Canada milk vetch (Astragalus canadensis) is a widely planted prairie/savanna species that has an interesting spreading growth form. It grows well in the Pleasant Valley Conservancy planted prairies, but even…

Kalm's brome (Bromus kalmii) is one of the handsome early-flowering grasses. According to Cochrane and Iltis, it is Wisconsin's most common native brome. Although widespread on prairies, it is not…

We have three species of Desmodium at Pleasant Valley Conservancy, illinoiense, canadense, and glutinosum. They are all starting to flower, but glutinosum (pointed tick trefoil) is first and is now…

One of the showy prairie/savanna species is New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americana), which is in full flower now. This species is a member of the buckthorn family, and when not…

Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum) is one of the classic tall grass prairie species. At one time widespread, due to the cow and the plow it has been virtually extirpated from…

Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), often called butterflyweed, is one of those unbelievably handsome plants that inhabits dry prairies. The population at Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie is outstanding, and from my…

This is the second year we have had kestrels nesting in the box we installed. This nest box is near our field station so we can enjoy watching the kestrels…

Moving along through the summer, our next major flowering plant is pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida). This attractive plant is popular in prairie plantings because of its colorful flowers. Also,…

Ted Cochrane is the local expert on the Wisconsin flora. He has been co-author on two important books, one the Atlas of Wisconsin Prairie and Savanna Plants and the other…

In my professional life I was a microbial ecologist and spent over 40 years doing field work in the great outdoors. For ten years I had a major research project…