Quad Cities Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society

04/03/2026

It’s been quite a productive burn season in NW IL! QC INPS members participated in several opportunities to apply prescribed fire to some of our most important cemetery prairie remnants, as well as woodlands and prairie plantings. It’s always a rewarding experience to give back to the places we care about. Thanks to all who volunteered their time! Can’t wait to see what all comes up this year.

03/24/2026

The forest floor at Black Hawk Forest Nature Preserve has started to come back to life! The very first blooms of spring wildflowers were open today, basking in the early spring sunshine.

03/23/2026

Today, QC INPS ventured to the oddly-shaped and foul-scented Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) blooms at Ike’s Fen in Henry County, IL. Thanks to everyone who joined! What a great kick off to spring. Stay tuned for our next spring wildflower outing.

01/29/2026

09/30/2025

🌿 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞? 🌿

From the prairies to the woodlands, our chapters bring native plant lovers together to learn, explore, and protect Illinois’ natural heritage. Joining a chapter is a great way to connect with people in your region, take part in field trips, attend programs, and support conservation efforts close to home. Each chapter has its own page or online presence where you can keep up with upcoming events, local projects, and native plant inspiration. Be sure to follow your local chapter (or more than one!) to stay connected:

✨ 𝐈𝐍𝐏𝐒 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Central: https://centralchapterinps.substack.com/

Illinois Native Plant Society - Forest Glen Chapter

Grand Prairie

Illinois Native Plant Society - Kankakee Torrent Chapter

Illinois Native Plant Society Southern Chapter

Quad Cities Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society

Northeast Chapter of the Illinois Native Plant Society

You can also follow our statewide organization on Instagram and Substack!

💚 Ready to get involved? Become an INPS member and join a chapter today: https://www.illinoisplants.org/about-membership/

Together, we’re building a stronger network for Illinois’ native plants and the people who care for them.

09/29/2025

Yesterday, QC INPS ventured to the wooded bluffs along the Illinois River near Peoria where we explored a few remnant hill prairies. Highlights included downy gentian (Gentiana puberulenta), fall coral root orchid (Corallorhiza odontorhiza), round-stem false foxglove (Agalinis gattingeri), and a massive 4-trunked sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)! It was a great day spent appreciating our state’s natural heritage and biodiversity. This was our final field trip for 2025, so stay tuned for upcoming winter activities.

08/28/2025

It’s that time of year again! Chelone speciosa, our chapter mascot, is now in bloom in the floodplains of the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the Quad Cities Region. This plant was recently elevated to species status from its former variety level within Chelone obliqua by Nelson (2024), link below. It is distinguished from the two other members of the Chelone obliqua complex (C. obliqua and C erwiniae) by its densely ciliate calyx margins (see final three photos for what this looks like), often longer petioles, and having a distinct range centered in the Midwest.

https://www.phytoneuron.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/80PhytoN-CheloneobliquaComplex.pdf

08/28/2025

QC INPS had a blast this past weekend on our behind-the-scenes tour of the old Savanna Army Depot (now the Lost Mound National Wildlife Refuge). A big thanks to Alex and the friends of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge for organizing and leading the trip!! We got to see a number of rare species restricted to dry sand deposits and even explored the old military bunkers. It’s amazing to know so much contiguous natural space (over 9,000 acres) is protected. Keep your eyes peeled for another INPS trip to the site next year.

08/13/2025

QC INPS had a great time, despite the heat, exploring the dolomite prairies of Manikowski Prairie State Preserve this past weekend! Plant highlights included cylindric blazing star (Liatris cylindracea), grooved yellow flax (Linum sulcatum), and white goldenrod (Solidago album). Join us next month when we explore hill prairies along the Illinois River.