Date: 05/09/2008

Number: 1

I have not seen even an inch of my milkweed so far, here in northeastern Illinois, about 12 miles west of Lake Michigan, just west of Chicago. It has been a cold, wet spring so far, alleviated by a few warm, nice days, but those have been the exception so far. The director of regional floristics at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Susanne Masi, told me today that some species are as much as a month behind with the average being two weeks! The hepatica were in bloom two weeks ago, the violets are in early full bloom, and the midseason tulips are on their way out. No sign of milkweed - any of them - and my other native species are just starting up, with the exception of the ginger, which, with the hepatica, was right on track. The small white lady's slippers are barely an inch high, and usually by mid-May they are in full bloom, if not on the way out.

And it looks as if the monarchs are early!

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Forest Park, IL

Latitude: 41.9 Longitude: -87.8

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