Chicago Nature Now! Alert
May 11, 2017
“Chicago nature info and news to help you discover the region’s finest natural wonders.”
Here’s what’s happening in Chicago nature, right now!
SPRING WOODLANDS ARE GREEN, LUSH, AND BLOOMING! AND THE PRAIRIES ARE STARTING TO FLOWER.
WOODLAND HIGHLIGHTS: Discover the white waxy flower of mayapple hidden under its spanning umbrella leaf, blue expanses of woodland phlox, pink displays of wild geranium, the delicate blooms of starry false Solomon’s seal, patches of red trillium, and dramatic white displays of large-flowered trillium.
Though fading, large-flowered trillium can be found at Messenger Woods, the woodland next to Fermilab Prairie (see recent picture below), and along the Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. (I haven’t scouted the latter location. If you’d like to become an official ChicagoNatureNOW! scout and help other Chicagoans fall in love with local nature, click here to learn more.) Large-flowered trillium may also be found in fine performance at preserves not featured here, Captain Daniel Wright Woods and Harms Woods.
PRAIRIE HIGHLIGHTS: Look for the yellow blooms of wood betony, hoary puccoon, and golden Alexander. Experience the blues with birdfoot violet and blue-eyed grass. And watch for shooting stars of white and pink.
SCOUTING NEEDS through Thursday, May 18:
- Woodlands listed in report below, plus…
- Wolf Road Prairie: Wild Hyacinth in oak savanna located at main kiosk on 31st Street
- Raccoon Grove: Starry False Solomon’s Seal
- Chiwaukee Prairie: Birdfoot Violet and Shooting Star
- Illinois Beach Nature Preserve: Wild Lupine
- Pembroke Savanna: Sand Phlox
If you’d like to scout the preserves for us, please take several quick pictures of the scene to give us an idea of the experience along with some closer shots of the flowers with their leaves.
Here are the best preserves for lush and colorful displays of springtime flowers:
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont: This intimate preserve will steal your heart. Its bubbling, sparkling stream is the most beautiful in the region and the bluffs add another dimension to the fairy-tale feel. You’ll find many spring flowers, including woodland phlox, wild geranium, skunk cabbage, wild leek, mayapple, wild ginger, Solomon’s seal, and shooting star. (See current picture of shooting stars below.)
Pilcher Park in Joliet: Begin your woodland hike at the nature center and you’ll be surround by spring ephemerals throughout your walk. Look for the large, fanning leaves of skunk cabbage in the muddy parts of the preserve. They’re hard to miss.
Messenger Woods in Homer Glen: Parking at the far end of the parking lot. Then walk the grassy path, cross the bridge, and immediately turn left onto an “unofficial official” trail along the creek’s edge. Follow the unmaintained path into the woods to find grand displays of large-flowered trillium. This preserve provides you with the feeling of spring along with a fresh green carpet of foliage and ephemerals throughout.
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee: This woodland preserve features many flowers including geranium, woodland phlox, trout lily, leek, ginger, starry false Solomon’s seal, and mayapple. And there are also lots of red trillium.
O’Hara Woods Preserve in Romeoville: Carpets of spring ephemerals abound, and the mayapples are flowering.
Fermilab Prairie (and woodland) in Batavia: The prairie offers some nice patches of wood betony, but the woodland adjacent to the prairie is the place to visit at Fermilab. There, you will find woodland phlox throughout. The display of large-flowered trillium is beautiful. And you’ll also find patches of red trillium, bellwort, and lots of mayapples with their hidden white flowers that smell like gardenia.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: A fine display of shooting star covers the northern face of the northeast kame. Then, walk east along the trail to find a beautiful patch of blue-eyed grass. The yellows of wood betony and golden Alexander are also flowering in the open prairie. Mayapple and skunk cabbage can be found in and around the canopy of the oak savanna.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This small hill prairie has several stunning blooms, right now, including blue-eyed grass, and thick patches of wood betony, hoary puccoon, birdfoot violet, and hoary puccoon. Flowering mayapples are located on the eastern slope.
If you can’t make it to my feature preserves, try McKinley Woods/Fredericks Grove in Channahon, Johnson’s Mound in Elburn, Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa, and Harms Woods in Glenview. You’re bound to find some good stuff.
PHOTO SECTION
Large-flowered Trillium Are Finishing Up
Here’s a shot from earlier this week of large-flowered trillium in the springtime woodland at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois.
White trillium carpet the woodland floor at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen, Illinois.*
At Heron Rookery Trail in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, I SUSPECT that the large-flowered white trillium is blooming. I haven’t been able to scout this location, this season. If you’d like be one of our scouts to help Chicagoans fall in love with local nature, click here for information.*
Shooting Star
Shooting stars and woodland phlox at Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois.”
Woodland Phlox
Woodland phlox covers the bluffs at Black Partridge Woods. They can also be found at the other featured woodlands.*
Wild Geranium
You can find wild geranium at all featured woodlands. Here, at Black Partridge Woods, the pink blooms float above its star-shaped 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.*
Mayapple
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.*
Red Trillium
Red trillium and setting sun.*
Common Blue-eyed Grass
Find this gorgeous flower in the prairies and savannas.
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.*
Birdfoot Violet at Pembroke Savanna
Pembroke Savanna is home to blooms of white sand phlox and rare bird-foot violet. The leaf in the foreground is from the black oak trees that dominate this black oak savanna. We need a scout for this important location.*
* 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
