“Wild cherry blossoms” by Joanne Desjardins

Plant(s): Cherry (Prunus)
I’m not sure if this is a chokecherry (prunus virginiana) or a black cherry (prunus serotina).
Photo Story: In the springtime the wild cherries that bloom on the roadside by my home are beautiful.
Equipment: LG Electronics LM-X210 cellphone
Photo ID: 32825

“Shooting Star” by Tom Scheidt

Plant(s): Shooting Star, Dodecatheon meadia
Photo Story: In the summer my wife and I go out 2-3 times a week looking at the wildflowers at our nearby forest preserves. We are so lucky to live in Lake County were we have a good forest preserve system.
Equipment: Nikon D3400, 90mm Tamron, f/13, 1/200 sec, ISO 800
Photo ID: 32832

“Blue Wild Indigo” by Tom Scheidt

Plant(s): Blue Wild Indigo, Baptisia australis
Photo Story: We are at Pine Dunes every 10 days during the growing season. Last spring we saw only one Blue Wild Indigo at Pine Dunes. This spring we saw close to 30 plants. It was a good year for all the Baptisia but are still amazed at how the Blue population grew so much.
Equipment: Nikon D7200, 270mm. F/13, 1/500 sec, ISO 1250
Photo ID: 32833

“Great Blue Lobelia” by Steven Dominguez

Plant(s): Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Photo Story: Grown from seed
Equipment: IPhone 11
Photo ID: 32836

“Prairie Blazing Star” by Tom Scheidt

Plant(s): Prairie Blazing Star, Liatris pycnostachya
Photo Story: This summer the Pine Dunes Forest Preserve had a great display of Prairie Blazing Star.
Equipment: Nikon D7200, 90mm. F/18, 1/500 sec, ISO 1250
Photo ID: 32843

“Wild Bergamot and Slender Mountain Mint” by Joanne Desjardins

Plant(s): Wild Bergamot (monarda fistulosa) and Slender Mountain Mint (pycnanthemum tenufolium)
Photo Story: The bees love the wild bergamot and slender mountain mint I planted in my back yard. I started the garden in 2022 and these plants are growing like crazy!
Equipment: LG Electronics LM-X210 cell phone
Photo ID: 32858

“Saguaro in the desert” by Scott Krahn

Plant(s): Saguaro
Photo Story: Saguaro top in the desert
Equipment: Fuji XT1
Photo ID: 32862

“acorns” by Scott Krahn

Plant(s): oak tree acorns
Photo Story: we encountered these acorns hanging from an oak tee in Menomonee Park
Equipment: Canon R5
Photo ID: 32863

“Stacked up saguaros” by Scott Krahn

Plant(s): saguaro cactus
Photo Story: While hiking in Arizona, I was able to use a long lens to stack up several saguaros.
Equipment: Fuji XT1
Photo ID: 32864

“Native Ecology” by Telle ter Horst

Plant(s): Rudbeckia laciniata (flowering sochan), with Scolia Dubia (blue-winged wasp)
Photo Story: Several springs ago, a kind farmer with whom I was apprenticing offered that I take home a section of the abundant sochan growing on his property. I transplanted it in my yard, and have been in awe every late summer since, as I count the multitude of insects that show up to feast on the nectars and pollens of this stunning native plant. It is a plant with a rich history, both for the indigenous people and for the native fauna of this region.
Equipment: iPhone SE
Photo ID: 32866

“Spore Galore” by Laurie Martin

Plant(s): Capillary thread moss (Bryum capillare) sporophytes
Photo Story: The tiny nodding sporophytes of Capillary Thread Moss (Bryum capillare) glow in a patch of sunlight in the forest.
Equipment: Google Pixel 3a XL
ƒ/1.8
1/460
4.44mm
ISO50
Photo ID: 32867

“Butterfly Weed” by Illona Hadley

Plant(s): Butterfly Weed (Asclepius tuberosa)
Photo Story: Native Prairie plant at Noelridge Gardens
Equipment: Canon EOS 7D
Photo ID: 32871

“Gray-head Coneflower” by Illona Hadley

Plant(s): Gray-head Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
Photo Story: Gray-head Coneflower on a breezy day at Noelridge Gardens.
Equipment: Canon EOS 7D
Photo ID: 32873

“Hairy Mountain Mint” by Illona Hadley

Plant(s): Hairy Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum verticillium)
Photo Story: Hairy Mountain Mint at Noelridge Gardens
Equipment: Canon EOS 7D
Photo ID: 32874

