“Purple Prairie Clover Love” by Ruth Hilfiker

Plant(s): Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)
Photo Story: Purple prairie clover is the most beautiful flower of all the prairie flowers. Bumble bees circle the flower heads to find nectar in July before other common prairie flowers are in bloom. It’s a legume that fixes nitrogen, so I have seen it grow in the driest of sites.
Equipment: Apple 14 Pro Phone Camera
Photo ID: 32941

“Spiderwort Face of Infinite Beauty” by Ruth Hilfiker

Plant(s): Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)
Photo Story: The 6 bright yellow tipped stamens covered in blue hairs centered on the incandescent blue petals are exquisite even if they are short lived. I have small patches of them growing in my backyard prairie.
Equipment: Apple 14 Pro Phone Camera
Photo ID: 32943

“Pale Coneflower Capture” by Ruth Hilfiker

Plant(s): Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)
Photo Story: This gentle wispy coneflower grows in my raingarden and last 3 weeks. Native bees feed on this lovely less aggressive coneflower.
Equipment: Apple 14 Pro Phone camera
Photo ID: 32944

“Hold On!” by Becki Wells

Plant(s): Common milkweed seed
Photo Story: On a windy day in north west Illinois a milkweed seed tries to find it’s way to germinate!
Equipment: I Phone 14
Photo ID: 32949

“Swallowtails on cup plant” by Tammy Dorfman

Plant(s): Eastern tiger swallowtails on cup plant
Photo Story: I have a tall garden with cup plant, Joe pye weed and sunflowers. The swallowtails love the cup plant. Every evening around 5 pm this magic happens. It’s like someone rang the supper bell. There is a tulip poplar tree nearby which is a host plant for ETS. It’s a wonderful habitat.
Equipment: iPhone
Photo ID: 32950

“Dragon Milkweed” by Roger Sorensen

Plant(s): Common Milkweed, Asclepias syriaca
Photo Story: While walking in the sunset hour I came upon this old, weathered and worn milkweed pod that was backlit by the setting sun. It reminded me of a dragon with a red, glowing eye.
Equipment: Canon DSLR
Photo ID: 32964

“Joe Pye Flowers at Home” by Ed Buchs

Plant(s): Spotted Joe-pye Eutrochium maculatum, Also seen is a Rusty Patch Bumblebee – Bombus Affinis
Photo Story: Joe Pye Flowers is one of my favorites for semi shade areas. It can get quite tall and has very large flowers. It is a favorite of pollinators in the late summer. This year a family of Rusty Patch Bumblebees have been enjoying the three week blooming period. The flowers are pretty by themselves and contribute to a great source of natural food for pollinators and seeds for birds.
Equipment: Canon R6
Tamron 18-400 Telephoto Lens
Capture One Software for RAW processing
Photo ID: 32965

“Dutchmans Breeches in the Snow” by Ed Buchs

Plant(s): Dutchmans Breeches – Dicentra cucullaria
Photo Story: The Dutchmans Breeches in our yard bloom early each spring and are sought by dozens of Queen Bumblebees including Rusty Patch Bumblebees and other early pollinators. Occasionally we get late snows – the snow this year came when the flowers were in full bloom making for an interesting moment.
Equipment: Canon R6
Canon 50mm lens
Capture One Software
Photo ID: 32977

“Fern Valley” by Kathleen Walsh-Piper

Plant(s): foliage
Photo Story: I saw this beautiful fall of leaves at Stacy Park, Olivette
Equipment: i phone
Photo ID: 32996

“Poppy” by Kathleen Walsh-Piper

Plant(s): California Poppy
Photo Story: Saw this poppy growing in fron of the hotel
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 32997

“Sweet Joe” by Mark Yost

Plant(s): Sweet Joe Pye Weed
Photo Story: Mark Yost
Equipment: iPhone 12
Photo ID: 32998

“Fern Shadow” by David Carson

Plant(s): Native Ferns and Fungi
Photo Story: Captured fern shadow cast on mushrooms along a trail at Devil’s Hopyard Sate Park
Equipment: Nikon D5000 with 300 mm telephoto
Photo ID: 33008

“Wintergreen Wonderland” by David Carson

Plant(s): Striped Wintergreen
Photo Story: Discovered this small world of wintergreen on the trail behind our house.
Equipment: Nikon D5000 300 mm telephoto
Photo ID: 33009

“Indian pipe under pines” by David Carson

Plant(s): Indian pipe and white pines.
Photo Story: Clearing invasive plants from the stand of white pines in our side yard made way for these indian pipes to flourish.
Equipment: Nikon D5000 with 300 mm telephoto
Photo ID: 33010

“Majestic Live Oak” by David Carson

Plant(s): Live Oak
Photo Story: Found this magnificent specimen on a trail in the outer banks.
Equipment: Nikon D5000 18-55 mm lens
Photo ID: 33011

“Blanketflower in Sushine.” by Elizabeth Tamagni

Plant(s): Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata).
Photo Story: Evenings give the perfect light to capture the details of this flower.
Equipment: Nikon D5100
Photo ID: 33024

“Rocky Mountain Maple raindrops” by Elizabeth Tamagni

Plant(s): Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum)
Photo Story: After a summer shower, the leaves shine with raindrops.
Equipment: Nikon D5100
Photo ID: 33025

“Hello Purple Poppy Mallow” by January Kiefer

Plant(s): purple poppy mallow
Photo Story: I, January (Janet) Kiefer, am over 18, am a member and took the photo
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 33030

“Button!” by January Kiefer

Plant(s): on my wonderful button bush. All of the photos I have submitted have been of bushes and flowers I have planted in my garden over the past five years.
Photo Story: I, January (Janet) Kiefer, am over 18, am a member and took this picture.
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 33031

