the yellows of rosinweed, St. John’s wort and shrubby cinquefoil along with the occasional pale-spiked lobelia and purple milkweed. Also consider checking out Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in nearby Zion. It’s the most biologically rich preserve in the state.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: YELLOW CONEFLOWER & WILD BERGAMOT
Yellow Coneflower
Yellow coneflower (aka, gray-headed coneflower) of species Ratibida pinnata is a pioneer species of the prairie. It colonizes disturbed or degraded habitats until conditions improve, when it allows other plants to move in, leading to a more stable and biodiverse ecosystem. The flowers perch atop slender stems that rise to four feet tall. At that height, it’s easy to inhale the licorice scent of the gray cones. Yellow coneflowers bloom throughout the region’s prairies including here in the mesic prairie in the western half of Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins.*
Wild Bergamot
Wild bergamot of species Monarda fistulosa is a popular and prolific pioneer species and part of the mint family. The plant often inhabits gaps of disturbed soil, which is a great service to the prairie because it prevents non-native invaders to take hold. The flowers have a lavender color, whereas the flowers of its cousin, bee balm (Monarda didyma), are bright red. Most notably, wild bergamot is known for its minty fragrance and frequently used in tea. The name comes from the similarity of its fragrance to the aromatic oils pressed from Bergamot oranges that are grown around Bergamot, Italy. Here, the sun sets over Fermilab Prairie brimming with wild bergamot, prairie cordgrass, and big bluestem.*
PHOTO SECTION
Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity
At Somme Prairie Grove, the magnificent blooms upon the knobs of the savanna come to life in the warmth of the morning light.*
At Somme Prairie Grove, the many flowers of the oak savanna sparkled brilliantly in the last light of day.*
Here at Somme Prairie Grove we see the large, deeply lobed leaf of compass plant among a sea of purple prairie clover.*
Bluff Spring Fen
There’s hardly a dull moment in the prairie of Bluff Spring Fen. Just as blooms of leadplant and coreopsis fade, purple prairie clover rises to take their place.*
During the second half of July at Bluff Spring Fen, the seep of the main fen brings marsh blazing star to the high ground surrounding it.*
Wolf Road Prairie: A State of Glorious Chaos in July
In July at Wolf Road Prairie, wildflowers combine to resemble a fireworks display.*
This image is fairly representative of what you’ll see, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie: wild bergamot, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, Culver’s root, and prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Wolf Road Prairie puts on a lesson in biodiversity. Pictured are prairie blazing star, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, Culver’s root, rosinweed, and yellow coneflower.*
Culver’s root blooms en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester.*
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
Butterfly weed blooms across the oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. You can also find it at many other preserves including, Somme Prairie Grove, Belmont Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Near the Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, the low light of morning revealed shapes in the sand that chronicled the secrets of time and affirmed the existence of wondrous creatures and invisible forces.*
A common snapping turtle trudges through the sandy Lake Michigan shoreline on its way to the Dead River at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*
The Dead River, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, is the only remaining river in Illinois that flows into Lake Michigan. The name comes either from deep pools of quicksand hidden along the banks that devour unsuspecting hikers or from water that remains still and barely flows. On this sapphire morning, the latter was true.*
Gensburg-Markham Prairie
The summer sun goes down on wild quinine and marsh phlox as nonstop tollway traffic rolls past the eastern border of Middlefork Savanna in Markham. Each hour of each day, people drive by, unaware of the natural treasures they’d discover by taking the West 159th Street exit.*
Middlefork Savanna in July
As summer progresses, most prairie plants grow ever taller in a battle for the sun. Like elegant dancers, they always want their moment in the spotlight. Here, in the morning stillness, blazing star, compass plant, and prairie dock stand adorned and erect.
In perfect dancing posture they wait for their partners to arrive. Soon, a feathered friend may be the first to show—possibly a bobolink moving from one bloom to another. A flighty partner, in a flash, it shares a fast flamenco with each awaiting dancer. Next on hand might be a soft morning breeze or a brief breath of wind. In the tentative hold of these reluctant leaders, the stalks sway like green children at their first dance. Later comes the firm embrace of an afternoon gale when the tall dancers twirl and waltz. And then comes you. As you brush past their slender torsos, they can’t help but do a little disco.*
Purple Prairie Clover and its Remarkably Fresh Scent
The fresh scent of purple prairie clover is my overall favorite. The fragrance combines the sweet smell of carrots with the invigorating scent of lemons. The thimble-shaped flower heads holds dozens of small five-petaled flowers that span just a quarter of an inch. And each flower contains five anthers that are covered with the gold or orange pollen that the anthers produce. Like a ring around the thimble, the flowers bloom from the bottom up, one ring at at time. As you can see, here, a female honey bee has collected the pollen in her pollen baskets, an appendage that only females possess. Therefore, the females do all the work. And the males are forced to carry wallets prior to mating. That’s because the males penises get ripped off their bodies after the five-second mating process. The pollen basket is a smooth cavity located on the hind legs. It’s perimeter is covered with a fuzzy corona of hair. The bee licks its foreleg and then rubs and compacts the pollen into a sticky ball. A single follicle resides inside the pollen basket, which acts as a skewer to securely hold the load of moistened pollen in place. You can find purple prairie clover in great abundance at Somme Prairie Grove Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve, Somme Prairie Grove , and in fewer numbers at Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, and Illinois Beach Nature Preserve.*
Come to Bluff Spring Fen early on a July morning and you might experience a chromatic expanse of purple prairie clover.*
Rattlesnake Master
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that resembles Tinker Toys or molecular structures, or something you might find in Arizona or Texas. The plant gets its name because some Native Americans brewed a tea from the root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. To prevent bites, some chewed on the root, then spat on their hands before handling a rattlesnake. Of course, I’m interested to know if this really works. What’s more, the research may not even require a flight to the desert. That’s because, believe it or not, the rare and endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake lives right here in the Chicago area. So, if you perform the experiment, please get back to me with the results, either you or next of kin. To experience rattlesnake master, visit Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies and savannas.*
Culver’s Root
It is thought that Culver’s root gets is named after a Dr. Culver, a physician who prescribed the use of the plant to cure a variety of maladies. The seeds of Culver’s root are very small and light, allowing the wind to spread them several feet from the plant. The plant has a central taproot, but it also has some rhizomes that allows it to spread. The plant is distributed across much of Illinois, but it’s not commonly seen. That’s because the plant can only thrive in the highest quality habitats. On this mysterious summer morning at Wolf Road Prairie, white spikes of Culver’s root, extend into the outer reaches and, like a dream, disappear into the fog. You can also see this plant at Middlefork Savanna, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, Theodore Stone Preserve, Spears Woods, and the prairie around Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Leadplant
Here at Somme Prairie Grove, the purple plant in this panorama is leadplant, which can search for water fifteen feet below the arid surface. Other drought-tolerant species seen here include prairie dropseed and wild quinine, in the front; and farther out, prairie dock, compass plant, and rattlesnake master. You can find leadplant growing at many other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, and Wolf Road Prairie.*
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
This is a common scene at Elgin’s Bluff Spring Fen. Here in the golden light of morning, wild quinine, prairie coreopsis, and leadplant overlook the foggy fen.*
Mountain Mint
Inhale the invigorating white flowers of mountain mint that grow here at Spears Woods and at many other preserves on our list.*
Michigan Lily
Michigan lily can be found at a handful of our showcase preserves, including Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie.*
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus Blooms at our Sandy Sites
Eastern prickly pear cactus blooms can be found in late June in sandy preserves around the Chicago area, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Miller Woods, Powderhorn Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.*
Evening Primrose
Cleland’s evening primrose blooms in the purple morning light along the sandy Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion. The plant also grows at Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park.*
Prairie Coreopsis
Sometime between late June and early July, the golden rays of prairie coreopsis (or stiff coreopsis) can be found in best preserves, often in dry and gravelly spots. The plant multiplies by spreading rhizome to create colonies. Their bright yellow flower heads bloom at the beginning of summer before tall warm-season grasses obscure them from the sight of pollinating insects. Atop this gravelly hill prairie at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, deep-rooted leadplant combine with the happy yellow faces of prairie coreopsis as they shine through the dissipating fog.*
American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs
In July, Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs fills with American Lotus. You can also see it from a distance at Hogwash Slough in Spears Woods.
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs teems with the grand American Lotus. You an reach the wetland by first parking at the far end of Pulaski Woods parking lot and then walking a short distance along the trails.*
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
Compass plant reaches for the summer clouds in the prairie at Middlefork Savanna.”
