Chicago Nature Now! Alert
July 23, 2020
Weekly Wildflower Report
“Chicago’s Best Nature Outings, Outdoor Adventures,
Wildflower Walks, Nature Hikes, & Weekend Getaways!”
Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic,
we’re working hard to bring you opportunities to find peace!
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THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT, THIS YEAR!
WE NEED MORE SCOUTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE SOUTH.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT VOLUNTEERING!
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 WEEKEND OUTDOOR GETAWAY:
Again, the best flower shows are happening at Somme Prairie Grove and Bluff Spring Fen, where you’ll find a fanfare of color from myriad flowering species, including the purple torches of prairie blazing star and marsh blazing star (our Plants of the Week). Lavender wild bergamot, white blooms of Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, and mountain mint, and golden rays of rosinweed, compass plant, and yellow coneflower are blooming across the region.
Wolf Road Prairie, located not too far from the city, is teaching a class in biodiversity, right now, featuring a colorful array of prairie flowers.
For those in the southern section of Chicagoland, consider a trip to Gensburg-Markham Prairie with its wide variety of flowers, color, and texture. This is considered one of the finest prairies in the world. Spears Woods is another southern preserve and one of the most beautiful in the region. Right now, the blooming is decent. And I love the varied habitats, the rolling terrain, and Hogwash Slough—the prettiest wetland around here.
The dramatic aquatic American lotus is now 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.
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 purple prairie clover.
Summer is a wonderful time to experience green glow in the prairie. Green glow is a term that I recently invented that describes the foliage when it glows bright-green from sunlight through. 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 (7/20+): This preserve again tops our list because of the many plant species that provide a vibrant mix of color. The most abundant blooms include mountain mint, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, purple prairie clover, and Culver’s root. Other notable flowers include spotted Joe-Pye weed, wild quinine, black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, prairie blazing star, compass plant, daisy fleabane, Michigan lily, and tuberous Indian plantain. Under the trees, look for the beautiful blue American bellflower and fluffy sweet Joe-Pye weed. 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 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.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (7/17+): More than twenty flower species are blooming across the preserve, which is why it’s near the top of this week’s “Go!” list. Begin your hike at the main trailhead that winds you under the trees and along the kames of the oak savanna, around the sunny prairie, and through the main wetland known as a fen. Before the path leaves the savanna, take the out-and-back trail on your left to the top of the large kame, where you’ll experience a unique view of the preserve. The most conspicuous flowers in the preserve are marsh blazing star, compass plant, false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, pale Indian plantain, cup plant, wild quinine, fading pale purple coneflower, and purple prairie clover—my favorite smelling flower that thrives in the gravel left behind by ancient glaciers. Aside from pale Indian plantain, most of these can be found under the sun along with many others: rattlesnake master, rosinweed, prairie loosestrife, Culver’s root, mountain mint, daisy fleabane, St. John’s wort, spotted Joe-Pye weed, and a few white prairie clover. In the woodland, look for aptly named bottlebrush grass, the white blooms of starry campion, and the tall plants of blue American bellflower, golden cup plant, pale Indian plantain, and the mauve plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed.
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 these people 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.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (7/22+): 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 to enjoy the many flowers that vary along the way. Two dozen species are currently blooming, and the textures of the grasses and sedges add to the experience. As you enter, take the path to your left where you’re immediately greeted with a caboodle of color coming from compass plant, yellow coneflower, flowering spurge, white prairie clover, marsh phlox, wild bergamot, and marsh blazing star. The trail is square. And this northbound leg has the most floral color and diversity, with blooms of blue vervain, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, wild bergamot, purple prairie clover, tall green milkweed, rosinweed, partridge pea, marsh blazing star, and the very start of early goldenrod. 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, and the golds of early goldenrod and brown-eyed Susan. 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 as 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 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 to your left. Finally, your journey ends with a flourish of color that incorporates the lavenders of wild bergamot.
NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (7/22+): Thanks to E.J. Neafsey for spending so much time and sweat clearing the trails in the summer heat so that people have the opportunity to experience nature’s wonder! The floral color and diversity of the prairie is wonderful. Our directions for the preserve have you parking at the south end along 31st Street. From there, hike the sidewalk trails to the north. The preserve extends north for one-half mile, terminating at the newly renovated prairie house. But the best blooms are on the south half. The purple torches of prairie blazing star rise beautifully above the alabaster tones of Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, and flowering spurge, the golden hues of black-eyed Susan, rosinweed, false sunflower, yellow coneflower, and early goldenrod, and the lavender explosions of wild bergamot. During the late and early hours of the day, the sun stages a dramatic green glow show with prairie dock and compass plant.
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:
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins (7/22+): NOTE: I changed parking location for this preserve to the northeast corner because the official trailhead into the prairie is unmarked and overgrown. The trail takes you into the eastern half of the preserve, home to a prairie built on porous rock known as dolomite limestone. Some plants cannot establish themselves there. Those that can won’t grow nearly as tall. However, the heartiest plants enjoy living between a rock and a hard place. This is true for the fantastically fragrant whorled milkweed. I can usually smell them before I can see their off-white flower heads. You’ll also find the glorious hairy wild petunia, here. This is great plant for any prairie garden, no matter the soil, because of how it spreads to prevent weeds. And I just adore the fuzzy touch of the leaves. To find these species growing together, look for a sentinel of faded pale purple coneflowers. Right now, there isn’t that much blooming on the east side, but it offers beautiful textures and a clean garden-like feel.
