Chicago Nature Now! Alert
June 12, 2020
“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”
Best COVID-19 Wildflower Walks & Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!
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PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE VISITING OUR SHOWCASE PRESERVES DURING THIS TIME OF INCREASED INTEREST IN BEING OUTDOORS:
ChicagoNatureNOW! preserves are Sacred Cathedrals of Nature, NOT playgrounds or amusement parks. Please treat these sanctuaries with reverence. Behave as you would in any house of worship:
- Stay on the trails.
- Walk, don’t run.
- If your kids need to run around, there are THOUSANDS of more appropriate places to play.
- Speak quietly as to not interfere with the spiritual experiences of others.
- Don’t pick flowers or remove anything from a preserve.
- Share cherished moments through photography, drawing, painting, and writing.
- Many of these preserves do NOT allow pets, even if they’re leashed.
- If a rule isn’t listed here, then ask yourself, “Would I do this in a house of worship?”
IMPORTANT COVID-19 SITE ACCESS & SAFETY TIPS
SITE ACCESS:
Most sites and trails that are owned by Chicago-area counties and Indiana Dunes National Park are open, except for visitor centers, buildings, and bathrooms. Fermilab Prairie woodland (Fermilab Natural Areas) in Batavia is closed. Period. Check out these websites before you go:
- Forest Preserve District of Will County
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County
- Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
- Lake County Forest Preserves
- Indiana Dunes National Park
- McHenry County Conservation District
- One of our favorite showcase preserves, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, is closed until further notice due to abuse. One of our intrepid scouts found a family-of-four carrying out flowers that they picked for Mother’s Day. And we received a report of ten mountain bikers who gathered to pick the hoary puccoon and wood betony, possibly for the same reason. This behavior is horrid, and I agree with the temporary policy. But we cannot allow the preserve to be closed off forever. This is a teachable moment. Education and appreciation is the key to helping people fall in love with nature, not locking people out.
BE SAFE:
- WEAR A MASK to protect others. Act as if you are infected because you very well could be and don’t know it.
- Give each other at least TEN feet of space between you because the wind can carry the virus.
- When people are present, be conscious of the wind and its direction.
- When having a conversation, position yourselves so that the wind is blowing from the left or the right.
- Don’t block people’s progress by blocking trails or gathering around trailheads or intersections.
WE NEED SCOUTS. CLICK TO LEARN ABOUT VOLUNTEERING WITH US!
WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES INTO CHICAGO’S WOODLANDS:
The golden flowers of sand coreopsis are reaching peak bloom at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. This dramatic event is being featured worldwide with my picture in the current edition of the famous Sierra Club Wilderness Wall Calendar. (If you’re interested in an autographed calendar, I have just four copies left in stock here.)
The ephemeral melting blooms of Ohio spiderwort are now melting hearts around Chicago as they begin their monthlong show. Ohio spiderwort is our Plant of the Week. Click here to read my poem about it. 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.
The sensational blue flag iris is on display in wetlands across the region, including a breathtaking show at Somme Prairie Grove. And the pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue are now blooming. 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.
WHERE TO GO THIS WEEKEND FOR A SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAY AROUND CHICAGO:
Before visiting a preserve, visit the website for the landholder first. Click here for some resources.
