Native Prairie Plants

Native Prairie Plants. An environment where plants and natural life flourish. , Praire Insects , This native garden is only a small fraction of the prairie that was once here. However, the bright colors and nectar of the forbs (wide-leaved flowering plants) and the shelter and food that the grasses provide, attract many native insects, spiders, and small animals., How do prairie plants benefit the soil? , Although prairie planes vary in height, they all have more growth below the ground than above. Their dense, deep roots hold the soil in place and help rainwater soak deep into the ground rather than running off. As their roots die and decompose, they enrich the soil. Even though most of the prairie plants are gone, we are still benefiting from the rich soil they left. As seen on the illustration above, unlike prairie plants, lawn grasses and annual flowers have very shallow roots., How does a prairie remnant differ from a prairie planting? , A prairie "remnant" is an ecosystem that has always been prairie. A remnant contains microbes, plant types, and insects that occur there without human intervention. Even though this prairie planting lacks the diversity of life that a remnant has, the forbs and grasses in this planting provide food and a home for species that relied on the original prairie., Why was this prairie garden planted here at the trailhead of the Illinois Prairie Path? , Besides beautifying the area for Path users, this garden is a reminder of what was here in open areas before Europeans arrived. Land west of Lake Michigan was a diverse ecosystem. There were thousands of species of trees, grasses, forbs, animals, insects, spiders, etc. Trees were confined to areas that did not burn. Native Americans depended on the prairie ecosystem for much of their food., The CA&E (Chicago Aurora and Elgin) railroad was constructed in the early 1900s and passed through this spot in Maywood. When the nearby expressway was built and other forms of transportation became more popular and more efficient, the train stopped operating. In the 1960's, the tracks were removed, and it became a recreational path for people. In 1966 it officially became the Illinois Prairie Path., Who planted this native garden? , This prairie garden was begun by The Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) board members and the Proviso East High School Ecology Club. The students collected seeds from prairie remnants on the IPP, and transplanted small plants from containers, called "plugs." They watered and mulched the plugs and watched them grow to fill the area!