Chicago Nature Now! Alert
July 10, 2020
“Weekly Wildflower Report
Featuring Chicago’s Best Nature Outings & Outdoor Getaways”
Best Wildflower Walks & Weekend Getaways!
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
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Even during the COVD-19 pandemic,
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WE NEED MORE SCOUTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE SOUTH.
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PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE VISITING OUR SHOWCASE PRESERVES DURING THIS TIME OF INCREASED OUTDOOR ACTIVITY:
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:
- No foraging. And don’t pick flowers or plants or remove anything from a preserve.
- Our preserves are small and rare. That’s why Chicago has grocery stores and flower shops.
- Share cherished moments through photography, drawing, painting, and writing.
- 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.
- Many of these preserves do NOT allow pets, even if they’re leashed.
- When in doubt, 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
BE SAFE:
- WEAR A MASK to protect others. Act as if you are infected because you very well could be.
- Respect Science: Science doesn’t care what you think or do.
- Respect Nature: Nature does what it’s programmed to do. It responds to provocation and, like science, doesn’t care what you think or do.
- Respect Each Other: People DO care about what you do, especially when it affects them. If you don’t respect others, they won’t respect you.
- WATCH YOUR DISTANCE by giving each other at least TEN feet of space because a breeze can carry the virus.
- Don’t obstruct people’s progress by blocking trails or gathering around trailheads or intersections.
- 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.
WE NEED SCOUTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE SOUTH.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT VOLUNTEERING!
WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR GETAWAY INTO CHICAGO NATURE:
Like last week, the flower show is happening at Somme Prairie Grove, where you’ll experience a fanfare of color from myriad flowering species, including butterfly weed and purple leadplant (our Plant of the Week). Lavender wild bergamot, white Culver’s root and mountain mint, and yellow rosinweed and yellow coneflower are beginning to bloom across the region. The gorgeous goat’s rue is now flowering at Pembroke Savanna and Gensburg-Markham Prairie. And, this week, I found eastern prickly pear cactus blooming in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. What?! Chicago has a cactus? Yes we do! And you can find also find it at Miller Woods, Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie, and Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve is also offering a diverse wildflower display in the oak savanna with the star being butterfly weed. And wildflowers also abound at Bluff Spring Fen, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Pembroke Savanna, and Wolf Road Prairie.
Now 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.
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.
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!”):
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (7/6+): Many plant species are in flower, this week, representing an vibrant array of color. Blooms including leadplant, Ohio spiderwort, marsh phlox, butterfly weed, prairie lily, black-eyed Susan, prairie sundrop, compass plant, daisy fleabane, white wild indigo, New Jersey tea, mountain mint, the tall tuberous Indian plantain, numerous wild quinine, and the very start of purple prairie clover. The bald light-green flower heads of rattlesnake master are now showing, which means that they’ll soon be flowering. 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. Come early or late in the day to experience green glow from compass plant and prairie dock.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (7/3+): This oak savanna has a beautiful display of goat’s rue along with the buttery blooms of Cleland’s evening primrose, pink spotted bee balm, white daisy fleabane and some flowering spurge.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (7/7+): Most of color can be found in the black oak savanna, where you’ll be treated to many bright orange blooms of butterfly weed, golden hoary puccoon and prairie coreopsis, pearly blooms of 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 blooming. And keep your eyes peeled for the spectacular yellow blossoms of eastern prickly pear cactus. I saw one on Tuesday. Each flower only lasts a day.
NOTE: Trust me when I tell you to GO EARLY IN THE DAY to avoid the noisy beachgoers and COVID-19 spreaders without masks. Also, the trail that extends along the Dead River has lots of water that may prohibit your journey unless you wear high boots.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (7/7+): Many flower species are blooming throughout the preserve. The “transplant kame” to the southeast hosts a wonderful array of flowering plants, including leadplant, prairie coreopsis, wild quinine., and compass plant. As you travel the trails, you’ll also find black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, Illinois tick trefoil, spotted Joe-Pye weed, butterfly weed, the remaining pale purple coneflower, and the mauve and white blooms of common milkweed that fill the air with a scent reminiscent of overly perfumed old ladies who’ve lost the sense of smell.
