Get thee to a prairie!

About five years ago, I wrote about June wildflowers on the dry prairie and expounded on the delights of the sensory explosion to be found there (see June 2009). Well, I cant help it, Im at it again. Just cant seem to get over this bounty of beautiful bunches of blossoms. So, this is your phenological task for this month – GO TO A DRY PRAIRIE!! You shant be disappointed. Hastings Sand Coulee SNA and Grey Cloud Dunes SNA are two metro sites I can attest to. For a sneak preview of what youll find: hairy puccoon, large-flowered penstemon, New Jersey tea, prairie phlox, spiderwort, prairie rose, slender penstemon, prairie larkspur.

New Jersey tea

Photo: Karen Schik / FMR

Penstemon

Photo: Karen Schik / FMR

Prairie Phlox

Photo: Karen Schik / FMR

Wildflowers at the Hastings Sand Coulee SNA

Photo: Karen Schik / FMR

Upcoming Events

"Our River: Mississippi Muse": FMR's river-inspired, juried art exhibition
December 5 - 19, 2025
F-O-K Studios in St. Paul
Educators: Bring FMR to your students
This school year
In your classroom or outside
Help track trash with the 2025 Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz project
Now through December 31, 2025
Mississippi River National River and Recreation Area, Twin Cities metro

See all Upcoming Events

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