Indian Cup (Silphium perfoliatum)

Indian cup also known as Cup plant, is native to eastern and central North America. It likes to live in mesic to moist soils and can be found anywhere from open woodlands to prairies. Indian cup usually is found in higher quality habitats or in restoration efforts such as the one pictured above. Indian cup can support moister soils than any of the other silphiums. Indian cup has the characteristic perfoliate (joined opposite) massive leaves and can only be confused with prairie dock, which only has a rosette of large leaves.

Canada Wild Rye (Elymus canadensis)

Sea of Canada Wild Rye at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

Close up of Canada Wild Rye.

It is abundant in eastern North America as it likes to grow in many types of habitats with the exceptions of deep woods or very wet soils.

This is an early stage of restoration at Midwein National Tallgrass Prairie. Canada Wild Rye is great at keeping invasives out. In the near future, Midewin will enhance the diversity of this areas with more forbs and grasses.

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum commutatum)

A gem of the woodlands.

Lo and behold...... Queen of the Prairie! (Filipendula rubra)

Queen of the Prairie is a perennial native to eastern and central North America. It likes to grow in moist areas in prairies, savannas, along rivers, fens, seeps, and even woodlands. 

This plant is highly threatened in its native habitat, and restoration efforts are being made to increase its population. At Hennepin and Hopper Lakes, located in north-central Illinois, there are several well establised plants.

Queen of the prairie is a majestic plant that towers over other vegetation when in bloom. There are no other plants can be confused with this plant when in bloom.

Field Bindweed (Calystegia sepium)

I am not sure if this is the correct species, but if it is not, someone please correct me! The morning glories in the Illinois region are hard to identify!

This species is an introduced species that has become very common in the Midwest region of the United States. It is commonly seen in backyards, empty lots, and degraded fields. I see this plant every year in my garden, and even though it is exotic, it is a gorgeous plant, and I don't mind it growing in my back yard. There are many types of morning glories, and there is a lot of variation in each species (pink, white, purple flowers), so it is hard to identify them.

Early Goldenrod (Solidago juncea)

I am going to first say that identifying goldenrods are very difficult. With that being said, you might want to bring an experienced botanist (por ejemplo yo)  along with you to identify goldenrods.

From my own observations, early goldenrod is identified by being the first goldenrod to bloom. It blooms from mid-late August to late September, while the other goldenrods bloom from mid-late September all the way until early November. If you notice the flower, some of the flower stems branch out in almost a 90 angle. This is characteristic of this plant. All of the other goldenrods branch at different angles, usually around 45 degrees. Again, this is from my own observations, some other people may have different ways of classifying this plant.

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

Jewelweed also called Orange Jewelweed, Common Jewelweed, Spotted Jewelweed, or Spotted Touch-me-not is an annual woodland plant native to North America. Although it is naturally found in moist woodlands, I have seen in it growing in partial sun to full sun in areas of ecological restoration. I have noticed that they are a lot smaller when exposed to full sun or even partial sun, so I am not exactly sure why some restoration ecologists have chosen that habitat for them. It is called Jewelweed because when exposed to the sun, the flower sparkles and the stems appear translucent. Some interesting facts about this plant are that the mature seed pods explode when touched (hence, Spotted-Touch-me-not) and this plant is used as an antidote for poison ivy and nettle rashes. You will never confuse this with another plant because it is unique in appearance and the only other plant that resembles this is Impatiens pallida which has yellow flowers. (Photo taken near Cranberry Slough in Cook County Forest Preserves)

Dwarf Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne)

I stumbled across this beautiful plant in the Cranberry Slough which is part of the Cook County Forest Preserves. It is a Dwarf Larkspur, which is a perennial plant native to eastern North American woodlands. It is found growing in moist to mesic soils with a preference for the former.

Dwarf Larkspur is a showy plant that flowers in mid-spring. Although it is called Dwarf Larkspur, I saw this particular plant growing up to 3.5 feet tall. The environmental conditions were optimal, so it grew to its full potential.

Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)

A baby alligator stocked in early summer at Hennepin and Hopper Lakes in central Illinois. 

Baby Alligator Gar swimming in dense vegetation in shallow water. It is a small fish in this picture, but they can reach over 10 feet in length, making them the largest freshwater fish in North America.

Their natural range is in the southern U.S. especially along the Mississippi River basin. There has been reports of Alligator Gar in Kansas, Ohio, Nebraska, and even central Illinois, which is why I think they stocked them in these lakes. There have also been reports in Japan, Singapore, and other Asian countries.

This fish is a very popular sport fish especially for bowfishers. In the South, they are eaten as a delicacy.

This is where the baby Alligator Gar were primarily found. Naturally, Alligator Gar spawn in shallow densely vegetated areas like this one, but live in large slow moving areas of streams and lakes when adults.

A school of baby Alligator Gar eat small fish and invertebrates when small, but then move on to eating larger fish, frogs, turtles, waterfowl, or really anything they come by.

Hairy Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis)

Wild Petunia is a short perennial plant native to east-central North American prairies. It likes to grow in mesic conditions, but does better in drier conditions, since it tends to disappear in competition in moister conditions. Wild Petunia is characterized by its hairy stems and leaves and usually reaches a maximum height of  a foot. It is a great plant to grow in highly degraded areas because it tolerates very dry and poor soils. It is seen along roadsides, barren land, and along railroads. It is also seen in home gardens because it is a very easy to care for plant with beautiful flowers emerging in mid-summer. (Picture taken in Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie)

Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum)

Compass plant is a hardy perennial plant native to North American mesic prairies and savannas.

Compass plants in Midwein National Tallgrass Prairie.

It is a very graceful plant that can reach over 10ft tall, but is usually around 7-9 feet tall. Compass plants are often referred to as the skyscrapers of the prairie because of their height.

Compass plant in full glory in the afternoon sun. They have attractive flowers and fern-like leaves. 

Compass plants look a lot like sunflowers because they are in the same tribe, Heliantheae.  They are sometimes cultivated in home gardens because they are quite attractive.

Late Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum)

Late Boneset is hardy perennial plant native to eastern North American prairies. It likes to grow in moist prairies, along the edges of streams, swales, and other wet areas.

The flowers occur in groups and lack ray flowers.

It is a very attractive plant when in large groups. Truly beautiful in the morning sun.

The flowers are characterized by small and white with a long style protruding from them.

The height of the plant is determined by its moisture level.

It is a plant that is very showy when it is in large groups and creates a magnificent display.

This plant is very important to many insects such as bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, moths, beetles, and others.

This eupatorium can be distinguished from the other white flowering eupatoriums by its very serrated leaves.