What woodland blooms might I see this May? Whether you find yourself taking a neighborhood stroll or hiking a trail recently opened in your area, you can play your own game of “I Spy Spring” while social distancing. Some of the following wildflower species will be in full bloom along the woodland trails or even your own backyard habitat over the next few weeks. Please note this list is not exhaustive.  Visit here for a list of trails currently open to the public where you might “spy” these flowers: www2.illinois.gov/dnr

• Trout Lily - Recognized by their brown mottled green leaves that resemble “trout”, these small statured ephemerals spend seven years maturing before they bloom a small white or yellow flower after their second leaf emerges from the forest floor.
• Common violet – Illinois’ state wildflower grows in small clumps in woodland soils. Heart shaped serrated leaves cluster around small and edible purple flowers with 5 petals each.  The two lower petals are separated by a third which serves as a landing pad for pollinators. 
• Mayapple - A perennial woodland plant, the mayapple produces large colonies that spread by rhizome. You can spot the umbrella shaped leaves from the hiking trail. Plants with two stems will produce a white flower.
• Early buttercup – One of the first buttercups to bloom in spring, it is typically found growing in scattered colonies along woodland trails. It usually produces a single flower that is ½-1 inch across with 5 shiny yellow petals rounded at the tip. 
• Woodland/wild blue phlox – Each spring a stem produces a cluster of 5 lobed blue to lavender colored flowers spanning 2-3 inches across. The floral scent is sweet and aromatic. 
• Wild geranium – One of my spring favorites, the wild geranium retains its pink to lavender blooms all season long!  It is a shade loving woodland wildflower that forms large clumps with palm like leaves and slender stems with pops of colorful flowers on top.
• Virginia bluebells – One of the springtime attractions at Starved Rock’s Illinois Canyon, these flowers can be seen all over moist woodlands of North America. They are adorned with two toned blue to purple bell shaped flowers, and are often visited by pollinating butterflies.
•  Prairie trillium – Trilliums are one of the most familiar woodland flowers to arise in the spring with their signature three leaves, three sepals, and three petals. The deep reddish burgundy flowers point upwards to the sky with pointed tips and attract pollinators such as flies and beetles. 
• Spring beauties – Spring beauties are one of the last native spring wildflowers to disappear from a landscape once it has been altered.  Multiple stems produce small 1 inch flowers of white to pale pink striped with darker pink lines.  These same pink lines act like airstrips guiding pollinators to the pollen.
• Red or Eastern Columbine – With striking 1.5 inch red and yellow bell like flowers, columbine can be found along riverbanks, rocky slopes, and woodland edges. It is mainly pollinated by hummingbirds and butterflies. The shape of the flowers bears a resemblance to an eagles claw. 

Where can I find identification resources for Illinois Wildflowers?  There are several apps available that you can download on your phone that allow you to take pictures of a flower, and will assist with their identification. Additionally, there are numerous field guides available for sale that cover as broad an area as the eastern United States, or as specific as Illinois. Be sure you buy a field guide that makes sense for our area.

Do you have some additional questions for us? Remember you can email us, or call our University of Illinois County Extension Main Office at 815.224.0889. Please note that due to the COVID-19 epidemic, offices are closed until further notice.

All pictures courtesy of Lisa Sons, University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist Volunteer.