Landscape of compass plant at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville.*
Mountain Mint
Summer storm clouds brew at Kickapoo Prairie where mountain mint, rattlesnake master, Indian grass, and compass plant glow in the sun.*
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower
“Lavender in color and mint in fragrance” describes wild bergamot. “Whimsical with an aroma of anise” describes yellow coneflower. Both are native to the prairie, and both are healers. Known as pioneer species, they are among the first plants to colonize disturbed or degraded areas. Their presence improves soil quality while allowing other plants to move in, leading to greater biodiversity. You can see and smell these plants at most prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Swamp Milkweed
Swamp milkweed glistens in the late afternoon sunlight at Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois.*
Big Bluestem Grass
The towering height of big bluestem grass gives true meaning to the term “tallgrass prairie.” It can be found at every black soil prairie on our list.*
Miniature flowers delicately hang from the tassel of big bluestem grass at a prairie near you.*
Butterfly Weed
The orange flowers of butterfly weed are a popular source of nutrition for our native pollinators, including this coral hairstreak butterfly that sucks up nectar at Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham, Illinois.*
Butterfly weed is a milkweed, but it doesn’t possess the milky sap that gives milkweeds their name. Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can also find this plant at several high-quality prairies and savannas, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Purple Milkweed
The striking blooms of purple milkweed can be found in the best prairies and savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove and, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Light Shows in the Prairies
In June and July, fireflies light up the nighttime prairie at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester. This image was recorded over an 87-second period from the deck of the Franzosenbusch prairie house. Fireflies flash their bulbs as they look for mates. Males fly around, while females perch on plants.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-08-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
July 8, 2024
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WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:
Early July offers stunning shows of leadplant, purple prairie clover, prairie coreopsis, wild quinine, and more. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming scent of mountain mint. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
During this second week of July, many beautiful flower shows are simultaneously taking place throughout the region. Again, the best performance is being staged in the oak savanna at Somme Prairie Grove. It is a must-see event!
This week, there are many stars in our colorful cast, including that of leadplant, butterfly weed, prairie coreopsis, mountain mint, wild quinine, and our three Plants of the Week: purple prairie clover, rattlesnake master, and Culver’s root. And if you search the sandy preserves, you may find the large yellow blossoms of Chicago’s most unexpected nature plant: eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find it thriving at Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.
Golden prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen.
Purple leadplant prominently erupts at Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Pembroke Savanna, and Bluff Spring Fen. A heart-stopping mix of leadplant and golden prairie coreopsis often bloom side-by-side at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen. However, the finest leadplant show of all takes place at Somme Prairie Grove. The scene nearly brings me to tears. And another purple flower called purple prairie clover is now blooming that often puts on fabulous displays at Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen.
Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are aflower with many species, including the omnipresent cauliflower heads of wild quinine, which can be found at any of our mesic prairies. And the beautiful orange pom pom flower heads of butterfly weed are flowering in our prairies and savannas, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Somme Prairie Grove, and Belmont Prairie.
Several scented flowers are blooming or about to bloom. Experience the eye-opening minty freshness of wild bergamot and mountain mint, the licorice scent of yellow coneflower, the rosy aroma fragrance of pasture rose, and the wonderful lemon-carrot aroma of purple prairie clover.
The dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue may still be flowering in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen.
The aquatic American lotus also may be starting to flower. The pale yellow blossoms resemble those of a water lily, but they’re much larger—up to eight inches wide atop stems that can reach six feet high. And that isn’t all. The circular leaf is gorgeous and enormous, up to two-and-a-half feet in diameter! See the Photo Section below for images of American lotus (and where to find it) along with the many flowers featured in this report.
This is also a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented. It describes leaves that glow bright-green from sunlight shining through them. The green glow of compass plant and prairie dock is spectacular. Prairie dock is especially delightful when its large heart-shaped leaf is transformed into a projection screen, as plants that fall between the sun and the screen cast their silhouettes in a kind of prairie shadow play.
And finally, the run of Ohio spiderwort may have already ended. But you may still be able to experience the ephemeral blue flowers that open to meet their one-and-only day, then dissolve into a gem of purple liquid. You can find them growing at many of our showcase preserves. Click here to read my poem about it.
Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserves finest flower shows happen in July. Words are not sufficient to describe the wave of emotion that washes over me as I catch sight of the kaleidoscopic knobs. Low mounds under the open skies to the north are home to scenes filled with an amalgam of color, texture, joy, inspiration, and life. Passionate purples mix with sparkling whites and startling explosions of orange. And glorious golds begin at your feet and rise toward the clouds. And all this upon a flowing canvas shaped by emerald hearts, mops, and bottlebrushes. You’ll find leadplant, purple prairie clover, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, butterfly weed, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, prairie dock, and prairie dropseed. Blooms of purple prairie clover begin to spread from the knobs to put on shows in other parts of the savanna. On your way to the knobs, you’ll find these same flowers and several more, including many marsh phlox, pasture rose, prairie lily, common St. John’s wort, daisy fleabane, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and the tall tuberous Indian plantain. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: Several flowers are blooming at the official Illinois Nature Preserve inside the fence at the top of the hill, including a fantastic show of bee-loving purple prairie clover at peak bloom. Along the way you’ll find leadplant, prairie coreopsis, early goldenrod, wild quinine, wild bergamot, compass plant, and the occasional short green milkweed. There’s also a lot flowering along the slope outside the fence and the surrounding preserve. You’ll experience a vast amount of wild quinine growing with wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, purple prairie clover, leadplant, fading pale purple coneflower, a sprinkling of black-eyed Susan, and astonishing displays of rattlesnake master with its molecular flower head. Appreciate the lush textures and green hues from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, powdery cyan spears of rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: Most of the color can be found in the black oak savanna, where you should be treated to many bright orange blooms of butterfly weed, pink marsh phlox, pearly blooms of flowering spurge and hoary puccoon, daisy fleabane, black-eyed Susan, and possibly the blue morning blossoms of Ohio spiderwort. Milkweeds are blooming under the trees, as well, including purple milkweed, common milkweed, and short green milkweed. And this week could possibly be your last chance to smell the wonderfully fragrant pink blossoms of pasture rose. Flowering spurge should be the star of the sand prairie with a supporting cast of shrubby cinquefoil, the occasional Cleland’s evening primrose, and purple prairie clover And if you’re lucky, you might find the spectacular yellow blossom of eastern prickly pear cactus. Each flower only lasts a day. NOTE: I highly recommend that you VISIT EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the rambunctious beachgoers. While you’re there, consider the short drive north to see Chiwaukee Prairie.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Around this time, there can easily be twenty flower species blooming across the preserve. Begin your hike at the main trailhead that winds you under the trees and along the kames of the oak savanna, around the sunny prairie and through the main wetland known as a fen. Before the path leaves the savanna, take the trail on your left to the top of the large kame where you’ll experience a unique view of the preserve. Among the most conspicuous flowers, this week, might be purple prairie clover, prairie coreopsis, leadplant, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, pale Indian plantain, cup plant, false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, wild quinine, compass plant, and the possibly the start of marsh blazing star. Aside from pale Indian plantain, most of these can be found under the sun along with many others: showy tick trefoil, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, prairie loosestrife Culver’s root, mountain mint, daisy fleabane, St. John’s wort, spotted Joe-Pye weed, fading pale purple coneflower, a few white prairie clover, and the mauve and white blooms of common milkweed that fill the air with a scent reminiscent of overly perfumed Bingo ladies who’ve lost their sense of smell. In the woodland, look for aptly named bottlebrush grass, the white blooms of starry campion, the fluffy sweet Joe-Pye weed, and the tall plants of blue American bellflower, golden cup plant, and pale Indian plantain.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is good time to visit this remnant prairie where several colorful plants bloom at once.The dramatic alabaster blooms of wild quinine instantly get your attention alongside golden black-eyed Susan. But the shocking orange of butterfly weed steals the show with dramatic surges of vibrancy throughout the prairie. New lavender plumes of wild bergamot should soon start to fill the pink-and-blue void left by scurfy pea. Hues from purple to blue come from leadplant, wild bergamot, and the remaining petals of pale purple coneflower Yellow coneflower is starting to flower along with mountain mint and rattlesnake master. And I just love looming forests of blooming compass plant. I suggest visiting early or late in the day when it’s cooler and when you can experience the glorious green glow—leaves that glow a bright green from the sunlight shining through them.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: The best floral shows are being performed in the prairies, which are gorgeous when they’re in full bloom. Along your walk through the prairie, you’ll probably find at least fifteen species in bloom. Sparkling white” describes the scene, as alabaster inflorescences of wild quinine flower across the panorama, joined by glistening blossoms of mountain mint, the ivory Tinker Toy heads of rattlesnake master, floating daisy fleabane, and multi-spiked Culver’s root. You’ll discover occasional explosions of orange butterfly weed along with the golds of skyward compass plant, black-eyed Susan, the start of early goldenrod, and possibly some early blooming sawtooth sunflower and purple-spiked prairie blazing star. The bushy climbing wild rose should blooming. And if you pay close attention, you may find the sublime blossoms of orange Michigan lily and purple milkweed. Stand at a high spot to scan the prairie below for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where various trails guide you through woodlands, prairies, and wetlands.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: The flower show is happening in the southernmost portion of the prairie with the most dramatic performance coming from wild quinine. New plants are starting to bloom and the color is getting better by the day. White, gold, and lavender make up the color palette. Along the way, you’ll also experience fresh white spikes of Culver’s root alongside rattlesnake master and the occasional flowering spurge, yellow coneflower, rosinweed, and lavender pom poms of wild bergamot. You’ll also find a smattering of yellow-petaled black-eyed Susan and towering stalks of compass plant. The purple spiked prairie blazing star may be just starting to bloom. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to the excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts that glow in the light of a low sun.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails because of how much the flowers vary along the way. I usually begin with the trail that leads left from the gate. This preserve is a “Go” because of the various textures and at least two dozen species in bloom, including many that are just beginning to flower. Here’s an abbreviated list of the many flowers that you’ll find that range from white to yellow to pink: compass plant, purple prairie clover, white prairie clover, yellow coneflower, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, wild senna, tuberous Indian plantain, tall green milkweed, swamp milkweed, and Culver’s root.
NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins: About this time, the rays of yellow coneflower play a leading role throughout the western mesic prairie alongside other flowers that include wild bergamot, daisy fleabane, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, Culver’s root, false sunflower, and mountain mint. In the dry dolomite prairie to the east, you should find a much different landscape with a very open feel. It’s my favorite part of the preserve. Unlike the mesic soil of the western prairie with its tall, dense communities of plants, the soil here is rock—a porous limestone called “dolomite”—which makes it harder for plants to establish themselves. Some can’t. Many that can will probably not grow as tall. And then there are the hearty plants that enjoy being between a rock and a hard place, like the purple prairie clover with a scent that’s a cross between carrots and lemons—my favorite “good” scent in nature. (My favorite “bad” scent comes from foxglove beardtongue seeds that smell exactly like vomit. Be still my heart!) You’ll also find another of my favorite plants that seems to love sand, gravel, and rock: whorled milkweed. It also produces a wonderful scent. And look for the glorious hairy wild petunia. It’s a wonderful plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how much it spreads to prevent weeds. I just adore the fuzzy feel of the leaves.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You might find large displays of daisy fleabane and buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. The beautiful pink pasture rose may also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. And though the flowers may already be spent by this time in July, this is a great place to experience spiderwort, as long as you arrive early before the flowers melt away. However, slender dayflower is beginning its bloom and, as a cousin of spiderwort, its flowers also dissolve in a purple liquid a few hours after they bloom.
Miller Woods (at Paul H. Douglas Environmental Center for Education) in Indiana Dunes National Park: There’s always a lot to explore, here. And you can make a day of it, especially because there are other sites to visit in the park. Check in at the visitor center at Miller Woods for guidance. I love the always-energetic sprays of acrobatic bracken fern that provide texture and beauty even when nothing’s abloom. Look for golden highlights of sand coreopsis and the pink fragrant blooms of pasture rose. Walk the main trail that heads to the lake and you may discover some eastern prickly pear cactus that prefers the open sand. After your hike, consider checking out nearby Tolleston Dunes.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake features beautiful patches of tuberous Indian plantain and mix of other flowers that include pink marsh phlox and, black-eyed Susan. Along your way, you may see the yellows of St. John’s wort and shrubby cinquefoil along with the occasional pale-spiked lobelia and purple milkweed. If you get there there early, you may still find the purple blossoms of Ohio spiderwort. To see a nice display of phlox, walk the narrow dirt path located west of the gravel road. Also consider checking out Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in nearby Zion.
Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills: This preserve offers a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at the edges of daylight, when it’s now hot and sunny. Enjoy an array of flowers that flow along the vast rolling landscape of the prairie and fen, including the lavenders of wild bergamot, white and purple prairie clover, pale purple coneflower, golden black-eyed Susan, compass plant, and yellow coneflower, the mauves of common milkweed, and the delicate ivory balls of whorled milkweed.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER, RATTLESNAKE MASTER, & CULVER’S ROOT
Purple Prairie Clover
The fresh scent of purple prairie clover is my overall favorite. The fragrance combines the sweet smell of carrots with the invigorating scent of lemons. The thimble-shaped flower heads hold dozens of small five-petaled flowers that span just a quarter of an inch. And each flower contains five anthers that are covered with the gold or orange pollen that the anthers produce. Like a ring around the thimble, the flowers bloom from the bottom up, one ring at at time. As you can see, here, a female honey bee has collected the pollen in her pollen baskets, an appendage that only females possess. Therefore, the females do all the work. And the males are forced to carry wallets prior to mating. That’s because the males’ penises get ripped off their bodies after the five-second mating process. The pollen basket is a smooth cavity located on the hind legs. It’s perimeter is covered with a fuzzy corona of hair. The bee licks its foreleg and then rubs and compacts the pollen into a sticky ball. A single follicle resides inside the pollen basket, which acts as a skewer to securely hold the load of moistened pollen in place.*
Come to Bluff Spring Fen early on a July morning and you might experience a chromatic expanse of purple prairie clover.*
Rattlesnake Master
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that resembles Tinker Toys or molecular structures, or something you might find in Arizona or Texas. The plant gets its name because some Native Americans brewed a tea from the root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. To prevent bites, some chewed on the root, then spat on their hands before handling a rattlesnake. Of course, I’m interested to know if this really works. What’s more, the research may not even require a flight to the desert. That’s because, believe it or not, the rare and endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake lives right here in the Chicago area. So, if you perform the experiment, please get back to me with the results, either you or next of kin. To experience rattlesnake master, visit Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies and savannas.*
Culver’s Root
It is thought that Culver’s root gets is named after a Dr. Culver, a physician who prescribed the use of the plant to cure a variety of maladies. The seeds of Culver’s root are very small and light, allowing the wind to spread them several feet from the plant. The plant has a central taproot, but it also has some rhizomes that allows it to spread. The plant is distributed across much of Illinois, but it’s not commonly seen. That’s because the plant can only thrive in the highest quality habitats. On this mysterious summer morning at Wolf Road Prairie, white spikes of Culver’s root, extend into the outer reaches and, like a dream, disappear into the fog. You can also see this plant at Middlefork Savanna, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, Theodore Stone Preserve, Spears Woods, and the prairie around Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
PHOTO SECTION
Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity
At Somme Prairie Grove, the magnificent blooms upon the knobs of the savanna come to life in the warmth of the morning light.*
At Somme Prairie Grove, the many flowers of the oak savanna sparkled brilliantly in the last light of day.*
Here at Somme Prairie Grove we see the large, deeply lobed leaf of compass plant among a sea of purple prairie clover.*
Purple prairie clover and mountain mint steal the show in this area of Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook.*
Bluff Spring Fen
Soon after entering Bluff Spring Fen, you’ll find yourself in an intimate oak savanna, where majestic bur oaks with outstretched limbs protect you with their nurturing embrace.*
Bottlebrush grass and wild bergamot glow in the morning light in the oak savanna at Bluff Spring Fen.*
This is a view that’s forming in the prairie at Bluff Spring Fen. Just as blooms of leadplant and coreopsis fade, purple prairie clover rises to take their place.*
Prairie Coreopsis
Sometime between late June and early July, the golden rays of prairie coreopsis (or stiff coreopsis) can be found in best preserves, often in dry and gravelly spots. The plant multiplies by spreading rhizome to create colonies. Their bright yellow flower heads bloom at the beginning of summer before tall warm-season grasses obscure them from the sight of pollinating insects. Atop this gravelly hill prairie at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, deep-rooted leadplant combine with the happy yellow faces of prairie coreopsis as they shine through the dissipating fog.*
Leadplant
Here at Somme Prairie Grove, the purple plant in this panorama is leadplant, which can search for water fifteen feet below the arid surface. Other drought-tolerant species seen here include prairie dropseed and wild quinine, in the front; and farther out, prairie dock, compass plant, and rattlesnake master. You can find leadplant growing at many other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, and Wolf Road Prairie.*
Michigan Lily
Michigan lily can be found at a handful of our showcase preserves, including Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie.*
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus Blooms at our Sandy Sites
Eastern prickly pear cactus blooms can be found in late June in sandy preserves around the Chicago area, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Miller Woods, Powderhorn Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.*
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
This is a common scene at Elgin’s Bluff Spring Fen. Here in the golden light of morning, wild quinine, prairie coreopsis, and leadplant overlook the foggy fen.*
Mountain Mint
Inhale the invigorating white flowers of mountain mint that grow here at Spears Woods and at many other preserves on our list.*
Culver’s Root
In mid-July, Culver’s root blooms en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester. And you can see it at Middlefork Savanna, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Lake in the Hills Fen, Theodore Stone Preserve, Spears Woods, and the prairie outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Evening Primrose
Cleland’s evening primrose blooms in the purple morning light along the sandy Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion. The plant also grows at Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park.*
American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs
Beginning in July, Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs fills with American Lotus. You can also see it from a distance at Hogwash Slough in Spears Woods.
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs teems with the grand American Lotus. You an reach the wetland by first parking at the far end of Pulaski Woods parking lot and then walking a short distance along the trails.