We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look like on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”
THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (6/5+): The golden flowers of sand coreopsis are just beginning to bloom, and they should be looking wonderful by the June 13th weekend. Though you can find them growing under the trees, breathtaking expanses of the flower can be found in the sunny sand prairie to the east. Blooming alongside the coreopsis, you may see the tiny white flowers of sandwort and the fluffy white plumes of New Jersey tea. And there’s a lot 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. Along your trek, you’ll also find hoary puccoon, hairy puccoon, and, if you’re observant, Indian paintbrush. While you’re here, consider the short drive north to Chiwaukee Prairie.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (6/6+): Everywhere you look there’s color. Like last week, the biggest show comes from blue flag iris in the wetland along the eastern edge. Ohio spiderwort can be found at many places throughout the site with the largest amounts near the iris display. And the bright yellow blooms of golden Alexander are putting on a great show in the woodland. Fading blooms of shooting star can be found in nice patches. And there’s one spot upon a knob where a handful of orange Indian paintbrush glow in the sunlight. The preserve was recently burned, which cleared away the brambly dead growth from last year, leaving behind verdant emerging sprouts that pop out against a backdrop of bare black soil. It’s quite garden-like and pleasing to the eye. I especially like the many bright-emerald tufts of prairie dropseed.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (6/7+): This is “Go!” for the morning only to see the tremendous show of Ohio spiderwort (our Plant of the Week) 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, and the large beautiful foliage of prairie dock and compass plant.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (6/11+): Like Wolf Road Prairie, this preserve is a “Go!” during the morning hours to see the ephemeral blooms of Ohio spiderwort. Their purple flowers open around sunrise, but only last a few hours until they shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. Pale purple coneflower and scurfy pea are just starting to flower. Porcupine grass is showing its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Again, “very cool!” Watch the seed drill in my video. And look for the gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly when the sun is behind them.
We need scouts.
Click here to learn about how you can help us share the beauty.
GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (6/11+): The glorious pale purple coneflower is now in bloom with the best display atop the big kame. To reach this spot, please use the out-and-back trail to the top. While you’re up there, you’ll have a great view of the oak savanna and the bowl of the fen to the east. As you continue your hike around the bowl, 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.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin (6/11-): Right now, you’ll find large areas of golden Alexander, a good amount of downy phlox, and golden blooms of hoary puccoon that dot the panorama. Though still quite pretty, the dense galaxies of shooting star have lost much of their glimmer and wild lupine has faded, as well. Along your walk, notice the delightful heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock that will soon grow to over a foot long. NOTE: If you visit, consider taking the time to experience the nearby show of sand coreopsis at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve.
Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park (UNSCOUTED. Last scouted on 5/24-): To follow is what I predict you’ll find based on our last visit on May 24. This preserve is large and a treat to experience. I expect you’ll find nice displays of blooming spiderwort, as long as you visit in the morning before the flower melt away. The vibrant yellow blooms of hoary puccoon and two-flowered Cynthia adds a golden sparkle to the savanna. While you’re here, take the trail to the lakeshore that starts at the nature center. Along the way, the trail crosses a wide gravel path that goes straight east-west. Head west, and you’ll find beaver lodges and beaver activity. If you arrive early or remain late in the day, chances are you’ll be greeted by a beaver slapping its flat tail against the water to alert others of its kind about that human lurking about. On my last visit, I must have heard ten tail slaps. This abandoned railroad right-of-way isn’t as intimate as the official narrow trail, but I like the views better. After your hike, consider checking out the flowers at Tolleston Dunes and West Beach. NOTE: The trail can covered with water in some places. We recommend high boots. Or just slosh on through!
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont (Unscouted. Last scouted on 5/30.): NOTE: If the main parking lot is closed, but no problem! Just use the on-street parking area located about a hundred feet west. There aren’t many flowers blooming, anymore. But, if you want to experience the lushness of a shady springtime woodland, then this is a great place to go. The lush feel that runs from floor to canopy is breathtaking. In the lowland, it’s hard to see the earth below thanks to the carpet of wild ginger. I particularly love the miniature forests of mayapple with their parasol-shaped leaves. Exciting patches of large, acrobatic skunk cabbage add to the whimsy, along with the foliage of wild leek, wild geranium, early meadow rue, and Solmon’s seal.
PLANT OF THE WEEK: 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 can 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.
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.