“Western Ironweed” by Illona Hadley

Plant(s): Western Ironweed (Vernonia Baldwinii)
Photo Story: Towering Western Ironweed at Noelridge Gardens
Equipment: Canon EOS 7D
Photo ID: 32875

“Rue Anemone” by Laurie Martin

Plant(s): Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides)
Photo Story: I came across a colony of dainty white Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides) sparkling on a hillside along a forest preserve trail.
Equipment: Google Pixel 3a XL
ƒ/1.8
1/60
4.44mm
ISO86
Photo ID: 32885

“Starry Seeds” by Laurie Martin

Plant(s): Starry False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum)
Photo Story: The colorful seed pods of Starry False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum stellatum) are even more wonderful than their starry white flowers.
Equipment: Google Pixel 3a XL
ƒ/1.8
1/60
4.44mm
ISO57
Photo ID: 32886

“Summer Ornament” by Laurie Martin

Plant(s): Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Photo Story: After a summer shower, blue fruits dangle and sparkle like Christmas ornaments along the graceful arching stems of Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum).
Equipment: Google Pixel 3a XL
ƒ/1.8
1/120
4.44mm
ISO83
Photo ID: 32887

“Shivers” by Laura Stellmacher

Plant(s): Common milkweed
Photo Story: captured in backyard
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 32898

“Bittersweet” by Laura Stellmacher

Plant(s): Sugar Maple
Photo Story: captured in backyard
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 32899

“Bath Time” by Laura Stellmacher

Plant(s): Common milkweed
Photo Story: captured in backyard
Equipment: iphone
Photo ID: 32900

“Hedgehog Cactus” by David Silsbee

Plant(s): Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii)
Photo Story: I always admire the contrast between the delicate, brightly colored flowers and the starkness of the spines.
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark IV with 24-70 mm zoom llens.
Photo ID: 32903

“Lupine Raindrops” by David Silsbee

Plant(s): Lupine (Lupinus sp.)
Photo Story: After a rain, the water collects on the leaves of the lupine, beading up on the woolly hairs of the leaves and leaving the rest of the leaf dry.
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark IV, 24-70 mm lens
Photo ID: 32904

“Skunk Cabbage” by David Silsbee

Plant(s): Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)
Photo Story: I’ve always found the color and shape of skunk cabbage to be fascinating, but been discouraged from photographing it by the need to get down to ground level in the wet, swampy places where it grows. This spring I finally steeled myself to get my feet, knees, and elbows wet and crouched down to look the skunk cabbage in the eye.
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark IV, 100 mm macro lens
Photo ID: 32905

“Wintergreen Detail” by David Silsbee

Plant(s): Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)
Photo Story: I love taking pictures of the inner workings of flowers, and spotted wintergreen is one of my favorites. The anthers look like pants on a drying rack blowing in the wind or a circle of synchronized swimmers diving into a pool.
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark IV, 65 mm macro lens, ringlite flash.
Photo ID: 32906

“Prairiescape” by Deborah Rees

Plant(s): Echinacea
Photo Story: I love to walk the prairie at Carl R Hansen Woods as their are some gorgeous views from the trails. This is one I took.
Equipment: Nikon D3100
Photo ID: 32917

“Snuffy’s Prairie” by Deborah Rees

Plant(s): Bee balm, Grey-headed coneflower, bluestem and silphium leaves
Photo Story: I visited Snuffy’s Prairie in Dundee Township in Kane County, IL and found a wonderful watershed project with beautiful wildflowers year round that help filter the water running into the Fox River.
Equipment: Nikon D3100
Photo ID: 32918

“Blue Vervain” by Deborah Rees

Plant(s): Blue Vervain
Photo Story: A photo of Blue Vervain in our floodplain restoration project
Equipment: Nikon D3100
Photo ID: 32935

“Sneezeweed” by Deborah Rees

Plant(s): Sneezeweed or Helenium Autumnale
Photo Story: I took a photo of sneezeweed just coming into bloom in our floodplain restoration project
Equipment: Nikon D3100
Photo ID: 32937

“Monarch Buffet” by Ruth Hilfiker

Plant(s): Prairie Blazing Star (Liatrus ligulistylis); Obedient Plant (Physostegia viginiana); with Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
Photo Story: My 30 x 15 foot raingarden is full of color with Liatrus ligulistylis that is particularly attractive to the migrating generation of Monarch butterflies!
Equipment: Apple 14 Pro Phone camera
Photo ID: 32940