Mike MacDonald’s 
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert 
 August 12, 2024

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

 

Summer Nature Walks & Outdoor Getaways!

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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

 

Big Bluestem

Canada Wild Rye

 

Indian Grass

Side Oats Grama

 

 

PHOTO SECTION

 

Spears Woods Often Explodes

 

Somme Prairie Grove Overflows with Beauty and Biodiversity

 

Wolf Road Prairie: A State of Glorious Chaos

 

Bluff Spring Fen

 

Shoe Factory Road Prairie

 

Lake in the Hills Fen

 

Middlefork Savanna

 

Pembroke Savanna

 

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve

 

Cylindrical Blazing Star

 

Woodland Sunflower

 

Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower

 

Nodding Wild Onion

 

Flowering Spurge

 

Prairie & Marsh Blazing Star

 

Rattlesnake Master

 

Wild Quinine Can Be Found in Many Prairies

 

Mountain Mint

 

Sweet Joe-Pye Weed

 

Swamp Rose Mallow

 

American Lotus at Tomahawk & Hogwash Sloughs

 

Prairie Dock

 

Compass Plant

 

The Charismatic Foliage of Compass Plant & Prairie Dock

 

Mountain Mint

 

Swamp Milkweed

 

Green Glow

 

Prairie Root System

 

—Mike