Purple Fringeless Orchid
I found this wild orchid blooming near the Lotus ponds at the PGT. The PGT has several kinds of wild orchids and this is one of the more stunning ones.

I found this wild orchid blooming near the Lotus ponds at the PGT. The PGT has several kinds of wild orchids and this is one of the more stunning ones.
On the PGT Butterfly Walk yesterday we saw over 30 different butterflies, including several kinds of Swallowtails. It was hot and humid, but there was a nice breeze that helped … Continued
The purple spikes of Prairie Blazing Star have just started to bloom, right in time for the PGT Butterfly Walk this Saturday. At the PGT you can see Blazing Star … Continued
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.
This unusual prairie plant resembles yucca. It looks like it belongs in a desert. The flowers are prickly green balls. The best place to see it at the Prairie Garden … Continued
Bumblebees are he most common bees I seeing at the PGT. I’m not sure I see more of them because they’re bigger and therefore easier to see or because they’re … Continued
I found some of these odd wildflowers next to the sidewalk on they way to the Lotus Ponds. They are on stalks 4-feet tall.
Hibiscus seems like a tropical flower, something that grows in Hawaii. But the flower shown here is a native wildflower in Missouri. The best places to find these large … Continued
I saw at least 30 Swallowtails butterflies on our walk yesterday. That’s much more than normal. Most were in patches of Wild Bergamot. I also saw some on the golfball-like … Continued