Chicago Region, Illinois, USA Seed Heads of Common Native Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie3FHJPO *[BCFMMB3FEMJOTLJ5he Field Museum Photos by: Susan Kirt and Iza Redlinski. Produced by: Iza RedlinskJ+VMJBOB1IJMJQQ © KellerScienceActionCenter, Field Museum [fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org] [919] version 10/2017
1 Actaea pachypoda 2 Alisma subcordatum 3 Allium cernuum 4 Allium tricoccum White baneberry/ Doll’s eyes Common water plantain Nodding onion Wild leek Collect in Sept. Ivory white Collect Sept. Oct. Collect Sept. Oct. Black & Collect in Oct., in mesic berries, each with a black dot; Conspicuous seed in small round seed when ripe. Capsules woods. Seed is round, black large compound leaves. balls at the end of a peduncle. straw colored before dispersal. and shiny.
5 Amorpha canescens 6 Andropogon gerardii 7 Anemone cylindrica 8 Arisaema triphyllum Lead plant Big bluestem Thimbleweed Jack-in-the-pulpit Collect mid-Aug. Oct. Collect Oct. – Nov. Collect mid-Aug. Oct. Collect mid-Au . Sept. Remove hulls when cleaning, Don’t introduce too much Seeds ready to harvest if Clean seed within few days of each pod contains 1 round seed. seed into early restoration. peduncle brown. Leaves collection while pulp is still w/ 3 distinct lobes. soft.
9 Asclepias incarnata 10 Asclepias syriaca 11 Asclepias tuberosa 12 Baptisia spp. Swamp milkweed Common milkweed Butterfly weed Wild indigo Collect Sept. Oct. Wait to Collect Sep . Oct. Large Collect Sept-mid Oct. Look for Collect mid-Aug. Sept. collect until pods become pods with spikes. If pods do hirsute pod and stem. Seed Remove seed from pods to brown. Do not burn the fluff to not have spikes and plant is ready when pod and seed are prevent weevils from foraging. clean the seed. shorter then it is A. sulivantii. brown. Usually few pods/plant. Scarify seed. Chicago Region, Illinois, USA Seed Heads of Common Native Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie 3FHJPO *[BCFMMB3FEMJOTLJ5he Field Museum Photos by: Susan Kirtand IzaRedlinski. Produced by: Iza Redlinski+VMJBOB1IJMJQQ © Keller Science Action Center, Field MuseuN [fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org] <> version 10/2017
13 Bouteloua curtipendula 14 Camassia scilloides 15 Campanulastrum americanum 16 Caulophyllum thalictroides Side-oats grama Wild hyacinth Tall bellflower Blue coshosh Collect mid-Sept. Nov. Collect mid-June to July. Collect mid-Sept. Oct. Collect mid-Aug. – early Nov. Knee-high grass with the seeds Careful while picking place Look for 5 sepals surrounding the Keep seed until placed to one side. Dry prairies. entire seed head in bag. seedpod. Place in bag to dry out. sown.
17 Ceanothus americanus 18 Cephalanthus occidentalis 19 Cinna arundinacea 20 Coreopsis palmata New Jersey tea Buttonbush Common wood reed o o Collect Mid Sept.– Oct. Collect Sept. Oct. Collect mid-Oct. Nov. Collect early Sept. Nov. Seeds eject from capsules – bag When ready the panicle is Look for distinctive 3-lobed seed heads. Scarify w/ hot water. brown, seed comes off easily. leaves, plant up to 2.5 ft tall.
21 Coreopsis tripteris 22 Corylus americana 23 Dalea purpurea 24 Desmodium spp. Tall coreopsis American hazelnut/filbert Purple prairie clover Tick trefoil Collect mid-Sept Nov. Collect early Sept. – Oct. Collect early Sept. – Nov. Collect Sept. – Nov. Pick entire dried flower head. Sow fresh. Scarify seeds. If leaflets > Pick entire loments. ID species Plant 3-8’ tall, 3-lobed leaves. 2mm wide then D. candida. based on other characteristics. Chicago Region, Illinois, USA Seed Heads of Common Native Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie 3FHJPO *[BCFMMB3FEMJOTLJ5he Field Museum Photos by: Susan Kirt and Iza Redlinski. Produced by: Iza Redlinski+VMJBOB1IJMJQQ © Keller Science Action Center, Field Museum [fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org] <> version 10/2017
25 Echinacea purpurea 26 Elymus canadensis 27 Elymus virginicus 28 Eryngium yuccifolium on o Canada wild rye n n m Collect mid-Sept. Nov. Collect mid-S . Nov. Collect mid-Sept.- Oct. Stems Collect late Aug. Nov. Wear gloves while collecting Great in early restorations. Do erect, found in more moist Rough seed head, look for or cut off seed head. not confuse with giant foxtail. habitats. Good in early restoration. yucca-like leaves, cut seed head.
29 Euphorbia corollata 30 Eutrochium . 31 Fragaria virginiana 32 Gentiana alba o n o C m o n n Collect early Sept. (fruit Collect mid Sept. Oct. Check Collect June-early July Collect mid-Sept Oct. explodes) Lime-green foliated number whorled leaves & stem Fruit is red when ripe. Often Flowers less closed than bottle stalk with umbel-like 3 hairiness for species ID overlooked species in prairies. gentian more than prairie chamber seed head gentian.
