Mike MacDonald’s
Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
June 17, 2025
(Juneteenth Holiday Edition)
“Weekly Wildflower Forecasts Featuring
Chicago’s Best Weekend Getaways & Nature Walks”
Plan the Best Juneteenth Nature Walks & Outdoor Getaways Around Chicago!
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WILDFLOWER FORECAST & HIGHLIGHTS to help you plan your outdoor adventures into Chicago’s Woodlands:
The Juneteenth holiday offers fine flower shows, starring pale purple coneflower, sand coreopsis, Ohio spiderwort, and foxglove beardtongue. But this platform isn’t just about flowers. It’s about having a genuine nature experience, which includes being curious and expecting the unexpected. Explore these preserves and discover the many flowers from the list below. No matter what you find, if you’re open to nature’s unpredictability, as well as its gifts, you’ll open up your life to a new world of understanding and wonder. In other words, if a flower show isn’t as grand as you expected. That’s an opportunity to look more closely and to learn about what is there, not to dwell on what is not.
The middle of June brings breathtaking shows of prairie coreopsis and pale purple coneflower. The best shows for pale purple coneflower take place at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and to some extent at Theodore Stone Preserve and Middlefork Savanna. Golden prairie coreopsis shines most brightly at Shoe Factory Road Prairie and Bluff Spring Fen.
And the dramatic pearly trumpet-shaped flowers of foxglove beardtongue (our Plant of the Week) should be blooming strong in our local prairies, especially at Spears Woods and Bluff Spring Fen I love this plant because, in the fall, their seeds smell exactly, and I mean “exactly,” like vomit! In stark contrast, you can now experience a most wonderful fragrance by dropping to your knees and lowering your nose into the pink blossom of pasture rose. 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. However, last year, I didn’t notice the poison ivy growing right next to the flower. I immediately felt a tingling on my upper lip, but it was too late. It was a small price to pay for the many years of delight that this flower has brought me.
Here is my most profound recommendation for enjoying your time in nature. If the preserve allows, arrive before first light. A morning rendezvous with nature is a magical experience that vastly transcends what’s possible at other times of day. In the early bright, the world expands beyond the usual three dimensions, as the transformation from darkness into light excites more than just the visual sense. As night gives birth to dawn, and the landscape gently turns from azure to gold, the soft and changing light is a spectacle for the eyes. A moist fog or a splash of crisp dew against your skin affirms your existence. The still atmosphere concentrates the fragrances floating in the air and provides a tranquil stage for birds to project their crystal melodies. In the morning, you’ll find all this, along with the promise of a new day.
In June, the melting flower of Ohio spiderwort stages a monthlong show at various savannas and prairies throughout the region. The flower dissolves soon after it first opens. Yes, you read that correctly. Click here to read my poem about it. And if a flower that turns to liquid isn’t weird enough, you can now find porcupine grass with a seed that drills itself into the soil. Watch my real-time video of the drilling seed below. Look for this grass and its seeds at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Miller Woods, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie. If you visit Pembroke Savanna or Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, look for the plumes of June grass that glow brightly in the spotlight of a low sun.
SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAYS AROUND CHICAGO:
I’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the information predicted by my one-of-a-kind propriety database of wildflowers blooming events, 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 make it to the top-rated preserves.
LIKELY, THIS WEEK’S BEST CHOICES (“GO!”):
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion: The spectacular, sunny show of golden sand coreopsis could now be underway. Though you can find them shining under the trees, breathtaking expanses of the flower are commonly found in the sun-soaked sand prairie to the east. Blooming alongside the coreopsis, you may see the tiny white sparkles of sand cress and sandwort, the fluffy white plumes of New Jersey tea, and lots of porcupine grass. In the shade of the black oak savanna, downy phlox and pasture rose add beautiful splashes of pink amidst the fading blue-and-white blossoms of wild lupine and the three-petaled blossoms of Ohio spiderwort that turn to a purple liquid in the heat of the day. Along your trek, look for hoary puccoon, hairy puccoon, and, if you’re observant, Indian paintbrush. While you’re here, consider the short drive north to Chiwaukee Prairie.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Get out to see the big display of pale purple coneflower upon the gravelly kames of this beautiful preserve. Also, look for the white blossoms of white wild indigo and daisy fleabane along with newly blooming foxglove beardtongue and wild quinine. Ohio spiderwort is blooming in the mornings. And keep your eye out for fragrant pasture rose at the base of the southeast kame.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove: This is often the time in June when dense displays of pale purple coneflower combine with the floating flowers of scurfy pea to create a breathtaking wildflower shows. There might still be some blooms of Ohio spiderwort, with purple flowers that open around sunrise and soon shrivel away into a purple liquid. Very cool, huh? Click here to learn about spiderwort’s miraculous melting flowers. Porcupine grass is showing off its long miraculous seeds that drill themselves into the soil. Watch my video of the drilling seed. Look for the white cauliflower heads of wild quinine, golden black-eyed Susan, the occasional blooms of purple milkweed and pasture rose. And you may catch the start of orange butterfly weed. And finally, appreciate the large gorgeous leaves of prairie dock and compass plant that glow brightly under a backlit sun.
