Northeastern Illinois

Northeastern Morainal

The northeast part of the state, around Chicago, was the last part of the state to be covered by glaciers as they melted and now has a vast diversity of topography.

This natural division has a wide diversity of wildlfowers because of its rich glacial history and many soil types, some of which include the Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Bellwort and Virginia Bluebells of moist woodlands, to the Rattlesnake Master and Purple Coneflower of the prairies, and the Showy Lady Slipper of bogs; wildflowers can amaze both the young and old.

Grand Prairie

This is the largest division in Illinois occupying most of the central part of the state. The extremely flat topography allowed prairie fires to race unhindered across the flat terrain, so this area was known by the earliest European settlers as a seemingly endless sea of prairie grasses and wildflowers.

Unique wildflowers that are found growing in this division include the beautiful Kankakee Mallow, which only grows on a small island in the middle of the Kankakee River, and the Primrose Violet, which only grows in the ancient sand dunes. Also, yellow flowering beauties such as the Yellow Coneflower, the tall and majestic Prairie Dock and the Compass Plant grow here.

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