Feb 27, 2023: Ice Everywhere

Even the prairie plants could not escape getting a layer of ice from this week's storm. (Kelly Poole, 2/25/23)

Nov 27, 2022: Spring's Seeds

Goldenrod seed heads, against the sunset and silhouette of the bridge, will have to wait for the warmer weather of spring to spread across the park. (Thomas Meyer, 11/23/22)

August 3, 2022: Colors of the Prairie

Bee balm and butterfly milkweed help give splashes of color across the park's prairies. (Kevin Kane, 8/3/22)

June 29, 2022: Bridge Through the Cattails

 

A view of the bridge from the north shore of the north lake through a patch of cattails. (Kevin Kane, 6/28/12)

April 27, 2022: Springtime on the Shoreline

 A dogwood pushes out it's first new leaves of the season on the east shore of the south lake. (Kevin Kane, 4/29/18)

Dec 19, 2021: Nature's Holiday Decorating

Like lights on a tree, the droplets formed by a foggy morning mist cling to the red dogwood branches. (Kevin Kane, 12/2/12)

Sep 5, 2021: Purple Prairie Clover

 

Purple Prairie Clover in the central prairie. (Kevin Kane, 7/16/11)

July 21, 2021: Bombus

 

A bumblebee collects pollen atop a Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) east of the central wetland complex. (Kevin Kane, 7/5/21)

July 13, 2021: Pale Purple Coneflower

Another sunflower found in prairies is the Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida).  It is one of two purple coneflowers found at the Park, the other being E. purpurea, which has wider petal-like rays. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 6/30/21)

July 9, 2021: Rattlesnake Master

Each head of the Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) consists of many small flowers.  Sharp white bracts stick out from each flower, giving the flower head a prickly feel. The common name refers to the erroneous misconception that the root was used by Native Americans as an antidote for rattlesnake venom. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 6/30/21)

July 5, 2021: Compass Plant

Compass Plants are in bloom in the prairies.  A member of the Sunflower Family (Asteraceae), they can grow to be 8 feet tall.  They get their name from their leaves, which tend to generally orient in a north to south direction. (Wolf. Oesterreich, 6/30/21)