Pale Purple Coneflower
Pale purple coneflower is favorite of mine. I just love how the petals droop downward. The plant has deep taproots, allowing it to survive drought and to thrive in gravel and dolomite limestone prairies. In the warm light of rising or setting sun, the flowers turn a stunning orange pink. Here at Belmont Prairie, I picked out this scene from a thousand coneflowers: a miniature, slow-motion rodeo that was taking place upon one prickly flower head. I watched as a tiny ant rode the back of a slinking inchworm.*
Sometimes the petals of pale purple coneflowers are colored pale white. Here, a combination of pink and white coneflowers populate the kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
The predawn clouds take on the colors of the pale purple coneflower at this dolomite limestone prairie at Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins, Illinois. You can usually find this majestic plant growing most prominently at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, and on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie,*
Each day, Mother Nature chooses from an array of natural elements and then fashions them into new works of art. Most Junes at Belmont Prairie, dazzling mosaics like this go on exhibit. Assembled from over one hundred pale purple coneflowers, the final work, not the individual pieces, draws our attention.*
June brings pale purple coneflower, scurfy pea, and porcupine grass to Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove.*
Butterfly Weed
The orange flowers of butterfly weed are a popular source of nutrition for our native pollinators, including this coral hairstreak butterfly that sucks up nectar at Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham, Illinois.*
Great spangled fritillary butterflies (species Speyeria cybele) and butterfly weed in the prairie at Spears Woods in Willow Springs.
Butterfly weed is a milkweed, but it doesn’t possess the milky sap that gives milkweeds their name. Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can also find this plant at several high-quality prairies and savannas, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Butterfly weed blooms across the oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. You can also find it at many other preserves including, Somme Prairie Grove, Belmont Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
Landscape of compass plant at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville.*
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower Begin to Bloom
“Lavender in color and mint in fragrance” describes wild bergamot. “Whimsical with an aroma of anise” describes yellow coneflower. Both are native to the prairie, and both are healers. Known as pioneer species, they are among the first plants to colonize disturbed or degraded areas. Their presence improves soil quality while allowing other plants to move in, leading to greater biodiversity. You can see and smell these plants at most prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Yellow coneflower (aka, gray-headed coneflower) is a pioneer species of the prairie. It colonizes disturbed or degraded habitats until conditions improve, when it allows other plants to move in, leading to a more stable and biodiverse ecosystem. The flowers perch atop slender stems that rise to four feet tall. At that height, it’s easy to smell the licorice scented brown cones. Yellow coneflowers bloom throughout the region’s prairies including here in the mesic prairie in the western half of Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins.*
At Wolf Road Prairie in July, wildflowers combine to resemble a fireworks display.*
Purple Milkweed
The striking blooms of purple milkweed can be found in the best prairies and savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove and, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:
Pasture rose grows here in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. But you can also find it at other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen and Pembroke Savanna. The fragrance of pasture rose is transcendent—a spiritual experience.*
The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort
In late May or early June, Ohio spiderwort begins a performance that will last a month or longer, starring a cluster of buds that releases only a couple of flowers each day. Each morning, a new bud opens into a delicate blue or purple flower. You may find spiderwort, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Powderhorn Prairie, Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and more.
As the day wears on, each blossom begins to wither—then miraculously melts into a gem of royal jelly. An enzyme in the flower causes it to slowly decompose, and hot weather speeds up the process. It’s noon, and this flower is already shriveling.*
By midafternoon, this spiderwort bloom was melting blue between my fingertips. Do you notice my purple fingers? I was arrested earlier that morning.
This is the scene from Wolf Road Prairie, as blossoms of Ohio spiderwort open to meet the new day.*
At Miller Woods (Indiana Dunes National Park), spiderwort and ferns cover the side of the dunes.*
Hoary Puccoon
The golden blooms of hoary puccoon can be found, here, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and many other preserves around the region including Miller Woods, Powderhorn Marsh and Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and more.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Light Shows in the Prairies
In June and July, fireflies light up the nighttime prairie at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester. This image was recorded over an 87-second period from the deck of the Franzosenbusch prairie house. Fireflies flash their bulbs as they look for mates. Males fly around, while females perch on plants.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
07-03-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
July 3, 2024
(Independence Day Edition)
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Experience Fourth of July Fireworks in Our Prairies
Around the 4th of July, fireflies light up the nighttime prairie at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester. This image was recorded over an 87-second period from the deck of the Franzosenbusch prairie house. Fireflies flash their bulbs as they look for mates. Males fly around, while females perch on plants.*
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:
Early July can offer stunning shows of golden prairie coreopsis, ivory wild quinine, and purple leadplant. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming scent of mountain mint. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
During this first week of July, prairie coreopsis, leadplant, pale purple coneflower, butterfly weed, and wild quinine can create some stunning displays. The first two species are featured as our Plants of the Week along with Chicago’s most surprising native plant: eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find its large yellow blossoms in sandy prairies and oak savannas, including Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.
Purple leadplant prominently erupts at Somme Prairie Grove, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen. At the latter two sites, a heart-stopping mix of leadplant and golden prairie coreopsis often bloom side-by-side. However, the finest show of leadplant happens at Somme Prairie Grove where it nearly brings me to tears. And another purple flower called purple prairie clover often begins its bloom in the first week of July.
The best shows of pale purple coneflower take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. Golden prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen.
Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are aflower with many species, including the omnipresent cauliflower heads of wild quinine, which can be found at any of our mesic prairies. And the beautiful orange pom pom flower heads of butterfly weed are starting to flower in our prairies and savannas, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Somme Prairie Grove, and Belmont Prairie.
The dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue may still be flowering in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen. I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit! In stark contrast, you can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. Over several weeks in late spring, it blooms barely inches from the ground. During that time, whenever we’re together, I partake in a sacred ritual. I drop to my knees and bow in reverence, nose to petal. However, last year, I didn’t notice the poison ivy growing right next to the flower. I immediately felt a tingling on my upper lip, but it was too late. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me.
And finally, the run of Ohio spiderwort may is reaching its end. But you may still be able to experience the ephemeral blue flowers that open to meet their one-and-only day, then dissolve into a gem of purple liquid. You can find them growing at many of our showcase preserves. Click here to read my poem about it.
Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve’s finest flower shows happen in July. Words are not sufficient to describe the wave of emotion that washes over me as I catch sight of the kaleidoscopic knobs. Low mounds under the open skies to the north are home to scenes filled with an amalgam of color, texture, joy, inspiration, and life. Passionate purples mix with sparkling whites and startling explosions of orange. And glorious golds begin at your feet and rise toward the clouds. All this happens upon a flowing canvas shaped by emerald hearts, mops, and bottlebrushes. You’ll find leadplant, purple prairie clover, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, butterfly weed, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, prairie dock, and prairie dropseed. Blooms of purple prairie clover begin to spread from the knobs to put on shows in other parts of the savanna. On your way to the knobs, you’ll find these same flowers and several more, including many marsh phlox, pasture rose, prairie lily, common St. John’s wort, daisy fleabane, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and the tall tuberous Indian plantain. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This preserve is officially located within the fence at the top of the hill. Usually, the start of July stages a glorious show of leadplant and prairie coreopsis. Also look for wild quinine, downy phlox, and a handful of short green milkweed amidst a sea of porcupine grass. Throughout the prairie, you’ll find various lush textures and green hues from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. Outside the fence on your way up to the entrance, you should see hundreds of pale purple coneflower blooming on the southern and western slopes accompanied by wild quinine. You may also find leadplant, rattlesnake master, wild bergamot, and purple prairie clover. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The black oak savanna (or sand savanna) is the most colorful portion of the preserve, where a diverse array of flowers may be blooming, including orange butterfly weed, golden hoary puccoon and sand coreopsis, pink pasture rose and marsh phlox, white daisy fleabane and flowering spurge, the blue morning blossoms of Ohio spiderwort, and the fragrant pink pasture rose. Under the sun of the sand prairie and the dunes to the east, flowering spurge and shrubby cinquefoil are probably blooming. And keep your eyes peeled for the spectacular yellow blossoms of eastern prickly pear cactus. You’ll also find these three special grasses: marram grass, June grass, and porcupine grass. Marram grass grows in the most barren sandy soil closer to the beach. June grass is best experienced early and late in the day when it’s white plumes radiate like small torches. And porcupine grass has long spearlike seeds that drill themselves into the soil, though many of seeds may have already dropped. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. NOTE: I highly recommend that you VISIT EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the rambunctious beachgoers. While you’re there, consider the short drive north to see Chiwaukee Prairie.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: The grand performances of pale purple coneflower are often at peak bloom or just a little past. The white snapdragon flowers of foxglove beardtongue can be quite prominent, though they may be showing their age. And the golden rays of freshly blooming prairie coreopsis usually reach peak bloom before the first of July. The spikes of leadplant are turning purple in time for their beautiful show in July. All these flowers are complemented by the cauliflower crowns of wild quinine and sprays of porcupine grass. Ohio spiderwort may still be blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame where the purple spikes of leadplant are still waiting to flower. You should also find flashes of orange from butterfly weed, gold from black-eyed Susan, points of blue vervain, and skewers of white wild indigo.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is best time of year to visit this remnant prairie when several colorful flowers bloom at once, led by a spectacular performances of orange butterfly weed and pale purple coneflower amidst a blue veil of scurfy pea and the dramatic alabaster blooms of wild quinine. You also might find golden black-eyed Susan and false sunflower. There might also still be some blooms of Ohio spiderwort, with purple flowers that open around sunrise and soon shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. And porcupine grass is showing off its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Watch my video of the drilling seed. And finally, appreciate the large gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly under a backlit sun.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: Visit the prairies for the best shows, which usually comes from dramatic displays of alabaster wild quinine alongside with sparkling mountain mint. Other ivory blooms include foxglove beardtongue, white wild indigo, and daisy fleabane. The ephemeral blue blooms of Ohio spiderwort may still be blooming in the mornings. You may discover small explosions of orange butterfly weed, yellow eruptions of prairie sundrop, a sprinkling of golden black-eyed Susan, and possibly an early blooming of compass plant. If you pay close attention, you may find the sublime blossoms of orange Michigan lily and purple milkweed. Climbing wild rose should be reaching peak bloom. It looks like a large bush. And finally, scan the prairie for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and around gorgeous wetlands.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Around now, the best flower shows take place in the southernmost portion of the prairie with a dramatic performance of wild quinine. New flowers should be starting to bloom with color getting better by the day. Along the way, you may experience fresh blooms of white Culver’s root, flowering spurge, and rattlesnake master alongside golden rosinweed, and yellow coneflower, and lavender puffs of wild bergamot. You’ll also find the occasional white wild indigo, a smattering of yellow-petaled black-eyed Susan and towering stalks of gold-flowered compass plant. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to the excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts that glow in the light of a low sun.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You should find large displays of daisy fleabane and possibly a beautiful display of goat’s rue alongside buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, some white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. The beautiful pink pasture rose should also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. This is also a great place to see spiderwort. It can be everywhere. But you need to arrive early before it gets hot.