NOTE: Go in the morning. Later on, the parking lot fills up with people coming to swim illegally in the water-filled quarry. You probably won’t see any swimmers on your hike. Unfortunately, they trample across the sensitive habitat to reach the swimming at the back. As you’re leaving, feel free to report the activity to the forest preserve police at (708) 771-1000.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (7/7+): This intimate remnant prairie is featuring some nice floral color. 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. On a recent late-day visit, the green glow of compass plant set my heart aloft. The main floral color comes from the startling orange bushes of butterfly weed and the many yellow blooms of black-eyed Susan, false sunflower, and newly blooming yellow coneflower. Hues from purple to blue come from leadplant, wild bergamot, and the remaining floating filigree of scurfy pea. And flashes of pearly wild quinine catch the eye.
We need scouts, especially Southsiders!
Click here to learn about how you can help us share the beauty.
GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (7/2+): 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 most abundant bloomers are marsh phlox, wild quinine, black-eyed Susan, common milkweed, and tuberous Indian plantain. I really love pink flowers of marsh phlox mixed with the big heart-shaped foliage of prairie dock. Along your route, you’ll also find the wonderfully orange butterfly milkweed, compass plant, fragrant pasture rose, flowering spurge, and expanses of prairie cordgrass.
NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin (7/2+): There’s a very nice display of marsh phlox alongside tuberous Indian plantain, and Ohio spiderwort. And look for beautiful sprays of porcupine grass, ferns, prairie dropseed.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (7/9+): At the moment, the floral color of the prairie is building. Park, as instructed on this website, at the south end along 31st Street, and hike the sidewalk trails to the north. The preserve extends north for one-half mile, terminating at the newly renovated prairie house. In the evening, you can experience a natural fireworks display from the deck of the prairie house, thanks to fireflies searching for mates. See a firefly photo from July 6. The floral color is primarily white and gold with occasional splashes of orange butterfly milkweed and lavender wild bergamot. Tones of white are provided by daisy fleabane, flowering spurge, tuberous Indian plantain, white wild indigo, wild quinine, the flowerheads of rattlesnake master, and newly blooming Culver’s root. The yellows radiate from black-eyed Susan and the fresh blooms of yellow coneflower and rosinweed. During the late and early hours of the day, the sun stages a dramatic green glow show with prairie dock and compass plant.
Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park (UNSCOUTED): Click here to help us scout this preserve. Come on southsiders! You have a lot of great southern preserves, but most of our scouts are from the north and western suburbs. Help us turn turn your neighbors into nature lovers.
PLANT OF THE WEEK: LEADPLANT
The propagating purple plant in this panorama is leadplant, which uses its tap root to search for water as far down as fifteen feet. Hence, leadplant has one of the deepest roots in the prairie. See diagram below.
PHOTO SECTION
Butterfly Weed
This is a coral hairstreak butterfly feeding on butterfly milkweed at Gensburg-Markham Prairie. But it is one of dozens of flying insects, beetles, and even hummingbirds that find this plant tasty. The flowers have no noticeable scent, unlike its cousin, common milkweed, that smells like a bunch of old ladies on Bingo night.
Great spangled fritillary butterflies (species Speyeria cybele) and butterfly weed in the prairie at Spears Woods in Willow Springs.
Butterfly milkweed (or 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, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
What?! Chicago Has a Cactus? Yes We Do!
Eastern prickly pear cactus blooms can be found beginning in late June in sandy preserves around the Chicago area, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Miller Woods, Powderhorn Marsh & 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, Illinois.*
Goat’s Rue
The beautiful goat’s rue flourishes in a sandy black oak savanna at Indiana Dunes National Park. It also grows at Gensburg-Markham Prairie.*
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.*
Leadplant, Prairie Coreopsis, and Wild Quinine
In the golden sun of morning, prairie coreopsis, wild quinine, and leadplant overlook the foggy fen from atop the reconstructed kame and the remnants of Healy Road Prairie transplanted here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin. The typically purple leadplant is now maroon thanks to the golden light.*
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.*
Compass Plant
The golden flowers of compass plant beginning to blooming atop a stalk that reaches for the sky.*
Landscape of compass plant at Springbrook Prairie in Naperville.*
Compass Plant, Prairie Dock, and the Glorious Green Glow
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 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.*
Fireflies at Wolf Road Prairie
On July 6, fireflies lit 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.
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
