Volunteering at Winnemac Park | Natural Areas Committee

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Winnemac's Natural Areas

our Prairies

The prairies in Winnemac Park were established less than 30 years ago and yet are among some of the most successful across the city of Chicago. Featuring over 50 species of wildflowers and a unique array of trees, Winnemac’s green spaces are cherished by our community. Here, we invite you to explore the list of wildflowers that currently fill our natural areas. With proper funding, our goal is to incorporate imperiled wildflowers in our state, alongside plants that restore our prairies to a landscape that emulates the original native territory.

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Winnemac wILDFLOWER GLOSSARY

A

ANISE HYSSOP

(Agastache foeniculum) 

Family: Lamiaceae, Mint

Flowering Period: May - June 


B

BIENNIAL GAURA

(Oenothera gaura) 

Family: Onagraceae, Primrose

Flowering Period: July - September

BIG BLUESTEM

(Andropogon gerardii) 

Family: Poaceae, Grass

Flowering Period: July - September

BLUE VERVAIN

(Verbena hastata) 

Family: Verbenaceae, Verbena

Flowering Period: June - September

BLUE WILD INDIGO

(Baptisia austrailis)

Family: Fabaceae, Pea

Flowering Period: May - July

BROWN-EYED SUSAN

(Rudbeckia triolba)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: May - July

BUTTERFLY WEED

(Asclepias tuberosa)

Family: Asclepiadaceae, Milkweed

Flowering Period: June - September


C

CANADIAN ANEMONE

(Anemone canadensis)

Family: Rununculaceae, Buttercup

Flowering Period: May - July

CANADIAN GOLDENROD

(Solidago canadensis)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: May - July

COMMON BLUE VIOLET

(Viola sororia)

Family: Malpighiaceae, Violet

Flowering Period: April - June (our first to bloom in the park!)

COMMON EVENING PRIMROSE

(Oenathera biennis)

Family: Onagraceae, Primrose

Flowering Period: June - November

COMMON MILKWEED

(Asclepias syriaca)

Family: Asclepiadaceae, Milkweed

Flowering Period: June - August

COMMON PARTRIDGE PEA

(Chamaecrista fasciculata), Wild Senna

Family: Fabaceae, Pea

Flowering Period: June - October

COMPASS PLANT

(Silphium laciniatum)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: June - September

CULVER'S ROOT

(Veronicastrum virginicum)

Family: Plantaginaceae, Plantain

Flowering Period: June - August

CUP PLANT

(Silphium perfoliatum)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: June - October

CUT-LEAVED CONEFLOWER

(Rudbeckia laciniata)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: August - October


D

DOGBANE

(Apocycnum cannabinum), Indian Hemp

Family: Apocynaceae, Milkweed

Flowering Period: July - September


E

EARLY FIGWORT

(Scrophularia lanceolata)

Family: Scrophulariaceae, Figworts

Flowering Period: May - June

EARLY GOLDENROD

(Solidago juncea)

Family: Asteracae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - September

EARLY MEADOW-RUE

(Thalictrum dioicum)

Family: Ranunculaceae, Buttercup

Flowering Period: May - June

EASTERN SHOOTING STAR

(Dodecatheon meadia)

Family: Primulaceae, Primrose

Flowering Period: May - June


F

FALSE SUNFLOWER

(Heliopsis helianthoides), Ox-eye Sunflower

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: June - October

FOXGLOVE BEARDTONGUE

(Penstemon digitalis)

Family: Plantaginaceae, Plantain

Flowering Period: May - July


G

GIANT IRONWEED

(Veronica gigantea)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - October


GIANT RAGWEED

(Ambrosia trifida)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: August - September

GOLDEN ALEXANDER

(Zizia aurea)

Family: Apiaceae, Carrot

Flowering Period: April - July 

GRAY-HEADED CONEFLOWER

(Ratibida pinnata)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: May - September

GREAT BLUE LOBELIA

(Lobelia siphilitica)

Family: Lobeliaceae

Flowering Period: July - October


I

ILLINOIS BUNDLE FLOWER

(Desmanthus illinoensis)

Family: Mimosaceae, Legume

Flowering Period: July - August


J

JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT

(Arisaema triphyllum)

