Prickly Pear — Craig Elston

Tag: Prickly Pear

Glorious Summer Beauties

July

Common Milkweed

Many times we think that wildflower season in Michigan lasts for about two weeks in May. The truth is, if you can tolerate the heat of summer and deal with biting insects (which usually aren’t that bad), summer blooms in fields, wetlands and prairies are well worth the effort. For me wildflower season begins in late winter to early spring as I watch for the Skunk Cabbage to emerge from beneath the snow. The mottled purplish hoods give hope that spring is not far off after the long cold winter.

Although many people don’t want to leave the comfort of air conditioning, there is another wildflower season in Michigan – summer. Yes it gets very hot in the prairie and open fields, sometimes 15 degrees warmer than the surrounding landscape. There are also ticks to be concerned with, but with some insect repellant on your pants and careful checks you can enjoy the beauties of summer. Did I say pants? Yes long pants and good boots or high top shoes and at times long-sleeved shirts are essential to safety and comfort in the fields and bogs. Remember comfort and safety will not win you any fashion contest, but you will be the better off at the end of the day.

Saulk Indian Prairie

As we enter into July and August and the heat of summer, some spectacular wildflowers and displays await those willing to venture out and look for them. Although orchids have been blooming from late spring to early summer, there are still some to come. The milkweeds are blooming, of which there are eleven species in Michigan. The showiest of these and easiest to spot is the Orange or Butterfly Milkweed. The majestic Silphiums of the prairies will soon show off their yellow flowers atop tall stems which will attract butterflies and many other interesting pollinators. The colorful Blazing Stars will show off their pinkish-purple wands of flowers which are another butterfly magnet. As you head into Allegan and Newaygo Counties your will also find the yellow Prickly Pear Cactus in bloom, just don’t touch and watch where you step. With dozens of interesting flowers and grasses in the fields and prairies the list could go on and on.

White Water Lily

Don’t forget about the wetlands for other beautiful summer flowers. White Water Lilies grace many a pond or lake and in shallower waters the Pickerel Weed, Arrowhead and Bur Reeds. The show doesn’t end with these larger, showier species. There are many smaller, but just as worthy flowers to be seen in or on the water, many are form submerged plants that only send up a flower above the surface of the water.

Get out and enjoy the beautiful and often over looked flowers of summer. If you are on the water, head to those avoided weedy areas, slow down and look at what everyone else is missing.

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Allegan

September

September is a great time to get out and enjoy the out of doors in West Michigan. The temperatures are more comfortable than they have been during the summer and pesky insects are not as numerous. Colors are becoming more vibrant as the trees begin to turn colors and late season flowers kick into high gear. I recently spent a morning in the Allegan State Game area near Allegan, Michigan. As I traversed the roads, preferring to stick to as many gravel roads as possible, there was much to see. One stop to check out a Pin Oak tree also yielded a substantial patch of Prickly Pear Cactus and a Buckeye Butterfly plus numerous birds. Along the roads were Great Blue Lobelias, Bidens, Big Bluestem grasses, native sunflowers, wild turkeys and much more.

Eli Lake

I revisited Eli Lake, a place I had not been since on a camping trip with a boys group from church as a young boy. Eli is a small, but beautiful lake. Like so many other lakes this year, it is low from the drought. The low water levels however expose a deferent flora and give easy access to some very interesting sights. As you begin to walk the reed lined shore, the Green Frogs squeak and jump for the water by the dozens. If you watch where they land, you may find them quietly sitting in the water. Enormous groups off Water Boatmen beetles swirl on the surface of the lake like little black boats stuck going in circles. In the shallow water at the edges are the pink flowers for Bladderworts and the white Pipeworts, and a little further out are white water lilies. Bog plants such as Sundew, Laurels and Cranberry can be found along the edges. Also along the edges are a St. John’s –wort new to me, I have narrowed it down to 2 possible species but need more work to be sure which one it is. The Bladderworts with their bladders under water and the sticky pads of the Sundew are both waiting to capture insects for nourishment. Tupelo trees are beginning to turn to their brilliant fall red color which contrasts brilliantly with the surround green foliage of other trees and shrubs. Above the high water level of the bank before the trees look for large areas of ferns and marsh St. John’s -wort. In the open shade between the parking area and the beach were violets.

Sometimes the close by home public lands and parks are the best places to visit and explore. West Michigan offers many great opportunities. If you live here or are visiting, take advantage of our rich natural areas on publicly owned lands.

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