As you approach the western mesic soil prairie, the difference is striking. Gradually, the heights of the plants rise from ankle- and knee-high to chest- and eye-level. On this half, the blossoms of yellow coneflower and wild bergamot play vibrant roles alongside rattlesnake master, daisy fleabane, wild quinine, Culver’s root, false sunflower, partridge pea, and mountain mint.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs (7/22+): This preserve is on our “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood” list because it’s one of the most beautiful sites in the region. Usually, at this time of year, this preserve is teeming with prairie blazing star. But I only found a handful. Nature is mysterious, which is why we need to scout these preserves for every report. Consider giving your financial support to help you find peace during this trying time. The most prominent flowers in the prairie come from the white blooms of mountain mint and flowering spurge. And the yellows are just starting to pop from early goldenrod and woodland sunflower. You’ll also see some rattlesnake master, Culver’s root, wild quinine, and wild bergamot. Towering sweet Joe-Pye weed is flowering under the trees alongside soon-to-bloom woodland sunflower and the gorgeous bottlebrush grass. Halfway between the eastern prairie trailhead and the shore of Hogwash Slough, there’s a beautiful view of Hogwash Slough and the colony of American lotus. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to see the lotus through the towering sedges and cattails along the shoreline.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (Unscouted. Last scouted on 7/12): Help us scout this jewel of a preserve. My prediction is that you’ll find the floating white blooms of flowering spurge across the preserve and possibly western sunflower. You’ll also see the remaining blooms of butterfly weed and some marsh phlox.
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 may be covered with water and prohibit your journey. Consider bringing along some high boots if you intend to hike that section.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park (Unscouted. Last scouted on 7/11): This is the usual time to see some potentially dramatic displays of partridge pea and flowering spurge. It could be amazing. Let us know! You should still find pink spotted bee balm and maybe some new blooms of western sunflower. We need help scouting the southern preserves. Consider joining our elite group of volunteer scouts.
PLANTS OF THE WEEK: PRAIRIE & MARSH BLAZING STAR
In late July and early August, the spectacular purple blooms of marsh and prairie blazing star turns the prairie ablaze. They are the first of the blazing stars to flower in the summer, followed by cylindrical, savanna, and then rough blazing star. Both marsh and prairie blazing star can easily reach five feet tall The only way to differentiate them is to decipher this coded message from the Illinois Wildflowers website:, “Prairie blazingstar has floral bracts (phyllaries) that are strongly recurved, while the floral bracts of marsh blazingstar are appressed together and relatively smooth.” Huh? Even my magic decoder ring can’t decipher this message.
The flowers on these plants bloom from the top downward, which is helpful for photographers (and our scouts) to know if the flowers are coming or going.
You can experience one or both of these magnificent plants in most of our prairies on our list of showcase preserves.
PHOTO SECTION
Yellow Coneflower
Yellow coneflower (aka, gray-headed coneflower) is a pioneer species of the prairie. It colonizes disturbed or degraded habitats until conditions improve, when it allows other plants to move in, leading to a more stable and biodiverse ecosystem. The flowers perch atop slender stems that rise to four feet tall. At that height, it’s easy to take a licorice scented brown cones. Yellow coneflowers bloom throughout the region’s prairies including here in the mesic prairie in the western half of Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins.*
Rattlesnake Master
Rattlesnake master is a whimsical Chicago prairie flower that 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.*
Purple Prairie Clover and its Remarkably Fresh Scent
The flowers of purple prairie clover emanate my favorite (nice) smell in Chicago nature, giving off the fresh scent of carrots and lemon. Here, a bee flies over to purple prairie clover at Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve in Elgin You can also find it at Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and others.*
Culver’s Root
Culver’s root is beginning to bloom en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester.*
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
“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.*
Sweet Joe-Pye Weed
In the open woodland at Spears Woods in Willow Springs, summer brings tall blooms of sweet Joe-Pye weed. You can also experience this towering plant at Bluff Spring Fen, Somme Prairie Grove,, and other woodland habitats.*
Michigan Lily
Michigan lily can be found at a handful of our showcase preserves, including Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie.*
American Lotus at Tomahawk Slough
American Lotus at Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs.
Tomahawk Slough in Willow Springs teems with the grand American Lotus. You an reach the wetland by first parking at the far end of Pulaski Woods parking lot and then walking a short distance along the trails.
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.*
Gensburg-Markham Prairie
The summer sun goes down on wild quinine and marsh phlox as nonstop tollway traffic rolls past the eastern border of Gensburg-Markham Prairie. Each hour of each day, people drive by, unaware of the natural treasures they’d discover by taking the West 159th Street exit.*
Wolf Road Prairie
This image is fairly representative of what you’ll see, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie: wild bergamot, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, rosinweed, Culver’s root, and prairie blazing star, and early goldenrod.*
Wolf Road Prairie puts on a lesson in biodiversity. Pictured are prairie blazing star, wild quinine, rattlesnake master, flowering spurge, Culver’s root, rosinweed, and yellow coneflower.*
On this mysterious summer morning at Wolf Road Prairie, white spikes of Culver’s root extend into the outer reaches and, like a dream, disappear into the fog.
Bluff Spring Fen
Soon after entering Bluff Spring Fen, you’ll find yourself in an intimate oak savanna, where majestic bur oaks with outstretched limbs protect you in their nurturing embrace.*
Bottlebrush grass and wild bergamot glow in the morning light in the oak savanna at Bluff Spring Fen.*
Marsh blazing star blooms at the seep of the fen at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin.*
This is a view that’s forming in the prairie at Bluff Spring Fen. Just as blooms of leadplant and coreopsis fade, purple prairie clover rises to take their place.*
Somme Prairie Grove
Here at Somme Prairie Grove we see the deeply lobed leaves of compass plant splash above a sea of purple prairie clover.*
In July, myriad species bloom in the sunny savanna at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook. This includes black-eyed Susan, mountain mint, purple prairie clover, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, yellow coneflower, and early goldenrod.*
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
