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 Chicago Nature Now! Alert
May 20, 2020
Memorial Day Edition

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Memorial Day Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”

The Best COVID-19 Outdoor Getaways & Nature Walks
Around Chicago for Memorial Day!

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PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE VISITING OUR SHOWCASE PRESERVES DURING THIS TIME OF INCREASED INTEREST IN NATURE:

ChicagoNatureNOW! preserves are Sacred Cathedrals of Nature, NOT playgrounds or amusement parks. Please treat these sanctuaries with reverence, and 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 by 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 church?”

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:

BE SAFE:

  • Treat the world as if you’re already infected, and WEAR A MASK. Period. A mask keeps your exhalations from taking to the air and making others sick.
  • Give each other at least TEN feet of space between you.
  • 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 and intersections.

WE NEED SCOUTS. CLICK TO LEARN ABOUT VOLUNTEERING WITH US!

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS FOR PLANNING NATURE HIKES AROUND CHICAGO:

The shows of the week come from the nice displays of wild lupine (our Plant of the Week),  wild geranium, and the fragrant woodland phlox.

The best place to experience wild lupine is in Indiana Dunes National Park at Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes, and West Beach. They are just beginning to bloom and about a week away from peak bloom. Alongside displays of wild lupine, golden hoary puccoon and hairy puccoon are just starting to flower in large numbers.

The potentially prolific pink blossoms of wild geranium are now populating the region’s woodlands alongside the blue blooms of woodland phlox. If you find a patch of phlox, pay attention to its fabulous fragrance. You shouldn’t even have to touch nose to petal. You can find both flowers at Black Partridge Woods and Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve. And shooting star is putting on a show atop the bluffs of Black Partridge Woods. Soon, they will cover the landscape at Chiwaukee Prairie.

Great displays of the magnificent white large-flowered trillium can be found in the upland areas of Messenger Woods, where they should still be looking pretty good. The flower was looking nice, but fading at Heron Rookery Trail (at Indiana Dunes National Park). As the flower fades, white petals turn to pink. You can also experience fine shows of these alabaster beauties at Harms Woods in Glenview, Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and at the west end of Meacham Grove in Bloomingdale—all of which are not featured preserves. And speaking of trillium, the elegant and understated red trillium is still flowering in most of our woodlands.

The waxy, white flower of mayapple is now in bloom. Look for a single flower under any plant with two “umbrella” leaves.

This is my favorite time to venture into the woodlands because they have reached their peak in emerald hues. Chartreuse lace fills the canopy above your head. And beneath your feet, you can barely see your shoes under a jade carpet of wild ginger, mayapple, wild leek, and skunk cabbage. Black Partridge Woods and Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve are perfect examples of this lushness.

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!”):

Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park (5/16+): The wild lupine were just beginning to bloom on May 17, and it should be much more vibrant by the holiday weekend. However, peak bloom may not occur until the following weekend. The buttery blooms of wood betony are ending their run, and the vibrant yellow blooms of hoary puccoon are only just starting. While you’re here, take the trail that starts at the nature center to the lakeshore. 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 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. 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 lupines at Tolleston Dunes and West Beach.

Black Partridge Woods in Lemont (5/20=): NOTE: The main parking lot is closed, but no problem! Just use the on-street parking area located about a hundred feet west. Wow! The displays of wild geranium and the fragrant woodland phlox are gorgeous. Atop the bluffs, you’ll find more floral color and a greater mix of flowering species that includes the aforementioned geranium and phlox alongside shooting star and wild hyacinth. And the lush view from floor to canopy is breathtaking. Thanks to wild ginger that has finally leafed out, you can hardly see the earth beneath. I particularly love the miniature forests of mayapple with their parasol-shaped leaves. Right now, look for a large, waxy white bloom hiding under any mayappl with two umbrellas. Exciting patches of large, acrobatic skunk cabbage add to the whimsy, along with emerald swords of wild leek, and the star-like leaves of wild geranium.

Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee (5/19=): I love this place, right now, for the greenery that I mentioned in the above wildflower highlights. The trees are pushing out fresh delicate leaves, and the foliage on the woodland floor has fully matured. This includes the jade hues and lush patterns of wild leek, flowering mayapple, early meadow rue, and the omnipresent wild ginger. The most prominently blooming flowers are woodland phlox and wild geranium. Both are near peak. The few white blooms of rue anemone and false rue anemone remain, along with newly blooming anise root and some yellow blossoms of swamp buttercup. I found a couple of Jack-in-the-pulpit and a handful of the shy drooping trillium. The strange and wonderful red trillium is blooming in very large numbers..

Messenger Woods in Homer Glen (UNSCOUTED. Last scouted on 5/6): NOTE: We didn’t scout here this week because: 1) there was a lot of ground to cover this week; 2) we had a big rain that probably drowned out the bridge at the entrance to the preserve; 3) I can probably guess what’s going on based on similar nearby woodlands. I suspect that you’ll still find some displays of large-flowered trillium in the drier uplands. They should still be in decent condition, but their petals are probably fading to pink. Last year, wild geranium put on a big show at this time. The fragrant blue blossoms of woodland phlox should be at peak bloom. Hopefully, you can can find some large dense patches. And two-leafed mayapple plants are producing their famous white flower-in-hiding.
NOTE: The wooden bridge over the creek is sometimes covered in water. If there’s been a recent rain, bring boots or take off your shoes.

Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Park (5/16=): NOTE: Wear your boots because the trail is not only muddy, some of it requires wading through ankle-deep water. The hazy patina of dried mud covering the carpet of foliage was proof that the river overflowed its banks during the recent storms. And then it rained heavily, again, after my scouting visit on Saturday. If you don’t mind the mud, visit this woodland to experience the beautiful display of white large-flowered trillium as they turn pink and fade away, along with pink blossoms of wild geranium that are reaching peak bloom. The elegantly understated red trillium is blooming everywhere. And keep an eye out for the downward-peering white blossoms of drooping trillium and for the slender dangling blooms of early meadow rue. On your visit, you’ll also find the final blooms of false rue anemone, rue anemone, common blue violet, and common yellow violet. The lush springtime experience is further enhanced by the spreading foliage of wild leek, wild ginger, and flowering mayapple.

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (5/15+): The preserve was recently burned, which cleared away the brambly growth from last year, leaving behind verdant emerging sprouts against a backdrop of bare black soil. It’s quite garden-like and pleasing to the eye because all of the new growth stands out. I especially like the many bright-green tufts of prairie dropseed. The most prominent flower show is being performed by wood betony on several stages thoughout the oak savanna. Other flowers showing their stuff are mayapple, balsam ragwort, blue-eyed grass, shooting star, wild strawberry, common blue violet, and swamp buttercup. Golden Alexander is just starting out. And finally, there’s the beautiful pond with yellow water buttercup and majestic cottonwoods that makes my heart sing when the sun is shining through the flowers and surrounding wetland grasses.

PLANT OF THE WEEK: WILD LUPINE

Wild Lupine of species Lupinus perennis.

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 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.

PHOTO SECTION

Wild Lupine in Our Black Oak Savannas (Sand Savannas)

Atop this spring dune thrives wild lupine at Miller Woods Nature Preserve, part of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Gary, Indiana.*

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.*

Biodiversity is about the many, not the few. Here, it’s springtime in the savanna, where blue lupines share precious space with hoary puccoon. But, as the season advances, both will fade, making room for an array of other species, in a cycle where each has its time in the sun and then returns to the soil.*

Unlike the southern preserves at Indiana Dunes National Park, the lupines at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion are still about a week away.*

Painterly image of Wild lupine of species Lupinus perennis

An exploration into the inner world of wild lupine.

Beaver Activity at Miller Woods

Along the Paul H. Douglas Trails, part of Indiana Dunes National Park in Gary, Indiana, this path was made by beavers as they moved from their pond in one swale, over a dune, and into an adjacent swale.*

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.*

Woodland Phlox 

In May, woodland phlox covers the bluffs at Black Partridge Woods.*

Here at Black Partridge Woods, woodland phlox grows up the brae. This flower can also be found at the other featured woodlands, like Raccoon Grove, Messenger Woods, and Fermilab Natural Areas.*

Wild Geranium is now flowering in all of our woodlands:

May brings glorious displays of wild geranium to Oldfield Oaks in Darien, Illinois, part of Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.*