Miller Woods (at Paul H. Douglas Environmental Center for Education) in Indiana Dunes National Park: Depending on the blooming status of spiderwort, this preserve may be a “Go” if you visit in the morning when it’s in full flower and before the purple blossoms melt away. In any case, there’s always a lot to explore here, and you can make a day of it, especially because there are other places in the park to visit. Check in at the visitor center at Miller Woods for guidance. I love the always-energetic sprays of acrobatic bracken fern that provide texture and beauty even when nothing’s abloom. In addition to spiderwort, sprays of hairy puccoon, sand coreopsis, and two-flowered Cynthia add golden tones to the mix, and downy phlox provide splashes of pink. And along your hike, you may experience fragrant pasture rose. Walk the main trail that heads to the lake and you may discover some eastern prickly pear cactus that prefers the open sand. After your hike, consider checking out nearby Tolleston Dunes.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails because of how the prairie and flowers vary along the way. The preserve is quite green, but if you don’t have a lot of time and you’re in the Markham area, it’s worth a trip into nature to clear your head. The most prominent flower in bloom is probably wild quinine. You may also see some white wild indigo, black-eyed Susan, common milkweed, marsh phlox, and tuberous Indian plantain. Along my walk, I once startled a mother deer and its fawn. Before I knew it, they disappeared into the prairie shrubbery, forever hidden.
NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Ohio spiderwort may still be flowering and often puts on a fine show alongside nice ivory displays of foxglove beardtongue and meadow anemone. Tall purple meadow rue, with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems, can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance. False sunflower is probably in bloom. And check the wetland south of the main entrance for the beautiful white fragrant water lily.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: There might be a very nice display of marsh phlox alongside tuberous Indian plantain, and Ohio spiderwort. And look for beautiful sprays of porcupine grass, ferns, and prairie dropseed.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: EASTERN PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS, PRAIRIE COREOPSIS, & LEADPLANT
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus
Eastern prickly pear cactus blooms can be found between late June through mid-July in sandy preserves around the Chicago area, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Miller Woods, Powderhorn Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.*
Prairie Coreopsis
Sometime between late June and early July, the golden rays of prairie coreopsis (or stiff coreopsis) can be found in the best preserves, often in the dry and gravelly spots. The plant multiplies by spreading rhizome to create colonies. Their bright yellow flower heads bloom at the beginning of summer before tall warm-season grasses obscure them from the sight of pollinating insects. Atop this gravelly hill prairie at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, deep-rooted leadplant combines with the happy yellow faces of prairie coreopsis as they shine through the dissipating fog.*
Leadplant
Here at Somme Prairie Grove, the purple plant in this panorama is leadplant, which can search for water fifteen feet below the arid surface. Other drought-tolerant species seen here include prairie dropseed and wild quinine, in the foreground; and further out, prairie dock, compass plant, and rattlesnake master. You can find leadplant growing at many other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, and Wolf Road Prairie.*
PHOTO SECTION
Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity
At Somme Prairie Grove, the magnificent blooms upon the knobs of the savanna come to life in the warmth of the morning light.*
At Somme Prairie Grove, the many flowers of the oak savanna sparkled brilliantly in the last light of day.*
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
This is a common scene at Elgin’s Bluff Spring Fen. Here in the golden light of morning, wild quinine, prairie coreopsis, and leadplant overlook the foggy fen.*
Pale Purple Coneflower
Pale purple coneflower is favorite of mine. I just love how the petals droop downward. The plant has deep taproots, allowing it to survive drought and to thrive in gravel and dolomite limestone prairies. In the warm light of rising or setting sun, the flowers turn a stunning orange pink. Here at Belmont Prairie, I picked out this scene from a thousand coneflowers: a miniature, slow-motion rodeo that was taking place upon one prickly flower head. I watched as a tiny ant rode the back of a slinking inchworm.*
Sometimes the petals of pale purple coneflowers are colored pale white. Here, a combination of pink and white coneflowers populate the kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
The predawn clouds take on the colors of the pale purple coneflower at this dolomite limestone prairie at Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins, Illinois. You can usually find this majestic plant growing most prominently at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, and on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie,*
Each day, Mother Nature chooses from an array of natural elements and then fashions them into new works of art. Most Junes at Belmont Prairie, dazzling mosaics like this go on exhibit. Assembled from over one hundred pale purple coneflowers, the final work, not the individual pieces, draws our attention.*
June brings pale purple coneflower, scurfy pea, and porcupine grass to Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove.*
Butterfly Weed
The orange flowers of butterfly weed are a popular source of nutrition for our native pollinators, including this coral hairstreak butterfly that sucks up nectar at Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham, Illinois.*
Butterfly weed is a milkweed, but it doesn’t possess the milky sap that gives milkweeds their name. Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can also find this plant at several high-quality prairies and savannas, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Butterfly weed blooms across the oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. You can also find it at many other preserves including, Somme Prairie Grove, Belmont Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort
In late May or early June, Ohio spiderwort begins a performance that will last a month or longer, starring a cluster of buds that releases only a couple of flowers each day. Each morning, a new bud opens into a delicate blue or purple flower. You may find spiderwort, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Powderhorn Prairie, Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and other preserves.
As the day wears on, each blossom begins to wither—then miraculously melts into a gem of royal jelly. An enzyme in the flower causes it to slowly decompose, and hot weather speeds up the process. It’s noon, and this flower is already shriveling.*
By midafternoon, this spiderwort bloom was melting blue between my fingertips. Do you notice my purple fingers? I was arrested earlier that morning.
This is the scene from Wolf Road Prairie, as blossoms of Ohio spiderwort open to meet the new day.*
At Miller Woods (Indiana Dunes National Park), spiderwort and ferns cover the side of the dunes.*
Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds
The seeds of porcupine grass are located at the tip of long sharp needles that fall off the plant and then slowly drill themselves into the soil. You can find porcupine grass at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie.*
Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.
Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:
Pasture rose grows here in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. But you can also find it at other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen and Pembroke Savanna. The fragrance of pasture rose is transcendent—a spiritual experience.*
Culver’s Root
On this mysterious summer morning at Wolf Road Prairie, white spikes of Culver’s root, extend into the outer reaches and, like a dream, disappear into the fog.
