Can you guess?? Sawtooth Sunflower Winterized

Hennepin and Hopper Lakes 2

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.

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.

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.

Polygonum

Polygonum is a genus of plants primarily growing in temperate climates.

The flowers are either pink, white, or green.

The plants very from being annual to perennial, or herbaceous to woody.

Several are aquatic plants growing in shallow water and some have floating leaves on the surface.

Polygonums are mostly viewed as weedy, but not necessarily as invasive. In my humble opinion, they are beautiful and like seeing the around my house.

Blue Monkey Flower (Mimulus Ringens)

Blue Monkey Flower is perennial wetland plant that is native to eastern North America. It likes to grow in sunny wet prairies and meadows, but also likes to grow in partially shaded floodplains and moist open woodlands. It is a very showy beautiful plant when all of the small blue flowers are blossoming together.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Purple Coneflower is a perennial plant native to eastern North America. It likes to grow in mesic to moist soils anywhere where there is plenty of sunlight, since it cannot tolerate shade. It is uncommon in the wild, but it is popular in home gardens. A close relative, pale purple coneflower is the only plant that looks like it in its natural range.

Sweet coneflower (Rudbeckia Subtomentosa)

Sweet Coneflower or Sweet Black-Eyed Susan is a native perennial plant in North America. It is primarily found in mesic prairies, savannas, and opening in woodlands. You can distinguish this plant from the other Black Eyed Susans because the leaves have very soft hairs on them and have a fuzzy feel to them. They have very long lasting blooms lasting for a month to a month and a half in mid-late summer.

Common Chickory (Cichorium intybus)

Common chickory is a naturalized exotic species from Europe. It is often times seen along roadsides and in empty lots. The flower looks like bachelor's buttons, but the leaves are completely different. The leaves look very similar to dandelion leaves, which should be of no surprise since they are related. Chickory is also called blue dandelion.

Culvers root (Veronicastrum virginicum)

Culver's root is a perennial plant in the Snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae) and is native to eastern North America. It likes to grow in mesic to wet prairies.

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)

Leadplant is a perennial plant native to central North America. It likes to grow in high quality mesic prairies and open woodlands. Some people consider it to be a small shrub or bush because as it matures, it turns woody. Leadplant is in the bean family (Fabaceae) indicated by the compound leaves.

Marsh Blazing Star (Liatris Spicata)

Liatris spicata is a showy perennial plant native to North America. It is typically shorter than Liatris pycnostachya and the flower spike is thinner than Liatris punctata. That is the way I have learned to separate the three similar species. Marsh blazing star is a very rare species and is hard to find in the wild. When uncommonly found, it likes to grow in high quality wet prairies and wet meadows, especially in sandy ones. When it is grown in the garden, it is tolerant of mesic conditions.

Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)

Wild Bergamot (Monarda Fistulosa)

Wild Bergamot is an essential to any prairie, and it is ubiquitous in most mesic prairies that you find. It is a very important source of nectar for insects, and large patches will keep invasive species from penetrating.

A relative of spotted bee balm, the flower looks totally different and is easy to identify.

Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata)

Spotted Bee Balm is a native short-lived perennial plant native to the eastern half of North American mesic prairies. This plant is in the Lamiaceae (mint) family and imparts a minty-oregano aroma when crushed. This plant attracts a wide range of insects to its flowers, but the pungent leaves themselves are rarely eaten by other animals.

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium)

Rattlesnake master is a perennial plant native to the eastern half of North America. It likes to grow in high-quality mesic prairies. Rattlesnake master is a unique plant and there is no other plant that quite looks like it in its range. The reason why it is called rattlesnake master is because some Native Americans used to use it to treat rattlesnake bites.

The flowers are arranged in apical umbels.