PHOTO SECTION
Sand Coreopsis at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
In a celebration of life, blooms of sand coreopsis spread their golden joy along the banks of the Dead River at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion. The current Sierra Club Wilderness Wall Calendar features this image to represent the month of July.*
The turning earth is the dimmer switch, gradually recasting every dim dewdrop, petal, and blade of grass into a galaxy of blazing bulbs and lustrous lamps. On this late-spring morning at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, blooms of golden sand coreopsis and New Jersey tea are set aglow alongside shimmering spider webs that cling to last year’s grasses.*
Foxglove Beardtongue is Beginning to Bloom
In June, foxglove beardtongue blooms at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin and many other preserves. In the fall, the seeds smell EXACTLY like vomit! Be still my heart.*
Ohio Spiderwort Begins its Monthlong Show
Ohio spiderwort is our Plant of the Week. At Miller Woods (Indiana Dunes National Park), spiderwort and ferns cover the side of the dunes. You can find this remarkable morning flower in prairies and savannas across the region.*
Golden Alexander
Golden Alexander of species Zizia aurea appears to have large flowers, but what you are seeing is a cluster of miniature one-eighth-inch blooms. The pollen and nectar of the flowers benefit insects with short mouthparts. The plant grows in both high-quality and degraded habitats. The golden blooms can be found brightening up the panorama here at Somme Prairie Grove and at many other preserve, including Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, and Chiwaukee Prairie.*
In May at Chiwaukee Prairie, golden Alexander blooms amidst the heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock.*
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.*
Blue Flag Iris
A phalanx of blue flag iris towers over the spring wetland at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook.*
Blue flag iris blooms in the late-May wetland at Spears Woods in Willow Springs.*
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.*
Shooting Star
If the celestial blooms of shooting star don’t capture your attention, then nothing will. The origin of the name is pretty obvious at first sight, and also for the moniker of “prairie pointer” given to the plant by early pioneers. I once thought that the flowers only grew under the sun of prairies and savannas, like Chiwaukee Prairie, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, and Somme Prairie Grove, until I found them thriving under the dappled canopy at Black Partridge Woods. Cleansing fires benefit this plant because dead vegetation can smother it. The most common pollinator is the queen bumblebee that uses its thoracic muscles to quickly vibrate the pollen loose in a process called “buzz pollination.”
Shooting star, hoary puccoon, yellow star grass, and others often bloom in profusion at Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. Shooting star also grows at Black Partridge Woods, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Wild Lupine is Blooming in Ending its Run
Wild lupine, of species Lupinus perennis, seems to love poor soil,. However, in ancient times, it was believed that the lupines were creating the bad soil by wolfing down the nutrients. Hence, the name comes from the Greek word “Lupus,” or “wolf.” In reality, lupine brings nutrients to the soil just like other legumes, such as leadplant, white wild indigo, scurfy pea, and purple prairie clover. Around Chicago, lupine can be found growing in sandy soil under the trees of black oak savannas, including Miller Woods, part of Indiana Dunes National Park and Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion.
Atop this spring dune thrives wild lupine at Miller Woods, part of Indiana Dunes National Park in Gary, Indiana. While you’re in the park, you also can find them at Tolleston Dunes, and West Beach.*
Here at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, you can often find wild lupine blooming alongside hoary and hairy puccoon, though usually not in great numbers.*
An exploration into the inner world of wild lupine.
Beaver Activity at Miller Woods
On the gravel road that rides a ridge at Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park, beavers created this dark thoroughfare as they moved across the ridge from one swale to another.*
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.*
Wild Columbine
Wild columbine reflects the afternoon light at Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National 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.
Lush Springtime Woodlands
In May, a miniature forest of mayapple reaches into the distance at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont.*
It’s springtime at Pilcher Park Nature Center, and sunlight shines through the enormous fanning foliage of skunk cabbage which, if broken, releases a strong scent reminiscent of skunk, though sweeter and not nearly as overpowering. If you’re someone who, like me, finds the powerful essence of skunk to be an invigorating and life-affirming experience, the skunk inside the cabbage will definitely let you down.*
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