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower Blooms in the First Half of July
“Lavender in color and mint in fragrance” describes wild bergamot. “Whimsical with an aroma of anise” describes yellow coneflower. Both are native to the prairie, and both are healers. Known as pioneer species, they are among the first plants to colonize disturbed or degraded areas. Their presence improves soil quality while allowing other plants to move in, leading to greater biodiversity. You can see and smell these plants at most prairies, including here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
Rattlesnake Master Flowers in the First Half of July
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that resembles Tinker Toys or molecular structures, or something you might find in Arizona or Texas. The plant gets its name because some Native Americans brewed a tea from the root as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. To prevent bites, some chewed on the root, then spat on their hands before handling a rattlesnake. Of course, I’m interested to know if this really works. What’s more, the research may not even require a flight to the desert. That’s because, believe it or not, the rare and endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake lives right here in the Chicago area. So, if you perform the experiment, please get back to me with the results, either you or next of kin. To experience rattlesnake master, visit Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies and savannas.*
Hoary Puccoon
The golden blooms of hoary puccoon can be found, here, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and many other preserves around the region including Miller Woods, Powderhorn Marsh and Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and more.*
Purple Milkweed
The striking blooms of purple milkweed can be found in the best prairies and savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove and, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-24-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
June 24, 2024
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”
Plan the Best Nature Walks & Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower forecasts!
Each week, we offer you opportunities to find peace during this trying time!
PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign
Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Prairies, Woodlands and Savannas:
The final week of June offers fine shows starring orange butterfly weed, ivory wild quinine, golden prairie coreopsis, and possibly purple leadplant. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
During the final week of June, prairie coreopsis, butterfly weed, and wild quinine stage breathtaking shows. And it’s possible that the magnificent purple shows of leadplant have also begun. The best shows take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. And prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen. You can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. Over several weeks in late spring, it blooms barely inches from the ground. During that time, whenever we’re together, I partake in a sacred ritual. I drop to my knees and bow in reverence, nose to petal. Once, as I was appreciating the fragrance at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, I felt a tingling on my upper lip. It was poison ivy growing right next to the flower. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me.
Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are also aflower with many species, including the omnipresent cauliflower heads of wild quinine, which can be found at any of our mesic prairies. And the beautiful orange pom pom flower heads of butterfly weed (our Plant of the Week) are starting to flower in our prairies and savannas.
For just a while longer, you can still experience the ephemeral blue flowers of Ohio spiderwort that open to meet their one-and-only day, then dissolve into a gem of purple liquid. They are now melting hearts around Chicago as they continue their monthlong show. You can find them at many preserves around the area. Click here to read my poem about it.
If a flower that turns to liquid isn’t weird enough, you may still be able to find porcupine grass with a seed that drills itself into the soil. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. Look for this grass and its seeds at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Miller Woods, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie. And if you visit Pembroke Savanna or Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, look for the plumes of June grass that glow brightly in the spotlight of a low sun.
As we approach July, purple leadplant will begin to prominently erupt at Pembroke Savanna, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen. At the latter two sites, a heart-stopping mix of leadplant and golden prairie coreopsis often bloom side-by-side. In the sandy prairies and savannas, begin looking for the large yellow blossoms of eastern prickly pear cactus. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! You can find also find it at Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.
Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early light, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all of this, along with the promise of a new day.
SUMMER WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: This preserve’s finest flower shows happen in July. Words are not sufficient to describe the wave of emotion that washes over me as I catch sight of the kaleidoscopic knobs. Low mounds under the open skies to the north are home to scenes filled with an amalgam of color, texture, joy, inspiration, and life. Passionate purples mix with sparkling whites and startling explosions of orange. And glorious golds begin at your feet and rise toward the clouds. All this happens upon a flowing canvas shaped by emerald hearts, mops, and bottlebrushes. You’ll find leadplant, purple prairie clover, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, butterfly weed, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, compass plant, prairie dock, and prairie dropseed. Blooms of purple prairie clover begin to spread from the knobs to put on shows in other parts of the savanna. On your way to the knobs, you’ll find these same flowers and several more, including many marsh phlox, pasture rose, prairie lily, common St. John’s wort, daisy fleabane, white wild indigo, fragrant round plumes of New Jersey tea, and the tall tuberous Indian plantain. Also take this time to appreciate the beautiful textures from the foliage of sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This preserve is officially located within the fence at the top of the hill. Usually, the start of July stages a glorious show of leadplant and prairie coreopsis. Also look for wild quinine, downy phlox, and a handful of short green milkweed amidst a sea of porcupine grass. Throughout the prairie, you’ll find various lush textures and green hues from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. Outside the fence on your way up to the entrance, you should see hundreds of pale purple coneflower blooming on the southern and western slopes accompanied by wild quinine. You may also find leadplant, rattlesnake master, wild bergamot, and purple prairie clover. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The black oak savanna (or sand savanna) is the most colorful portion of the preserve, where a diverse array of flowers may be blooming, including orange butterfly weed, golden hoary puccoon and sand coreopsis, pink pasture rose and marsh phlox, white daisy fleabane and flowering spurge, the blue morning blossoms of Ohio spiderwort, and the fragrant pink pasture rose. Under the sun of the sand prairie and the dunes to the east, flowering spurge and shrubby cinquefoil are close to flowering it still might be a little early, but keep your eyes peeled for the spectacular yellow blossoms of eastern prickly pear cactus. You’ll also find these three special grasses: marram grass, June grass, and porcupine grass. Marram grass grows in the most barren sandy soil closer to the beach. June grass is best experienced early and late in the day when it’s white plumes radiate like small torches. And porcupine grass has long spearlike seeds that drill themselves into the soil, though many of seeds may have already dropped. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. NOTE: I highly recommend that you VISIT EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the rambunctious beachgoers. While you’re there, consider the short drive north to see Chiwaukee Prairie.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: The grand performances of pale purple coneflower are probably past peak bloom. The white snapdragon flowers of foxglove beardtongue are now showing their age, as well. And the golden rays of freshly blooming prairie coreopsis have probably reaching bloom. The spikes of leadplant may now be turning purple in time for a beautiful show in July. All these flowers are complemented by the cauliflower crowns of wild quinine and sprays of porcupine grass. Ohio spiderwort may still be blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame where the purple spikes of leadplant are still waiting to flower. You should also find flashes of orange from butterfly weed, gold from black-eyed Susan, points of blue vervain, and skewers of white wild indigo.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is best time of year to visit this remnant prairie when several colorful flowers bloom at once, led by a spectacular performances of orange butterfly weed and pale purple coneflower amidst a blue veil of scurfy pea and the dramatic alabaster blooms of wild quinine. You also might find golden black-eyed Susan and false sunflower. There might also still be some blooms of Ohio spiderwort, with purple flowers that open around sunrise and soon shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. And porcupine grass is showing off its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Watch my video of the drilling seed. And finally, appreciate the large gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly under a backlit sun.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: Visit the prairies for the best shows, which usually comes from dramatic displays of alabaster wild quinine alongside with sparkling mountain mint. Other ivory blooms include foxglove beardtongue, white wild indigo, and daisy fleabane. The ephemeral blue blooms of Ohio spiderwort may still be blooming in the mornings. You may discover small explosions of orange butterfly weed, yellow eruptions of prairie sundrop, a sprinkling of golden black-eyed Susan, and possibly an early blooming of compass plant. If you pay close attention, you may find the sublime blossoms of orange Michigan lily and purple milkweed. Climbing wild rose should be reaching peak bloom. It looks like a large bush. And finally, scan the prairie for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and around gorgeous wetlands.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: This is “Go!” for the morning hours to see the tremendous show of Ohio spiderwort, especially prominent along the southeast edge of the preserve near Wolf Road. If you visit in the afternoon (and possibly later in the morning) the flowers will be gone. Plus, keep in mind that the flowers fade more quickly when it’s hot. In the prairie, you’ll also find downy phlox, daisy fleabane, prairie sundrop, purple meadow rue, white wild quinine, the gorgeous purple milkweed, and the sublime orange prairie lily. If you’re around when the sun is low, then catch the green glow emanating from the many prairie dock leaves.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: You should find large displays of daisy fleabane and possibly a beautiful display of goat’s rue alongside buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, some white sparkles of flowering spurge, and small eruptions of orange butterfly weed. The beautiful pink pasture rose should also be available for you to inhale its intoxicating fragrance. This is also a great place to see spiderwort. It can be everywhere. But you need to arrive early before it gets hot.
Miller Woods (at Paul H. Douglas Environmental Center for Education) in Indiana Dunes National Park: Depending on the blooming status of spiderwort, this preserve may be a “Go” if you visit in the morning when it’s in full flower and before the purple blossoms melt away. In any case, there’s always a lot to explore here, and you can make a day of it, especially because there are other places in the park to visit. Check in at the visitor center at Miller Woods for guidance. I love the always-energetic sprays of acrobatic bracken fern that provide texture and beauty even when nothing’s abloom. In addition to spiderwort, sprays of hairy puccoon, sand coreopsis, and two-flowered Cynthia add golden tones to the mix, and downy phlox provide splashes of pink. And along your hike, you may experience fragrant pasture rose. Walk the main trail that heads to the lake and you may discover some eastern prickly pear cactus that prefers the open sand. After your hike, consider checking out nearby Tolleston Dunes.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham: First of all, the preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. Once inside, I suggest walking all of the trails because of how the prairie and flowers vary along the way. The preserve is quite green, but if you don’t have a lot of time and you’re in the Markham area, it’s worth a trip into nature to clear your head. The most prominent flower in bloom is probably wild quinine. You may also see some white wild indigo, black-eyed Susan, common milkweed, marsh phlox, and tuberous Indian plantain. Along my walk, I once startled a mother deer and its fawn. Before I knew it, they disappeared into the prairie shrubbery, forever hidden.
NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Ohio spiderwort may still be flowering and often puts on a fine show alongside nice ivory displays of foxglove beardtongue and meadow anemone. Tall purple meadow rue, with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems, can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance. False sunflower is probably in bloom. And check the wetland south of the main entrance for the beautiful white fragrant water lily.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: There might be a very nice display of marsh phlox alongside Ohio spiderwor and tuberous Indian plantain, a flower that smells like stinky feet. And look for beautiful sprays of porcupine grass, ferns, and prairie dropseed.
PLANT OF THE WEEK: BUTTERFLY WEED
The orange flowers of butterfly weed are a popular source of nutrition for our native pollinators, including this coral hairstreak butterfly that sucks up nectar at Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham, Illinois.*
Butterfly weed is a milkweed, but it doesn’t possess the milky sap that gives milkweeds their name. Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can also find this plant at several high-quality prairies and savannas, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Butterfly weed blooms across the oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. You can also find it at many other preserves including, Somme Prairie Grove, Belmont Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
PHOTO SECTION
Pale Purple Coneflower
Pale purple coneflower is favorite of mine. I just love how the petals droop downward. The plant has deep taproots, allowing it to survive drought and to thrive in gravel and dolomite limestone prairies. In the warm light of rising or setting sun, the flowers turn a stunning orange pink. Here at Belmont Prairie, I picked out this scene from a thousand coneflowers: a miniature, slow-motion rodeo that was taking place upon one prickly flower head. I watched as a tiny ant rode the back of a slinking inchworm.*
Sometimes the petals of pale purple coneflowers are colored pale white. Here, a combination of pink and white coneflowers populate the kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
The predawn clouds take on the colors of the pale purple coneflower at this dolomite limestone prairie at Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins, Illinois. You can usually find this majestic plant growing most prominently at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, and on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie,*
Each day, Mother Nature chooses from an array of natural elements and then fashions them into new works of art. Most Junes at Belmont Prairie, dazzling mosaics like this go on exhibit. Assembled from over one hundred pale purple coneflowers, the final work, not the individual pieces, draws our attention.*
June brings pale purple coneflower, scurfy pea, and porcupine grass to Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove.*
Prairie Coreopsis
In the second half of June atop the gravel hill of Shoe Factory Road Prairie grows deep-rooted leadplant and the happy yellow faces of prairie coreopsis that shine through the fog. You can find nice displays at Bluff Spring Fen, as well.*
Foxglove Beardtongue
The flowers of foxglove beardtongue resemble the snout of a dragon with a mouth that opens and closes as you squeeze the sides. This explains why it’s part of the snapdragon family. The flowers have no smell that I can detect. But come autumn, the seeds smell EXACTLY like vomit! Be still my heart.* In June, foxglove beardtongue blooms at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin and many other preserves around the region.
The June prairies at Spears Woods in Willow Springs often put on a big show of foxglove beardtongue.*
At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois, pearly blossoms of foxglove beardtongue catch the morning rays and a new day awakens—one as splendid and picturesque as any place on Earth.*
The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort
In late May or early June, Ohio spiderwort begins a performance that will last a month or longer, starring a cluster of buds that releases only a couple of flowers each day. Each morning, a new bud opens into a delicate blue or purple flower. You may find spiderwort, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Powderhorn Prairie, Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and more.
As the day wears on, each blossom begins to wither—then miraculously melts into a gem of royal jelly. An enzyme in the flower causes it to slowly decompose, and hot weather speeds up the process. It’s noon, and this flower is already shriveling.*
By midafternoon, this spiderwort bloom was melting blue between my fingertips. Do you notice my purple fingers? I was arrested earlier that morning.
This is the scene from Wolf Road Prairie, as blossoms of Ohio spiderwort open to meet the new day.*
At Miller Woods (Indiana Dunes National Park), spiderwort and ferns cover the side of the dunes.*
Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds
The seeds of porcupine grass are located at the tip of long sharp needles that fall off the plant and then slowly drill themselves into the soil. You can find porcupine grass at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie.*
Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.
Leadplant is Coming!
Here at Somme Prairie Grove, the purple plant in this panorama is leadplant, which can search for water fifteen feet below the arid surface. Other drought-tolerant species seen here include prairie dropseed and wild quinine, in the front; and farther out, prairie dock, compass plant, and rattlesnake master.*
Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies
This is a common scene at Elgin’s Bluff Spring Fen. Here in the golden light of morning, wild quinine, prairie coreopsis, and leadplant overlook the foggy fen.*
Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:
Pasture rose grows here in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. But you can also find it at other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen and Pembroke Savanna. The fragrance of pasture rose is transcendent—a spiritual experience.*
Hoary Puccoon
The golden blooms of hoary puccoon can be found, here, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and many other preserves around the region including Miller Woods, Powderhorn Marsh and Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and more.*
Purple Milkweed
The striking blooms of purple milkweed can be found in the best prairies and savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove and, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Compass Plant
The golden blooms of compass plant are just starting in some of our prairies. They’re an iconic species that can be found in most of our mesic prairies.
Indian Paintbrush
Here at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Indian paintbrush brightens up the foggy morning landscape. You can also find this flower at Gensburg-Markham Prairie and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Purple Meadow Rue Towers in Some Prairies
In June, purple meadow rue towers above the blue morning blooms of Ohio spiderwort at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
June Grass
June grass and hoary puccoon glow in the morning light of the sand savanna at Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
Green Glow
Green glow describes leaves that glow a bright green from sunlight shining through them. Here, we see a special kind of green glow that results in a shadow play, as sunlight shines through a translucent leaf of prairie dock, as golden Alexander casts its distinctive silhouette.*
Prairie Root System
The root system of some common prairie plants. Note that cylindrical blazing star has the deepest root that reaches over fifteen feet! Click the image for a bigger view.
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
06-17-2024
Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
June 17, 2024
(Juneteenth Holiday Edition)
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”
Plan the Best Juneteenth Nature Walks & Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE wildflower forecasts!
Each week, we offer you opportunities to find peace during this trying time!
PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.
Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign
Get outside to experience magnificent flower shows
in our showcase prairies and savannas.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
The Juneteenth holiday offers fine flower shows, starring pale purple coneflower, sand coreopsis, Ohio spiderwort, and foxglove beardtongue. But nature isn’t just about flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
The middle of June brings breathtaking shows of prairie coreopsis and pale purple coneflower. The best shows for pale purple coneflower take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. Golden prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen.
And the dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue (our Plant of the Week) should be blooming strong in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit! In stark contrast, you can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. Over several weeks in late spring, it blooms barely inches from the ground. During that time, whenever we’re together, I partake in a sacred ritual. I drop to my knees and bow in reverence, nose to petal. However, last year, I didn’t notice the poison ivy growing right next to the flower. I immediately felt a tingling on my upper lip, but it was too late. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me.
Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early bright, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all this, along with the promise of a new day.