“Trout Lilly Announces Spring in the Forest” by SUZANNE ATKINSON

Plant(s): Trout Lilly – Erythronium americanum
Photo Story: I live near a wooded area and enjoy long walks in the woods. Each spring the forest floor blooms with a wide variety of wild flowers. The Trout Lily is among my favorites.
Equipment: Nikon Z5
Photo ID: 33037

“Abundance of Flowers on the Prairie” by SUZANNE ATKINSON

Plant(s): Culvers Root – Veronicastrum virginicum, Ox Eye Sunflower – Heliopsis helianthoides
Photo Story: I was visiting my sisters in Illinois. One of them lives in a development that encourages native plants and flowers. The development is has several pathways that run through the prairie. We went out early one morning to enjoy the abundance of flowers in full bloom.
Equipment: Nikon Z5
Photo ID: 33038

“A Field of Yellow Flowers” by SUZANNE ATKINSON

Plant(s): Yellow Coneflower-Echinacea paradoxa, Rattlesnake Master – Eryngium yuccifolium, Black Eyed Susan – Rudbeckia hirta
Photo Story: I frequently walk the trails through the woods around Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis usually looking for birds to photograph. Today I noticed this amazing field of mostly yellow flowers. I had to stop and photograph it. I also noticed this white flower that I later learned had a very unusual name, Rattlesnake Master.
Equipment: Nikon Z5
Photo ID: 33041

“Fading Blazing Star Fireworks” by Jennifer Geist

Plant(s): Eastern Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa)
Photo Story: It is WILD how vibrant these flowers are. I love watching them slowly unfurl, from the tightly bound, barely peeking-out fuchsia spikes to the lighter but still bright purple fully bloomed fuzzy heads, to finally the browning spikes as they move toward senescence—all on one stalk.
Equipment: Nikon D90, 55mm-200mm lens
Photo ID: 33053

“Delicate Swamp Milkweed” by Jennifer Geist

Plant(s): Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Photo Story: Swamp milkweed is one of my favorite flowers: unassuming from a distance, but delicately intricate and beautiful up close.

My phone doesn’t have the best of cameras, but the best camera is the one you have with you. 🙂
Equipment: Asus Zenfone 8
Photo ID: 33054

“Purple Beardtongue Faces” by Jennifer Geist

Plant(s): Purple Beardtongue (Penstemon cobaea) plus some Rose Verbena (Glandularia canadensis) in the bottom left
Photo Story: This is my first year with purple beardtongue, and I was WOWed with how vibrant its blooms are. The shape is also lovely, like a happy, smiling face. I didn’t get any photos of bumblebees hanging out of them this spring, but hopefully next year!

My phone doesn’t have the best of cameras, but the best camera is the one you have with you. 🙂
Equipment: Asus Zenfone 8
Photo ID: 33055

“Compass Plant (with insect)” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum); unidentified flying insect.
Photo Story: Compass plants grow to be very tall, and attract a wide variety of insects. I was drawn to this beautiful, tall plant at a favorite prairie, and had to aim the camera up toward the flowers. It’s said that you could find your way in the dark by feeling the leaves; thus the name!
Equipment: Canon EOS REBEL T5i; EF-S18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6 IS STM
Photo ID: 33062

“Purple Cone Flower with surprise!” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea purpurea). (Unidentified flying insect.)
Photo Story: I’ve been enjoying the many moods and views of cone flowers along the south edge of the garden shed this summer. In the photo, I wanted to see if I could capture the tiny drops of dew deep in the right side of the flower’s cone. It was fun to see a flying insect enter the picture, as they very often do when I’m photographing there — part of the delight of native species in your backyard!
Equipment: Canon EOS REBEL T5i; EF-S18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6 IS STM
Photo ID: 33067

“Obedient Plant with hungry guest” by Nancy Dawn Van Beest

Plant(s): Obedient Plant, white (Physostegia virginiana.)
Photo Story: On a walk at Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve, I was delighted to discover a group of gorgeous pink obedient plants and took many photos. At the end of the walk I discovered all the photos were overexposed, so I headed back down the trail to see if I could find them again. It was worth it — this time I found several groups in both pink and white! This one was particularly elegant.
Equipment: Canon EOS REBEL T5i; EF-S18-55mm ƒ3.5-5.6 IS STM
Photo ID: 33068

“Autumn Dew” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Heath Aster (Aster ericoides) and Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Photo Story: The colors in my Pocket Prairie are usually bright and vibrant shades of yellow, purple, pink, and orange. But when fall arrives, the colors soften. Heath Aster blooms with clusters of white petals, and the bronze leaves of Showy Goldenrod highlight their fading yellow flowers. The many ripening seed pods of blazingstar, aster, milkweed, and grasses add shades of brown, tan, and grey to the little prairie. I love this visual reminder that fall is coming, a time to slow down and rest like the plants and many creatures I share my outdoor home with are preparing to do.

The dew on the flowers in the morning is an extra delight I look forward to seeing and photographing on foggy mornings in the garden.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33075

“Magenta Bloom” by Courtney Denning

Plant(s): Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)
Photo Story: I have a lot of favorite native plants, but Purple Prairie Clover is definitely in the top tier of that long list. I love the contrast of the soft, feathery leaves against the dazzling magenta-purple blooms. The first time I saw a bumble bee frantically collect its red-orange pollen was a delightful surprise. Purple Prairie Clover is a slow-growing plant in my Pocket Prairie, but it’s well worth the wait.
Equipment: iPhone 13 Pro
Photo ID: 33076