I love wild geranium for its floating pink flowers and star-shaped leaves that carpet the woodland floor. And my love is genuine. Yet, if my love was inflicted against my will from a love potion, Iroquois Indians believed that a tea made from wild geranium root would neutralize the effects of the love charm. More legitimately, the plant was also used by Native Americans to help reduce bleeding and many other maladies. Leaves and roots were employed to treat sore throats, hemorrhoids, gonorrhea, and cholera. It was also used to treat diarrhea, but often caused constipation. Today, the extract of wild geranium can be found in herbal stores as an anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhaging medicine. The name “geranium” comes from the Latin name for crane, “geranos,” because of the crane- or stork-shaped seed pods. The pink flowers have five striped petals and are 1-1¼” across. Multiple flowers will bloom on a stalk that can rise above the foliage, seemingly floating above the plant. You can find wild geranium at all of our showcase woodlands. Here at Oldfield Oaks in Darien, a preserve that’s not on our list, the pink blooms float above its star-shaped foliage.*

You can find wild geranium at all featured woodlands. Here, at Black Partridge Woods, the pink blooms float above its star-shaped foliage.*

Here at Black Partridge Woods, the pink blooms complement green star-shaped foliage. You can find wild geranium in all of our featured woodlands.*

At Raccoon Grove, as evening nears in this beautiful spring woodland, the final streaks of sunlight penetrate the emerald canopy. The shining rays highlight the broad leaves of false Solomon’s seal and animate the soft, pink blooms of wild geranium, making all that is illuminated stand apart from the surrounding foliage.*

At Raccoon Grove, as evening nears in this beautiful spring woodland, the final streaks of sunlight penetrate the emerald canopy. The shining rays highlight the broad leaves of false Solomon’s seal and animate the soft, pink blooms of wild geranium, making all that is illuminated stand apart from the surrounding foliage.*

Shooting Star:

The beautiful blooms of shooting star

The beautiful blooms of shooting star.

Shooting stars and woodland phlox at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois

Shooting star and woodland phlox at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.”

Stout Blue-Eyed Grass

Common blue-eyed grass

The sublime blooms of stout blue-eyed grass are now being revealed at Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park, Illinois. And you can find them at other preserves, including Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Chiwaukee Prairie, Miller Woods, and Somme Prairie Grove.*

Large-flowered Trillium is still putting on grand displays:

In May, large-flowered white trillium cover the woodland floor at Heron Rookery Trail at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.*

The glorious large-flowered trillium is currently blooming at Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park. However, they’re past peak. But that’s when the flowers turn pink. See picture below from Harms Woods.

Large-flowered trillium carpet the woodland floor at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen, Illinois.*

Large-flowered trillium is now covering woodland floor at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen.*

Large-flowered trillium bloom in profusion at Harms Woods in Cook County, Illinois. The flowers turn pink as they fade.*

Trillium is Latin for “triple,” and the plant lives up to the word. The showy plant is comprised of three leaves, three sepals, and three petals. The gorgeous white blooms of large-flowered trillium can now be found at our featured preserves of Messenger Woods, Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park, and at other preserves like Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Metawa Meacham Grove in Bloomingdale, and, here, at Harms Woods in Glenview. Notice how the flowers turn pink as they fade.*

Red Trillium:

Red trillium and setting sun.*

You can find red trillium at all of our featured woodlands. Here, it blooms as the sun sets at O’Hara Woods Nature Preserve.*

Mayapple:

In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois, April showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops.*

In woodlands across northeastern Illinois, like here at Black Partridge Woods, in Lemont, springtime showers bring out the umbrellas in the form of mayapples. And the white flowers of false rue anemone sparkle like raindrops. Soon, a waxy, white flower will appear, like a pedestrian under a parasol. (See Wild Ginger photo below.)*

At Black Partridge Woods, take a look underneath the fanning mayapple leaf, and you may find a hidden waxy, white bloom. You may also discover a burgundy flower hiding beneath the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger.*

At Black Partridge Woods, the green foliage is the star of the springtime show. Here you see the heart-shaped leaves of wild ginger alongside a single blooming mayapple. The flowers of both plants can be found hiding beneath the leaves. All of our featured woodlands feature both of these plants.*

Skunk Cabbage:

It's springtime at Pilcher Park 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.*

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.*

* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.

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

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