In June, the melting flower of Ohio spiderwort stages a monthlong show at various savannas and prairies throughout the region. The flower dissolves soon after it first opens. Yes, you read that correctly. Click here to read my poem about it. And if a flower that turns to liquid isn’t weird enough, you can now find porcupine grass with a seed that drills itself into the soil. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. Look for this grass and its seeds at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Miller Woods, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie. If you visit Pembroke Savanna or Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, look for the plumes of June grass that glow brightly in the spotlight of a low sun.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The spectacular, sunny show of golden sand coreopsis could now be underway. Though you can find them shining under the trees, breathtaking expanses of the flower are commonly found in the sun-soaked sand prairie to the east. Blooming alongside the coreopsis, you may see the tiny white sparkles of sand cress and sandwort, the fluffy white plumes of New Jersey tea, and lots of porcupine grass. In the shade of the black oak savanna, downy phlox and pasture rose add beautiful splashes of pink amidst the fading blue-and-white blossoms of wild lupine and the three-petaled blossoms of Ohio spiderwort that turn to a purple liquid in the heat of the day. Along your trek, look for hoary puccoon, hairy puccoon, and, if you’re observant, Indian paintbrush. While you’re here, consider the short drive north to Chiwaukee Prairie.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Get out to see the big display of pale purple coneflower upon the gravelly kames of this beautiful preserve. Also, look for the white blossoms of white wild indigo and daisy fleabane along with newly blooming foxglove beardtongue and wild quinine. Ohio spiderwort is blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is often the time in June when dense displays of pale purple coneflower combine with the floating flowers of scurfy pea to create a breathtaking wildflower shows. There might still be some blooms of Ohio spiderwort, with purple flowers that open around sunrise and soon shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. Porcupine grass is showing off its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Watch my video of the drilling seed. Look for the white cauliflower heads of wild quinine, golden black-eyed Susan, the occasional blooms of purple milkweed and pasture rose. And you may catch the start of orange butterfly weed. And finally, appreciate the large gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly under a backlit sun.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: This is only a “Go!” for the morning hours to experience grand performances of of Ohio spiderwort that turn the prairie into a haze of blue. However, the flowers will disappear by afternoon, especially if it’s hot. Along your walk, you should also see the tall and fluffy purple meadow rue, white wild quinine, daisy fleabane, the occasional purple milkweed, and small displays of the heart-stopping yellow prairie sundrop. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: This preserve can often present a wonderful morning show of Ohio spiderwort alongside alabaster expanses of foxglove beardtongue. Also adding to the whites are white wild indigo, daisy fleabane, and the start of wild quinine, which will soon put on a fine show of its own. Along the narrow prairie trail, you should also see the stunning purple milkweed, sprinklings of black-eyed Susan, and the glorious and happy yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and around gorgeous wetlands.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Ohio spiderwort often puts on a fine show alongside nice ivory displays of foxglove beardtongue and remaining meadow anemone. And tall purple meadow rue, with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems, can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance. And false sunflower may be starting out.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: If you want to see spiderwort, this is a great place. It’s almost everywhere. But as stated before, you need to get here early. The spiderwort is mixed in with a prolific display of daisy fleabane, along with some pasture rose and remaining hairy puccoon. And you’ll also find lots of porcupine grass.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Somme Prairie Grove: If you live up north, and you don’t want head south, just visit Somme Prairie Grove to enjoy the greenery of the scenery with occasional flashes of floral color. This preserve has a nice feel to it. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant with a flower head that’s just starting to turn into purple flowers. I’m about to list a bunch of flowers that you may see, but that doesn’t mean that there’s lots of floral color. At this time in June, the preserve may bel ninety-eight percent green. There’s a good chance that you’ll see the gorgeous yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop that will probably be the most showy plant at the moment. However, you may also discover a little bit of newly flowering orange butterfly weed and possibly a few remaining groups of red Indian paintbrush. Flickers of white come from foxglove beardtongue, wild quinine, white wild indigo, daisy fleabane, and the non-native ox-eye daisy. Keep your eyes open for the striking blooms of purple milkweed and the beautifully scented pasture rose. And finally, the golden flowers are may be blooming on a few compass plants.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This preserve is officially located within the fence at the top of the hill. However, chances are that most of the action is taking place outside the official boundary of the preserve, where hundreds of pale purple coneflower bloom on the southern and western slopes. It’s probably mostly green inside the fence, where you’ll probably find porcupine grass, wild quinine, some early-blooming leadplant, a few prairie coreopsis, pink downy phlox, and short green milkweed. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
PLANT OF THE WEEK: FOXGLOVE BEARDTONGUE
The flowers of foxglove beardtongue resemble the snout of a dragon with a mouth that opens and closes as you squeeze the sides. This explains why it’s part of the snapdragon family. The flowers have no smell that I can detect. But come autumn, the seeds smell EXACTLY like vomit! Be still my heart.* In June, foxglove beardtongue blooms at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin and many other preserves around the region.
The late-spring prairies at Spears Woods in Willow Springs often put on a big show of foxglove beardtongue.*
At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois, pearly blossoms of foxglove beardtongue catch the morning rays and a new day awakens—one as splendid and picturesque as any place on Earth.*
PHOTO SECTION
Prairie Coreopsis
In the second half of June atop the gravel hill of Shoe Factory Road Prairie grows deep-rooted leadplant and the happy yellow faces of prairie coreopsis that shine through the fog. You can find nice displays at Bluff Spring Fen, as well.*
Pale Purple Coneflower
Pale purple coneflower is favorite of mine. I just love how the petals droop downward. The plant has deep taproot, allowing it to survive drought and to thrive in gravel and dolomite limestone prairies. In the warm light of rising or setting sun, the flowers turn a stunning orange pink. Here at Belmont Prairie, I picked out this scene from a thousand coneflowers: a miniature, slow-motion rodeo that was taking place upon one prickly flower head. I watched as a tiny ant rode the back of a slinking inchworm.*
Sometimes the petals of pale purple coneflowers are colored pale white. Here, a combination of pink and white coneflowers populate the kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
The predawn clouds take on the colors of the pale purple coneflower at this dolomite limestone prairie at Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins, Illinois. You can usually find this majestic plant growing most prominently at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, and on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie,*
Each day, Mother Nature chooses from an array of natural elements and then fashions them into new works of art. Most Junes at Belmont Prairie, dazzling mosaics like this go on exhibit. Assembled from over one hundred pale purple coneflowers, the final work, not the individual pieces, draws our attention.*
June brings pale purple coneflower, scurfy pea, and porcupine grass to Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove.*
The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort
In late May or early June, Ohio spiderwort begins a performance that will last a month or longer, starring a cluster of buds that releases only a couple of flowers each day. Each morning, a new bud opens into a delicate blue or purple flower. You may find spiderwort, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Powderhorn Prairie, Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and more.
As the day wears on, each blossom begins to wither—then miraculously melts into a gem of royal jelly. An enzyme in the flower causes it to slowly decompose, and hot weather speeds up the process. It’s noon, and this flower is already shriveling.*
By midafternoon, this spiderwort bloom was melting blue between my fingertips. Do you notice my purple fingers? I was arrested earlier that morning.
This is the scene from Wolf Road Prairie, as blossoms of Ohio spiderwort open to meet the new day.*
At Miller Woods (Indiana Dunes National Park), spiderwort and ferns cover the side of the dunes.*
Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds
The seeds of porcupine grass are located at the tip of long sharp needles that fall off the plant and then slowly drill themselves into the soil. You can find porcupine grass at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie.*
Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.
Pasture Rose is a Flower that Must be Smelled:
Pasture rose grows here in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. But you can also find it at other preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen and Pembroke Savanna. The fragrance of pasture rose is transcendent—a spiritual experience.*
Hoary Puccoon
The golden blooms of hoary puccoon can be found, here, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and many other preserves around the region including Miller Woods, Powderhorn Marsh and Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and more.*
Purple Milkweed
The striking blooms of purple milkweed can be found in the best prairies and savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove and, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
June Grass
June grass and hoary puccoon glow in the morning light of the sand savanna at Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park.*
Butterfly Weed
Coral hairstreak butterfly on butterfly weed at Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham, Illinois.*
Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can find this plant at several high-quality preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Butterfly weed blooms across the oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. You can also find it at many other preserves including, Somme Prairie Grove, Belmont Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Indian Paintbrush
Here at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Indian paintbrush brightens up the foggy morning landscape. You can also find this flower at Gensburg-Markham Prairie and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Purple Meadow Rue Towers in Some Spring Prairies
In June, purple meadow rue towers above the blue morning blooms of Ohio spiderwort at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock
These are the large leaves of the prairie’s most iconic plants. The heart-shaped leaf is that of prairie dock, and the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.*
* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
Miraculous Spinning Seed of Porcupine Grass
Miraculous Spinning Seed of Porcupine Grass
Watch this video to experience the spinning seed of porcupine grass:
The bright-colored grasses crisscrossing the center of the frame are porcupine grass. Its long spear-like seeds miraculously drill themselves into the earth in a counter-clockwise motion that you can actually watch. See video above.
Porcupine grass (Hesperostipa spartea, previously known as Stipa spartea, for anyone who cares) is a particularly fun and interesting plant because of its fascinating seed. The common name refers to its long needles, which apparently resemble the spines of a porcupine, though I think the needle-like fruit best resembles a six- to seven-inch spear. The seed head represents the blade, and the long shaft is known as the awn. As the javelin-shaped fruit falls from the plant, the heavy seed head leads the way and embeds its sharp tip into the soil. As the awn dries, it twirls counter-clockwise until the shaft becomes so tightly wound that the implanted seed head begins to drill into the ground. Humidity and moisture have the opposite effect on the awn, causing it to uncoil, allowing rain or heavy dew to straighten it out. As the awn unwinds, the seed is left in place. The drilling process resumes when the environment dries out, and the cycle repeats until the seed is deposited as far as three to four inches beneath the surface, where the awn decays and the grain germinates. Seeds of porcupine grass can’t help but drill, so much so that they’ve been known to cause fatal wounds in animals. Hence, trust me when I tell you that putting them in your pocket is a big mistake.
The awn of this porcupine grass seed is tightly twisted, as you can see by the winding yellow and black stripes along its length. The pointy seed head of porcupine grass is bearded, with hairs pointing upward to keep it lodged in the soil. As a fun experiment, drop the entire fruit into a tall glass of water and remove it after it has mostly straightened out. Dab it dry with a towel, and then stick the seed head into a small pot of dirt or, if in a pinch, a dry sponge. Now watch. Soon, you’ll begin to see the awn wind like a very slow second hand of a backwards-running clock. See video above.
In June, you can find porcupine grass and their spear-like seeds at prairies and savannas across the Chicago region, including:
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, Illinois
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois
-Mike