Royal Catchfly
These red wildflowers grab your attention because the color is so intense. Hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies love it. The name catchfly comes from the fact that insects are often stuck … Continued
Rose Gentian
I’m seeing more of this showy native wildflower this year, probably because it likes the extra rain we’ve had this spring. It doesn’t get very tall, but the hot pink … Continued
Prairie Blazingstar
I’ve gotten some of my best butterfly pictures on this native wildflower. The the 3-4 foot tall flowering spikes are magnets for butterflies and hummingbirds. The Prairie Blazingstar has just … Continued
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
A hummingbird hovers in front of a Buttonbush flower to sip nectar. I saw this bird on the dam of the Lotus Ponds at the Prairie Garden Trust (PGT), but … Continued
Prairie Grass Dew
When the weather turns hot and humid, I prefer to take my hikes in the early morning when it’s cool. The only problem with that if I wander off the … Continued
Tall Bellflower
On our walks this week I’ve found a few patches of this showy native wildflower in shady spots along creeks. The star-shaped blue flowers are arranged around tall stalks.
Buttonbush
It’s remarkable how much this wildflower looks like SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. I’ve started to see the blooms of this native shrub this week along the edges of … Continued
Tiger Swallowtail
The last few days I’ve seen a few more butterflies, including this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. I’ve been worried that the number of butterflies was down, but just this week I’ve … Continued
Compass Plant
5-inch yellow blossoms have just started to appear along the stalks of this native prairie wildflower. The stalks will grow up to 9′ tall later in the season and the … Continued