It’s such a wonderful time to hit the trails in one of your Metroparks. The colors are fresh and vibrant, the weather cooperative.
It’s late spring on Mother Nature’s calendar. Spring woodland wildflowers have done their thing, though a few have moved into their place providing some eye candy before the super wildflower show moves out into the meadows and tallgrass prairies.
Golden ragwort is a star right now, especially at Oak Openings Preserve where this multi-rayed yellow beauty is easily seen in the wet woods that come right up to the roadsides near Mallard Lake, for example.
Look for it growing through the big broad beautiful leaves of skunk cabbage which loves the wet woods as much as the ragwort.
Think of golden ragwort and the equally impressive marsh marigolds as emissaries for the explosion of yellows that will surely follow come summer.
