A few years ago, I heard of a phenomenon that happens on Frostweed plants when it freezes. I have wanted to see and photograph these formations that go by many names such as ice ribbons, ice flowers, ice fingers and ice filaments to name a few. My problem is that I never think about going out and looking for them until it gets cold in November, particularly during gun deer season, not a time I frequent the Allegan State Game Area (ASGA) where these plants grow in abundance. But a couple of weeks ago I was out early enough one morning to catch some frost on the prairie plants and trees. As I walked to a picturesque scene I had seen from the road, I noticed what looked like odd shapes of cotton around the base of some plants and upon further exploration realized it was ice. The ice was soft with a texture reminiscent of fine cotton but very fragile when touched. There were no two formations the same, some in delicate ribbons and others in what looked like spun ice around the stems.

These formations can happen on various species of plants but the genus Crocanthemum is best know for this, hence the common name Frostweeed. In Michigan we have two species found in dry sandy plains or savannah type areas such as the ASGA. Both species have noticeable yellow flowers when in bloom. When the first frosts of fall come, the plant extrudes water from the lower stems near or just above ground level. With the freezing temperatures the water freezes, causing some very interesting ice formations. Many of these are very thin layers of ribbon like ice, each one taking on its own style.

If you want to experience the beauty and uniqueness of these formations, you should locate Frostweed when it is blooming in the summer and return to the area when we have some of the first frost of the season. Go early as the ice melts away when the sun hits the plants and the temperatures rise above freezing.