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Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
May 3 – May 15, 2024
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The month of May brings new layers of greenery and wildflowers
to our woodlands and the first blooms in our prairies and savannas.
WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
May brings great lushness to the woodlands and a new group of flowers. And the savannas and prairie begin to put on their first performances. But what’s blooming right now? According to my database, there’s a good chance of catching both performances this season. But nature isn’t about the flowers. It’s about the experience. Explore and discover a preserve from the list below. Be open to nature’s unexpected gifts, whether it be a colorful, awe-inspiring bloom, the mysterious squeak of two rubbing trees mimicking the cry of a baby animal, or the life-affirming odor of skunk cabbage. All of these things will open up your life to a world of wonder and intrigue.
The spectacular shows of Virginia Bluebell and large-flowered trillium are now gone. The newest flowers to be found in our woodlands are woodland phlox and wild geranium alongside hidden blossoms of mayapple and wild ginger. Take a close look underneath the leaves of wild ginger to find their fuzzy burgundy flowers. And the large waxy white blossoms of mayapple may also be flowering. To find them, look beneath the umbrellas of two-leafed plants. In the woodlands, the earliest of our spring ephemerals should mostly be gone. Many them are colored white, including bloodroot, false rue anemone, rue anemone, spring cress, white trout lily, Dutchman’s breeches, cutleaf toothwort. Spring beauty is white with pink stripes, and sharp-lobed hepatica offers a beautiful palette ranging from white to lavender to purple. You should be able to see some some red in the form of prairie trillium. And as for the hues of blues, our common blue violet is extremely beautiful when growing in a clump amidst its heart-shaped foliage. The yellow blossoms of marsh marigold are also gone or well on their way out. You may still find yellow violet, bristly buttercup, yellow trout lily, and the shy drooping blossoms of large-flowered bellwort with beautiful colonies along the bluffs of Johnson’s Mound and Black Partridge Woods. Shooting star and spiraling wood betony (our Plant of the Week) also grows in some woodlands, including Black Partridge Woods. But these two flowers are also on display in some of our savannas and prairies, including Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, and later in the month at Chiwaukee Prairie when the shooting stars cover the grassland pink with touches of yellow star grass, birdfoot violet, and golden Alexander. And the golden blossoms of hoary puccoon may be found in our prairies and oak savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Pembroke Savanna, Belmont Prairie, Miller Woods, and usually a little later at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and Chiwaukee Prairie.
Wild hyacinth also make their debut at the start of May with the best displays at Wolf Road Prairie and atop the bluffs at Black Partridge Woods.
And let’s not forget the textured lushness and shapely foliage that typify vernal season: wild leek, mayapple, skunk cabbage, and wild ginger. Wild leek is the one of the first plants to sprout, with a spray of swordlike leaves that make up a large percentage of the woodland greenery. You should now find mayapple with leaves that resemble an open umbrella, or a closed umbrella when they first sprout. Seek out the the sprawling leaves of skunk cabbage in the wet and muddy areas. Great displays can be found at Pilcher Park, Trout Park, Black Partridge Woods, and Bluff Spring Fen. And notice the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger and its fuzzy burgundy flower hiding underneath. As an interesting history lesson, wild leek is the plant that gives Chicago its name. In the late 1600s, Potawatomi Indians who paddled the area rivers were commonly heard yelling “Chicagoua!” after catching a strong whiff of chicagoua, or wild leek, growing prolifically along the wooded banks. Wild leek is part of the onion family, hence the Chicago nickname, “The Big Onion.” NOTE: It is illegal to remove this plant, or any other plant, from any preserve in the Chicago region.
Another wonderful show happens sometime between late April and mid-May at Pembroke Savanna, when birdfoot violet and sand phlox (one of our Plants of the Week) carpet the sandy floor of this black oak savanna. And, if you’re lucky, the breathtaking stout blue-eye grass might be aflower.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: Under the trees of the oak savanna, wild hyacinth often reaches peak bloom around this time alongside nice pink displays of wild geranium. In the prairie, look for the buttery blossoms of wood betony, the golds of hoary puccoon and golden Alexander, and lots of white starry false Solomon’s seal.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: The spring wildflower season ends in May with shows of woodland phlox, mayapple, wild hyacinth, and wild geranium. The greatest densities of the latter two plants can be found atop the bluffs. It’s also a dreamy time to experience the lushness of the woodland. It’s so green—from the new leaves of the tiered tree canopy to the dense carpet of foliage on the woodland floor. Thanks to wild ginger that has fully leafed out, you can hardly see the ground beneath. I love the miniature forests of mayapple with their parasol-shaped leaves where you may still be able to find a lonesome waxy white blossom hiding under the plants with two umbrellas. Exciting patches of acrobatic skunk cabbage leaves add to the whimsy. Wild leek‘s emerald swords put up a defense, along with the star-like leaves of wild geranium. And look for the floating filigreed foliage of early meadow rue. A smattering of white and pink shooting star may also be found on the bluffs above. And if woodland phlox is still aflower, note its gorgeous fragrance. If you find a larger patch of phlox, you may not even have to put nose to petal to detect its fabulous scent. The combination of woodland phlox, wild geranium, and shooting star is wonderful sight.
Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn: This intimate preserve is known for its ravines and the flowers that cross the braes. During early to mid May, the preserve is richly green from your ankles to the fresh tree canopy above. During this time, it often offers some nice displays of pink wild geranium and blue woodland phlox amidst the white blooms of mayapple.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: Sometime during late April to mid-May, the preserve puts on a beautiful show of blue and white, as carpets of sapphire birdfoot violet and sparkling sand phlox flow across the savanna. Don’t leave without bending down to enjoy the fragrance of these two jewels. You may also see the white of sand cress and starry false Solomon’s seal, and the golds of two-flowered Cynthia and buds of hoary puccoon. On your visit, you’ll notice mysterious sand mounds throughout the preserves. They are the handiwork of the plains pocket gopher. This rarely seen underground gopher excavates tunnels, and the extra sand has to go somewhere.
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: I love this place for its springtime lushness. In early to mid May, you can find beautiful displays of pink wild geranium and blue woodland phlox. And as May progresses, dramatic plumes of false Solomon’s seal scatter across the rolling verdant landscape. The foliage on the woodland floor has fully matured as the trees are pushing out fresh delicate leaves in the canopy overhead. Spread across the woodland floor are the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, mayapple, and the omnipresent wild ginger. The latter two might still be blooming! A rich variety of flowers can be found at this preserve. Upon entering, you’re immediately greeted by a nice display of woodland phlox, which is the most prominent flower after the Virginia bluebells have faded away. Like the bluebell, phlox has a wonderful fragrance that you should be able to smell as you stroll by. At the same time, the pink blossoms of wild geranium rival phlox as the star of the show. You may still find some sparkle from rue anemone, false rue anemone, common blue violet, common yellow violet, and bristly buttercup. And look for Jack-in-the-pulpit and the gorgeous and shy drooping trillium. The strange and wonderful prairie trillium may be blooming in very large numbers, and you may find some that look yellow. And finally, If you take it slow and remain very quiet as you approach the bridge, you may see frogs resting along the muddy banks.
Fermilab Natural Areas in Batavia: NOTE: Visitors must present the proper ID at the guard gate. Click here for details. The woodland adjacent to the prairie is rich in springtime ephemerals. You should find fragrant purple woodland phlox amidst floating pink blossoms of wild geranium. Depending on the date of your visit, you may find many of the usual suspects. e usual suspects in bloom: spring beauty, false rue anemone, prairie trillium, and yellow colonies of bristly buttercup. And of course, these flowers will fall against a verdant backdrop of blooming mayapple, wild ginger, and some wild leek. In the prairie, look for wood betony golden Alexander, and shooting star.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: Though not officially a hill prairie, this gravelly prairie on a hill gets a lot of sun and also a lot of wildflowers. This may be a good time to see its first blooms of the season from hoary puccoon, wood betony, golden Alexander, shooting star, birdfoot violet, and blue-eyed grass.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Under the trees, check under the parasols of mayapple for its poisonous waxy white flower. Yet, the most prolific blooms may be happening under the sun with shining displays of wood betony and golden Alexander. Then add to that the brilliant yellow blossoms of hairy puccoon. You’ll also find ivory tones from bastard toadflax in the prairie and fluffy plumes of common cottongrass in the soggy areas. Under the protection of the savanna’s canopy, look for woodland phlox, wild geranium, shooting star, and the sublime stout blue-eyed grass.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook: Note that springtime starts a little later in the northern suburbs. Remain under the tree canopy to see the most spring ephemerals. Along your stroll, you should discover spring beauty, white trout lily, some bloodroot, cutleaf toothwort, mayapple, and others. You may now find the beautiful hemi-parasitic wood betony scattered in patches across the preserve, often in the sunnier spots, along with shooting star, prairie trillium, and golden Alexander in early bloom. Look for yellow water buttercup and miniature forests of mayapple that add to the whimsy. Park at the main parking lot for this preserve, located at Somme Woods, then follow the narrow trail and cross the street to Somme Prairie Grove.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: You may still find a beautiful show of wild geranium and possibly some woodland phlox. The maroon flowers of prairie trillium may still be hanging on, and so might the large waxy white flowers of mayapple. Once spring takes hold, you’ll see a variety of blooming ephemerals amidst an emerald carpet often rich in a lacy false mermaid, mayapple, wild leek, and wild ginger.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: In May, this intimate remnant prairie awakens with golden bouquets of hoary puccoon alongside starry false Solomon’s seal, yellow star grass, and wild strawberry.
NOTE: If you can’t make it to our showcase preserves, try McKinley Woods/Fredericks Grove in Channahon, Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and Harms Woods in Glenview, and Oldfield Oaks in Darien, and J. Timothy Ritchie Preserve in Chesterton, Indiana. You’re bound to find some good stuff.
PLANT OF THE WEEK (Wood Betony):
PHOTO SECTION
Woodland Phlox:
Sand Phlox:
Large-flowered Trillium can bloom between mid-April and mid-May:
Shooting Star:
Wild Geranium:
Wild Hyacinth:
Starry False Solomon’s Seal:
Mayapple:
Wild Ginger:
False Rue Anemone:
Rue Anemone:
Cutleaf Toothwort:
Large-Flowered Bellwort:
Dutchman’s Breeches (or Dutchman’s Britches):
Prairie Trillium:
Skunk Cabbage:
Stout Blue-Eyed Grass
Shoe Factory Road Prairie:
Pembroke Savanna:
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