Family: Araceae

Flowering Period: March - June

Introduced: May 2025, Natural Areas Committee

JACOB'S LADDER

(Polemonium reptans), Greek Valerian

Family: Ericales

Flowering Period: April - June

JUMPSEED

(Antenoron virginianum)

Family: Polygonaceae

Flowering Period: July - September


L

LATE FIGWORT

(Scrophularia marilandica)

Family: Scrophulariaceae, Figwort

Flowering Period: July - October


M

MEADOWSWEET

(Filependula ulmaria)

Family: Rosaceae, Rose

Flowering Period: June - September


N

NODDING WILD ONION

(Allium cernuum)

Family: Alliaceae, Allium; onion

Flowering Period: May - June


O

OBEDIENT PLANT

(Physotegia virginiana), False Dragonhead

Family: Lamiaceae, Mint

Flowering Period: August - October

OHIO SPIDERWORT

(Tradescantia ohiensis)

Family: Commelinaceae, Spiderwort

Flowering Period: May - September


P

PRAIRIE BLAZING STAR

(Liatris pycnostachya)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - September

PRAIRIE DOCK

(Silphium terebinthinaceum)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: June - September

PURPLE CONEFLOWER

(Echinacea purpurea)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - October

PURPLE DEAD NETTLE

(Lamium purpureum)

Family: Lamiaceae, Mint

Flowering Period: May - August



Q

QUEEN OF THE PRAIRIE

(Filipendula Rubra)

Family: Rosaceae, Rose

Flowering Period: June - July


R

RATTLESNAKE MASTER

(Eryngium yuccifolium)

Family: Apiaceae, Carrot

Flowering Period: July - September

RED TRILLIUM

(Trillium erectum)

Family: Melanthiaceae

Flowering Period: June - September

Introduced: May 2025, Natural Areas Committee

ROSINWEED

(Silphium integrifolium)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - September

ROYAL CATCHFLY

(Silene regia)

Family: Caryophyllaceae, Pink; Carnation

Flowering Period: July - August

ROUGH GOLDENROD

(Solidago rugosa)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: August - October


S

SHOWY TICK-TREFOIL

(Desmodium canadense)

Family: Fabaceae, Pea

Flowering Period: July-October

SMOOTH BLUE ASTER

(Symphyotrichum laeve)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: September - November

STARRY CAMPION

(Silene stellata)

Family: Caryophyllaceae, Pink; Carnation

Flowering Period: July - October

STEEPLEBUSH

(Spirea tomentosa)

Family: Rosaceae, Rose

Flowering Period: July - September

SWAMP MILKWEED

(Asclepias incarnata)

Family: Apocynaceae, Milkweed

Flowering Period: June - September

SWEET BLACK-EYED SUSAN

(Rudbeckia subtomentosa)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: August - September

SWEET INDIAN PLANTAIN

(Hasteola suaveolens)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - September

SWEET JOE PYE WEED

(Eutrochium purpureum), Purple Joe Pye-weed

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - September


T

TALL COREOPSIS

(Coreopsis tripteris)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: September - October


W

WILD BERGAMOT

(Monarda Fistulosa)

Family: Lamiaceae, Mint

Flowering Period: September - October

WILD GERANIUM

(Geranium maculatum)

Family: Geraniaceae, Geranium

Flowering Period: April - July

WILD PETUNIA

(Ruellia humlis)

Family: Acanthaceae

Flowering Period: August - September

WHITE AVENS

(Geum canadense)

Family: Rosaceae, Rose

Flowering Period: May - September  

WHITE PANICLE ASTER

(Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: August - September

WHITE WILD INDIGO

(Baptisia lactea)

Family: Fabaceae, Pea

Flowering Period: May - August

WOODLAND SUNFLOWER

(Helianthus divaricatus), Rough Sunflower

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: July - October


Y

YARROW

(Achillea millefolium)

Family: Asteraceae, Aster

Flowering Period: June - August

Please continue to be considerate of our Natural Areas; these spaces act as a home to countless species

@fromwinnemacpark

To learn more about the wonders of Winnemac throughout the seasons, be sure to follow the journey!

@fromwinnemacpark
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