Partridge Pea, a common prairie wildflower is one of the first
plants to mature and bloom. Pulling back the foxtail reveals
tiny prairie seedings. We found wild bergamot, black-eyed Susan,
false sunflower and a handful of other species. Diary of a
Restoration 6th Installment, August 15, 2003 Judging from the
picture above, the Illinois Raptor Center's prairie
reconstruction looks like a patch of weeds. Believe it or not,
that's normal for the early stages. Prairie plants spend their
energy putting down deep root systems, and many take up to five
years to mature and flower. Shortly after these pictures were
taken, the field was mowed (at the mower's highest setting) to
keep the weeds from shading tiny prairie seedlings growing near
the ground. Some signs of the prairie to come have been evident,
and these pictures show a few of the species we've identified.
One of the most beautiful is side oats grama grass which has
brilliant red, but tiny, flowers. Side oats gets its name
because the seeds hang off the stem