33 Geranium maculatum 34 Helenium autumnale 35 Hystrix patula 36 Juncus torreyi Wild geranium Sneezeweed Bottlebrush grass Torrey’s rush Collect mid to late June. . . Collect Aug. Oct. Collect mid Aug. Oct. Seeds explode – collect when Unmistakable grass of savannas 0.5 inch wide globoloid seeds brown and store in closed bag or & woodlands. Collect by running w/ long pointy capsules. net flower after fertilized. . your fingers up the culm. Chicago Region, Illinois, USA Seed Heads of Common Native Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie 3FHJPO *[BCFMMB3FEMJOTLJ5he Field Museum Photos by: Susan Kirt and Iza Redlinski. Produced by: Iza Redlinski+VMJBOB1IJMJQQ © Keller Science Action Center, Field Museum [fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org] <> version 10/2017
37 Lespedeza capitata 38 Liatris aspera 39 Liatris spicata 40 Lindera benzoin Round-headed bush clover Rough blazing star Marsh blazing star Spicebush Aug. mid-Sep . Collect Oct. No . Collect late Sept. mid Oct. Collect late Summer. Pick entire head, beans can be Pick when pappus is fluffy L. pycnostachya looks very Soak in water for 24 hours shaken out of ripe seed head. and similar except w reflexed bracts. and cold stratify for 120 days.
41 Lithospermum canescens 42 Lobelia cardinalis 43 Ludwigia alternifolia 44 Monarda fistulosa o oon C n o o mo Collect mid-to late July. Seed Collect Oc . No . Collect end of Au . Sep. Collect early Sept. Nov. white, marble-like, rolls off Not all pods develop at once. Pick entire head when brown. easily.
45 Panicum virgatum 46 Parthenium integrifolium 47 Penstemon digitalis 48 Physostegia virginiana n n o o on n n Collect Sept. Oct. Collect Aug. Nov. Collect Oct. Nov. Collect mid-late Sep . Can be aggressive, plant Check for seeds, harvest entire Capsule needs to be crushed to Cut seed head, place upside minimally in a restoration. seed head, produces little seed. release seed, can use rolling pin. down in paper bag. Chicago Region, Illinois, USA Seed Heads of Common Native Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie 3FHJPO *[BCFMMB3FEMJOTLJ5he Field Museum Photos by: Susan Kirt and Iza Redlinski. Produced by: Iza Redlinski+VMJBOB1IJMJQQ © Keller Science Action Center, Field Museum [fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org] <> version 10/2017
50 Pycnanthemum virginianum 51 Ratibida pinnata 52 Rhus copallinum 49Polygonatum bliforum var. DPNNVUBUVN Common mo n n m n Yellow coneflower n m 4PMPNPOTTFBM Collect early Sept early Nov. Collect mid-Au . Nov. Collect early to mid No . Collect Sep . No . Ready seed is brown with Seed head crumbles in fingers Spread before it dries out If possible do not let berries dry. grayish hue. when ready, pick entire head. completely.
53 Rosa blanda 54 Rudbeckia subtomentosa 55 Ruellia humilis 56 Schizachyrium scoparium o E n n m Collect mid Sept. Oct. . . Collect mid-Aug. Nov. Collect mid-Sept. Nov. Scarify seed with sandpaper, Collect seed when capsules still Collect the fluff from the might need double dormancy. . . green but seed inside brown. grass.
57 Scirpus atrovirens 58 Scirpus cyperinus 59 Silphium integrifolium 60 Silphium laciniatum n oo Rosinweed Com n Collect early Aug. Sept. . Collect Sept. Oct. Collect mid-Aug. – Nov. Produces a lot of tiny seed. . Collect entire seed head. Collect entire seed head. Chicago Region, Illinois, USA Seed Heads of Common Native Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie 3FHJPO *[BCFMMB3FEMJOTLJ5he Field Museum Photos by: Susan Kirt and Iza Redlinski. Produced by: Iza Redlinski +VMJBOB1IJMJQQ © Keller Science Action Center, Field Museum [fieldguides.fieldmuseum.org] <> version 10/2017
61 Silphium terebinthinaceum 62 Smilacina racemosa 63 Smilax . 64 Oligoneuron rigidum o Feathery false Solomon’s seal C on o o n o Collect in Sept. Look at leaf Collect Sep. Oct. Collect Sept. Oct. Black & Collect in Oct. when pappus to identify species. Conspicuous seed in small balls round seed when ripe . turns fluffy.
65 Sorghastrum nutans 66 Spartina pectinata 67 Sporobolus heterolepis 68 Thalictrum dasycarpum n n o o n o m o Collect late Oct. Nov. Collect mid-Oct. Nov. Collect mid-Sep . Oct. Collect Aug. Sept. Seed strips easily with fingers, Recognizable by very long Each floret produces 1 shiny, avoid using a lot in restoration. blades, golden yellow once ready. round seed.
69 Tradescantia ohiensis 70 Verbesina alternifolia 71 Vernonia . 72 Zizia aurea Common o o n m on o n " n T Collect June – Sep. Collect Sept – Nov. Collect mid-Sept-Nov. Collect Au . Nov. Has long bracts, collect when 2/3 Wings on the stem but unlike Use other characteristics to Seed easily comes off the umbel, of seeds are yellow or brown. sneezeweed, seed is flat. distinguish among species. remove entire seed head. References: North Branch Restoration Project Seed Book from EPA Greenacres https://archive.epa.gov/greenacres/web/html/index-3.html; Williams, Dave. 2016. The Prairie in Seed Identifying Seed-Bearing Prairie Plants in the Upper Midwest. University of Iowa Press; DuPage County Forest Preserves Seed Collectors Database; . . Flora of the Chicago Region . .