Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
July 9, 2021
“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Outdoor Getaways & Nature Trips”
Chicago’s Best Weekend Walks & Outdoor Getaways!
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INSPIRING UPDATE THAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED: Last Wednesday, Amanda Moss read our plea for more scouts, joined our scouting group on Thursday, and scouted Somme Prairie Grove on Friday. Then she scouted Shoe Factory Road Prairie a few days later. Wow! Thank you so much, Amanda! Now that’s what I call “taking action.” If you’re interested in being part of our inspiring team, please let me know.
WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES INTO CHICAGO’S WOODLANDS:
The summer flowering is getting back on track thanks to the recent rains. However, the knobs in the oak savanna at Somme Prairie Grove seemed unfazed by the drought. The deep-rooted plants of leadplant (our Plant of the Week), wild quinine, compass plant, and others are a sight to behold. The current bloom is one of the most breathtaking displays I’ve ever seen. See my picture from July 5th under our Photo Section.
The gravelly prairies at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen are now featuring many flowers. 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 biggest blast of orange butterfly weed can be found at Belmont Prairie amidst a panorama of pale purple coneflower and blue scurfy pea. What a glorious sight to behold. And the biggest blast of orange butterfly weed can be found at Belmont Prairie amidst a panorama of pale purple coneflower and blue scurfy pea. What a glorious sight to behold.
In our prairies and oak savannas, you’ll now find the refreshing mints of wild bergamot and mountain mint are early in their bloom alongside yellow coneflower with seed heads that smell of licorice.
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.
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.
If you looking for longer walks, try our larger preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Lake in the Hills Fen, Spears Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.
WHERE TO GO THIS WEEKEND FOR A SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAY AROUND CHICAGO:
We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”
THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):
The order of the preserves below is based on the quality of the wildflower experience, starting out with the best.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (7/5=): I cannot 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 and pinks mix with sparking whites and startling explosions of orange. 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 are now starting 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.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (7/8+): This is good time to visit this remnant prairie where several colorful plants bloom at once. 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. The dramatic alabaster blooms of wild quinine instantly get your attention. And the shocking orange of butterfly weed steals the show with dramatic surges of vibrancy throughout the prairie. New lavender plumes of wild bergamot are beginning to fill the pink-and-blue void left by faded pale purple coneflower and scurfy pea. And golden black-eyed Susan are joined by the freshly flowering yellow coneflower, false sunflower, and looming stalks of compass plant.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (7/7+): Many flowers are blooming at the official Illinois Nature Preserve inside the fence at the top of the hill. And there’s also a lot of flowering along the slope outside the fence and the surrounding preserve. Bees (and other happy pollinators) are joyously abuzz. On the slope leading to the entrance, you’ll experience wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, pale purple coneflower, leadplant, prairie coreopsis, purple prairie clover and its white cousin, a sprinkling of black-eyed Susan, an abundance of wild quinine, and the whitish Tinker Toy flower heads of rattlesnake master. Once inside the preserve, you’ll find nice displays of golden prairie coreopsis, purple prairie clover, leadplant, the beautifully fragrant mints of wild bergamot, and mountain mint,. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills (7/9=): Though there may be some non-native and invasive plants here, there are many native plants to make up for it. Trust me, you won’t have me saying that very much. That’s not our standard at ChicagoNatureNOW!. More restoration work needs to be done, and that usually means more volunteers. But most people are unaware that “Chicago nature” is actually a thing. And if they think they do know, they probably don’t understand the magnitude of the beauty and biodiversity. They think it’s all “just green.” And that’s why we exist. We education people to increase the pool of potential volunteer restoration workers. So, help us scout our showcase preserves. Now for the report:
This preserve has a beautiful expansive view that is best enjoyed at edges of daylight, especially 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 and yellow coneflower, pale purple coneflower, and mauve common milkweed that smells like a bunch of over-perfumed old ladies on Bingo night.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs (7/6=): The preserve’s prairies are looking very nice. “Sparkling white” describes the scene as alabaster heads of wild quinine flower across the panorama. You’ll discover explosions of orange butterfly weed and sparklers of newly flowering mountain mint and yellow bursts of skyward compass plant. Golden black-eyed Susan are sprinkled about along with curving stalks of white wild indigo and ivory balls of rattlesnake master that are just beginning to flower. If you stand at a high spot, you can scan prairie below for the orange Silly String of parasitic field dodder draped over and around the plants that it’s feeding on. Thanks to spring’s prescribed fire, the prairie is green and clean, uncluttered by last year’s tan skeletons. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where various trails guide you through woodlands, prairies, and wetlands.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (7/6+): The flower show is happening in the southmost portion of the prairie with the most dramatic performance coming from wild quinine. New flowers are starting to bloom and the color is getting better by the day. Along the way, you’ll also experience fresh stalks of Culver’s root, along with flowering spurge, rattlesnake master, yellow coneflower, rosinweed, and wild bergamot. You’ll also find the occasional white wild indigo, a smattering of yellow-petaled black-eyed Susan and towering stalks of compass plant, 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.
GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (UNSCOUTED): We couldn’t get here, but I was given a brief report from a source. I will also combine this info with what happened a year ago. This is my prediction of what you’ll find. There should be butterfly weed, a revived bloom of sand coreopsis, possibly some marsh phlox, blue morning blossoms of Ohio spiderwort, and fragrant pasture rose. Under the sun of the sand prairie and the dunes to the east, keep your eyes peeled for sprays of Cleland’s evening primrose and the spectacular yellow blossoms of eastern prickly pear cactus. Each flower only lasts a day.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (6/27+): Thanks to the rains, the flower blooms are rebounding. (Note: Some areas of the trail could be damp or underwater. So come prepared.) Many flowers are sharing in this week’s July Fourth celebration, including pale purple coneflower, yellow prairie coreopsis, leadplant, and newly flowering purple prairie clover. The occasional oranges of butterfly weed, blue hues of vervain, and silvery splashes of wild quinine, and white wild indigo all add flair to the festivities. As you traverse the trails, you’ll discover several colorful vignettes, each with its own personality. You’ll find shows atop the big kame in the savanna, in the gravelly bowl around the fen, and upon the eastern prairie kames.
PLANT OF THE WEEK: 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.*
PHOTO SECTION
Butterfly Weed is Blooming Strong
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.*
Somme Prairie Grove is Overflowing 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.*
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.
Prairie Coreopsis
In June, 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.*
Marram Grass
Near the Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, amidst marram grass and bearberry, 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.*
Now that you know a little something about spiderwort, click here to read my poem about this plant from my book, My Journey into the Wilds of Chicago: A Celebration of Chicagoland’s Startling Natural Wonders.
Compass Plant is Now Blooming
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.
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, Illinois.*
Culver’s Root is Beginning to Flower
Culver’s root is beginning to bloom en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester.*
Rattlesnake Master is Almost Blooming
Rattlesnake master is a wonderful Chicago prairie flower that looks 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 Woods and Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies over the next few weeks.*
Mountain Mint
Inhale the invigorating white flowers of mountain mint that grow here at Spears Woods and at many other preserves on our list.*
Wild Bergamot & Yellow Coneflower are Just Beginning
“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.*
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, while the long-lobed leaf is its cousin compass plant.
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.*
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—Mike
