Chicago Nature Now! Alert
July 18, 2019
“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Trips”
Plan the Best Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!
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WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR WEEKEND GETAWAY IN CHICAGO NATURE:
This is an extraordinary week to see Chicago’s wildflowers. So many of our featured preserves are putting on colorful shows. The floral star, and our Plant of the Week, is rattlesnake master because this unusual plant shows up so prominently and so often at our showcase preserves. You can experience its molecular-shaped flower heads at Spears Woods, Belmont Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, and more. See preserves below. Butterfly weed is flowering strongly throughout the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. And the miraculous melting flowers of Ohio spiderwort can still be found in the cooler, northern preserves. However, to see spiderwort’s blooms, don’t sleep in. The blue flower only opens for a few hours before it begins to turn into a purple liquid! Learn when to see this flower in the caption under the Photo Section. This is also the perfect time to experience large displays of wild bergamot at Theodore Stone Preserve and many more sites across the region. The flowers and leaves have a wonderful minty fragrance. Check out the the anise scented yellow coneflower, also found at many of our local preserves. And while you’re still smelling the flowers, you may still find pasture rose blooming at your feet. However, to experience its intoxicating fragrance, you’ll have to drop to your knees and push your nose into the flower. On a personal note, I recently bent down to smell the blossom when I scouted Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, last week. As my nose reached the petals, I felt a sting beneath my lower lip. Poison ivy! In over twenty-five years photographing Chicago nature, this is the first time I’ve come into contact with it. And it isn’t because I try to avoid it. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I could identify it. To remove the irritating oils that cause the body to overreact with a rash, I applied a product called TecNu that I purchased at the pharmacy near the entrance of the park. As of this writing, there’s just a little bit of blistering, probably because I decided to finish my scouting mission before applying the antidote. I made a rash decision.
PRESERVES TO VISIT THIS WEEKEND FOR A WILDFLOWER WALK AROUND CHICAGO:
The order of the preserves below is 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 preserves. And we have a special “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 tell you when we last scouted the preserve.
THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (7/15): This preserves tops our list for the week. The varied terrain and mix of habitats will provide added dimension and interest to your visit, even if there weren’t any blooms. But there are! The black oak savanna is in full of color with the orange blossoms of butterfly weed. You’ll also find a good amount of spiderwort, pasture rose. common milkweed, short green milkweed, the start of flowering spurge, and the end of porcupine grass.
Spears Woods in Willow Spring (7/15): I love the preserve’s beautiful rolling prairie. And this week’s star is rattlesnake master, which is flowering in great densities at several places. But there are many co-stars: wild quinine, early goldenrod, mountain mint, black-eyed Susan, wild bergamot, and rosinweed. I was delighted to find a couple of Michigan lilies. And a parasitic summer vine called field dodder can be found draped like orange Silly String over vegetation at the bottom of the bowl in the eastern prairie.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove (7/16): This is a tiny preserve with a beautiful feel to it. Again, the star of this week’s show is rattlesnake master with dense stands of plants presenting their white Tinker-Toy flower heads. You’ll also find butterfly weed, wild quinine, false sunflower, wild bergamot, and yellow coneflower. I particularly like the nodding tassels of prairie brome that frolic between the forbs. And look for the spectacular foliage of prairie dock and compass plant that glow a bright green in the low sun. See Photo Section for a picture of the leaves.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (7/16): There are many flowers currently blooming in great densities: yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, purple prairie clover, wild quinine, and purple prairie clover. But there’s a large supporting cast in this week’s display: butterfly weed, common milkweed, spotted Joe-Pye weed, black-eyed Susan, blue vervain, Michigan lily, false sunflower, daisy fleabane, and compass plant. NOTE: Consider checking out nearby Shoe Factory Road Prairie.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (7/15): At this moment, there are several species in bloom, most prominently rattlesnake master, leadplant, and purple prairie clover. Among the co-stars are butterfly weed, black-eyed Susan, mountain mint, prairie sundrop, early goldenrod, wild quinine, white wild indigo, climbing wild rose, the beautiful purple milkweed, and newly blooming compass plant. And don’t forget to appreciate the beautiful foliage of prairie dock, compass plant, and prairie dropseed.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is construction on Dundee Road east of Waukegan Road, but you can still drive around the “Detour” barricade because it’s open to local traffic. The preserve entrance is located on the left side about 500 feet beyond the barricade. Due to the construction, Google Maps instructs you to park on Ferndale. Ignore it! Park in the main lot, or use the alternate parking location found on our web page for this preserve.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (7/17): This summer prairie offers many different blooms, the most prolific being yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, Culver’s root, rattlesnake master, and wild quinine. You’ll also find new blooms of St. John’s wort, compass plant, marsh phlox, rosinweed, and flowering spurge alongside grand leaves of prairie dock. NOTE: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are located close by.
Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (7/15): After entering the gate with the “dummy lock” (see preserve page for details), take the trail that goes off to the left. After just a few seconds, you’ll find a delicate display of prairie dock foliage mixed with low grasses, followed by dense stands of rattlesnake master that combine with wild quinine, black-eyed Susan, and marsh phlox. If you look around, you may even find a beautiful Michigan lily. (See picture in Photo Section.) If you like to smell stuff. this is the week for that. As you hike around, stick your nose into the fragrant flowers of yellow coneflower, wild bergamot, and common milkweed.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (7/15): This is a very small preserve with short trails that will quickly take you to the best flower shows. The most exciting blooms currently come from purple prairie clover, leadplant, and rattlesnake master, the latter offering a grand display in the big prairie south of the fence. You’ll also see prairie coreopsis, rosinweed, yellow coneflower, and wild bergamot. Flat-topped cauliflower heads of wild quinine add touches of pearl to the vast floral array. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
Theodore Stone Preserve in Hogkins (7/15): This preserve is a “Go!” for the mesic prairie in the western half of the preserve. Most of the floral color comes from nice amounts of wild bergamot, yellow coneflower, and rattlesnake master. You’ll also find wild quinine, butterfly weed, and false sunflower scattered about. Early goldenrod and mountain mint are just starting to add their highlights to the landscape. NOTE: Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are located close by.
GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:
None. How wonderful that so many preserves are a “Go!” this week!
PRESERVES FOR YOU TO SCOUT:
This is a category for those who’d like do a little exploring for us. The preserves listed below were not scouted, this week, but may be worth the trip. Please send us your findings and images by email or, better still, join our Friends of ChicagoNatureNOW! Facebook page. While visiting a preserve, take mostly scenic pictures, tell us which flowers are blooming, and then give us your bottom-line opinion of your experience. Tell us if it’s a “GO,” a “Go, if you’re in the neighborhood,” or a “NO.” If you’d like to scout more regularly, then learn about becoming an official Nature Scout.
Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie in Chicago: This high-quality preserve is located inside the city of Chicago.
Miller Woods at Indiana Dunes National Park: We’re looking for a scout to regularly visit this big, beautiful preserve. Let us know if you’re interested.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This prairie-by-the-lake offers cooler temperatures during the hot summer months. Let us know what you find!
COMING NEXT WEEK: PRAIRIE BLAZING STAR
PLANT OF THE WEEK: RATTLESNAKE MASTER
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.*
PHOTO SECTION
Butterfly Weed (or Butterfly Milkweed)
Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. The best display can be found at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion.*
Michigan Lily
Michigan lily can be found at a handful of our showcase preserves, including Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie.*
Compass Plant
The golden flowers of compass plant is now blooming atop a stalk that reaches for the sky.*
Pasture Rose
Pasture Rose grows here in the sand prairie at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve. And you can also find it at Bluff Spring Fen and Pembroke Savanna. The fragrance of pasture rose is transcendent—a spiritual experience. 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.*
The Wonderfully Large Leaves 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 from a cousin called compass plant.*
Ohio Spiderwort
Each morning, Ohio spiderwort opens a new bud or two that only last a few hours before turning into a purple liquid. This process can repeat for more than a month. The flowers do not open based on the clock, but they do like the sunlight. The process is also affected by temperature. On warmer mornings, the buds can begin opening before sunrise. On cooler mornings, you may not see many flowers until an hour or longer after sunrise. Then, eventually, the blooms will close up. From my observations, if you visit between 7:30 and 11:00 am, you should find all of the flowers in bloom, though they can last into the afternoon on cool, cloudy days. Right now, you can still find spiderwort blooming at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
Butterfly milkweed (or butterfly weed) is now blooming in the black oak savanna at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois. And you can find it at many other preserves in the region, including Belmont Prairie, Powderhorn Prairie, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Near the Lake Michigan shore at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, 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.*
A common snapping turtle trudges through the sandy Lake Michigan shoreline on its way to the Dead River at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois.*
The Dead River, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, is the only remaining river in Illinois that flows into Lake Michigan. The name comes either from deep pools of quicksand hidden along the banks that devour unsuspecting hikers or from water that remains still and barely flows. On this sapphire morning, the latter was true.*
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.*
Here, at Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois, we see the large, deeply lobed leaf of compass plant among a sea of purple prairie clover.*
Bluff Spring Fen
“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.*
Wolf Road Prairie
In July at Wolf Road Prairie, wildflowers combine to resemble a fireworks display.*
Culver’s root blooms en masse at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
Theodore Stone Preserve
Yellow coneflowers bloom in the mesic prairie in the western half of Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins, Illinois.*
If you find this website of Chicago nature information useful, please consider donating or purchasing my nationally-acclaimed book that poetically celebrates all of the preserves featured on this website.
—Mike