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester: This is only a “Go!” for the morning hours to experience grand performances of of Ohio spiderwort that turn the prairie into a haze of blue. However, the flowers will disappear by afternoon, especially if it’s hot. Along your walk, you should also see the tall and fluffy purple meadow rue, white wild quinine, daisy fleabane, the occasional purple milkweed, and small displays of the heart-stopping yellow prairie sundrop. The textures and colors of the foliage adds to excitement, including the blue-greens of rattlesnake master and hundreds of prairie dock hearts.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs: This preserve can often present a wonderful morning show of Ohio spiderwort alongside alabaster expanses of foxglove beardtongue. Also adding to the whites are white wild indigo, daisy fleabane, and the start of wild quinine, which will soon put on a fine show of its own. Along the narrow prairie trail, you should also see the stunning purple milkweed, sprinklings of black-eyed Susan, and the glorious and happy yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop. Spears Woods is one of the most beautiful sites in the region, where your walk will take you through woodlands, prairies, and around gorgeous wetlands.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest: This preserve consists of prairie, wetland, and oak savanna. Ohio spiderwort often puts on a fine show alongside nice ivory displays of foxglove beardtongue and remaining meadow anemone. And tall purple meadow rue, with fluffy yellowish flowers and purple stems, can sometimes be abundant about a quarter-mile north of the entrance. And false sunflower may be starting out.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park: If you want to see spiderwort, this is a great place. It’s almost everywhere. But as stated before, you need to get here early. The spiderwort is mixed in with a prolific display of daisy fleabane, along with some pasture rose and remaining hairy puccoon. And you’ll also find lots of porcupine grass.
“GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”:
Somme Prairie Grove: If you live up north, and you don’t want head south, just visit Somme Prairie Grove to enjoy the greenery of the scenery with occasional flashes of floral color. This preserve has a nice feel to it. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant with a flower head that’s just starting to turn into purple flowers. I’m about to list a bunch of flowers that you may see, but that doesn’t mean that there’s lots of floral color. At this time in June, the preserve may bel ninety-eight percent green. There’s a good chance that you’ll see the gorgeous yellow blossoms of prairie sundrop that will probably be the most showy plant at the moment. However, you may also discover a little bit of newly flowering orange butterfly weed and possibly a few remaining groups of red Indian paintbrush. Flickers of white come from foxglove beardtongue, wild quinine, white wild indigo, daisy fleabane, and the non-native ox-eye daisy. Keep your eyes open for the striking blooms of purple milkweed and the beautifully scented pasture rose. And finally, the golden flowers are may be blooming on a few compass plants.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates: This preserve is officially located within the fence at the top of the hill. However, chances are that most of the action is taking place outside the official boundary of the preserve, where hundreds of pale purple coneflower bloom on the southern and western slopes. It’s probably mostly green inside the fence, where you’ll probably find porcupine grass, wild quinine, some early-blooming leadplant, a few prairie coreopsis, pink downy phlox, and short green milkweed. Throughout the preserve, you’ll find various lush textures and green hue from forbs, sedges, grasses, and bloomers-to-be, including the floppy hairdos of prairie dropseed, heart-shaped leaves of prairie dock, desert-looking rattlesnake master, and fern-looking leadplant. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.
PLANT OF THE WEEK: FOXGLOVE BEARDTONGUE
The flowers of foxglove beardtongue resemble the snout of a dragon with a mouth that opens and closes as you squeeze the sides. This explains why it’s part of the snapdragon family. The flowers have no smell that I can detect. But come autumn, the seeds smell EXACTLY like vomit! Be still my heart.* In June, foxglove beardtongue blooms at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin and many other preserves around the region.
The late-spring prairies at Spears Woods in Willow Springs often put on a big show of foxglove beardtongue.*
At Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois, pearly blossoms of foxglove beardtongue catch the morning rays and a new day awakens—one as splendid and picturesque as any place on Earth.*
PHOTO SECTION
Prairie Coreopsis
In the second half of June atop the gravel hill of Shoe Factory Road Prairie grows deep-rooted leadplant and the happy yellow faces of prairie coreopsis that shine through the fog. You can find nice displays at Bluff Spring Fen, as well.*
Pale Purple Coneflower
Pale purple coneflower is favorite of mine. I just love how the petals droop downward. The plant has deep taproot, allowing it to survive drought and to thrive in gravel and dolomite limestone prairies. In the warm light of rising or setting sun, the flowers turn a stunning orange pink. Here at Belmont Prairie, I picked out this scene from a thousand coneflowers: a miniature, slow-motion rodeo that was taking place upon one prickly flower head. I watched as a tiny ant rode the back of a slinking inchworm.*
Sometimes the petals of pale purple coneflowers are colored pale white. Here, a combination of pink and white coneflowers populate the kame at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*
The predawn clouds take on the colors of the pale purple coneflower at this dolomite limestone prairie at Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins, Illinois. You can usually find this majestic plant growing most prominently at Bluff Spring Fen, Belmont Prairie, and on the slopes outside the fence at Shoe Factory Road Prairie,*
Each day, Mother Nature chooses from an array of natural elements and then fashions them into new works of art. Most Junes at Belmont Prairie, dazzling mosaics like this go on exhibit. Assembled from over one hundred pale purple coneflowers, the final work, not the individual pieces, draws our attention.*
June brings pale purple coneflower, scurfy pea, and porcupine grass to Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove.*
The Melting Flowers of Ohio Spiderwort
In late May or early June, Ohio spiderwort begins a performance that will last a month or longer, starring a cluster of buds that releases only a couple of flowers each day. Each morning, a new bud opens into a delicate blue or purple flower. You may find spiderwort, right now, at Wolf Road Prairie, Belmont Prairie, Bluff Spring Fen, Pembroke Savanna, Powderhorn Prairie, Miller Woods, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and more.
As the day wears on, each blossom begins to wither—then miraculously melts into a gem of royal jelly. An enzyme in the flower causes it to slowly decompose, and hot weather speeds up the process. It’s noon, and this flower is already shriveling.*
By midafternoon, this spiderwort bloom was melting blue between my fingertips. Do you notice my purple fingers? I was arrested earlier that morning.
This is the scene from Wolf Road Prairie, as blossoms of Ohio spiderwort open to meet the new day.*
At Miller Woods (Indiana Dunes National Park), spiderwort and ferns cover the side of the dunes.*
Porcupine Grass and its Miraculous Drilling Seeds
The seeds of porcupine grass are located at the tip of long sharp needles that fall off the plant and then slowly drill themselves into the soil. You can find porcupine grass at Belmont Prairie, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Bluff Spring Fen, and Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie.*
Watch my video of porcupine grass drilling itself into the soil right before your eyes!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PORCUPINE GRASS.
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.*
Hoary Puccoon
The golden blooms of hoary puccoon can be found, here, at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve and many other preserves around the region including Miller Woods, Powderhorn Marsh and Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Gensburg-Markham Prairie, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, and more.*
Purple Milkweed
The striking blooms of purple milkweed can be found in the best prairies and savannas, including Somme Prairie Grove and, here, at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
June Grass
June grass and hoary puccoon glow in the morning light of the sand savanna at Pembroke Savanna Nature Preserve in Hopkins Park.*
Butterfly Weed
Coral hairstreak butterfly on butterfly weed at Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham, Illinois.*
Here at Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, the bright orange flowers of butterfly weed makes a colorful statement. You can find this plant at several high-quality preserves, including Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, and Somme Prairie Grove.*
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, and Bluff Spring Fen.*
Indian Paintbrush
Here at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Indian paintbrush brightens up the foggy morning landscape. You can also find this flower at Gensburg-Markham Prairie and Somme Prairie Grove.*
Purple Meadow Rue Towers in Some Spring Prairies
In June, purple meadow rue towers above the blue morning blooms of Ohio spiderwort at Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois.*
The Charismatic Foliage 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 its cousin compass plant.*
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
