Bob Henrickson's Top 12 Wildflowers   
Where to See Wildflowers in Nebraska
Wildflower Botanical Prints
Web Guide to Nebraska Wildflowers

2012 Wildflower Week is June 2-10!

LISTED BELOW ARE EVENTS FROM 2011. Events for 2012 will be posted here in April. Send 2012 events to klarsen1@unl.edu.

            May 27 in Lincoln. NSA greenhouse open Friday 12-5 and Display Garden Tour at 1:30, 402/472-2971.
            May 28-June 5 near Harrison. “Wildflower Walks on the Prairie” at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument at 10:30 and 1:30, leaving from visitor center as staffing permits. Plant signs on trail and herbarium in visitor center for self-guided tours. www.nps.gov/agfo, Lil Mansfield, 308-436-9760 or 308-668-2211, lil_mansfield@nps.gov
            May 28 near Red Cloud. “Music on the Cather Prairie” featuring Mike Adams and Pilgrim Classic Country at 2:00 p.m.  Guests will also have the opportunity to explore Cather Prairie, located 5 miles south of Red Cloud, to learn about rare plants, the interaction between fire and grazing and the Willa Cather Foundation's restoration efforts. This 608-acre ecological treasure is the largest never-been-plowed, native prairie in six counties. Fee: $10. www.WillaCather.org, info@willacather.org, 402-746-2641
            May 28 near Kimball. “Kimball Wildflower Week” to enjoy the wonder of Nebraska's shortgrass prairie ecosystem.  Morning yoga, followed by bird hike, at 7 a.m. Wildflower hike at 10. Bring sack lunch and beverage or visit one of Kimball's restaurants to stay for afternoon hike at 2 p.m. Campfire hot dogs and s'mores at 6 p.m. (bring a drink and something to share). Evening wildflower/sunset hike at 7:30 p.m.; free but suggested donation of $5/adult to go to Kimball Community Arboretum. Site use donated by EJE Ranch. Inclement weather make-up date is June 4 with same events. Directions: From Kimball stoplight (Hwy 71/30) drive  3 miles south, then 3 miles west on CR 28. Turn right on CR 35 and drive 1.2 miles north (crossing over I-80) and follow signs. Shaun Evertson, 308-241-0878, shaunevertson@charter.net
            May 29 near Burwell.  “Blowout Penstemon Tour,” guided tour through area with endangered blowout penstemon from 1:30-4.  Meet at Calamus Outfitters, 16 miles northwest of Burwell on Highway 96, for a jeep tour through the Sandhills. Cost: $25/person. Call to reserve your spot.  308-346-4697 or hbswitzer@nctc.net
                May 30-June 5, “Wildflower Plant Sale” at Gardenland (retail division of Bluebird Nursery, Inc. at 6th & Linden in Clarkson). Wide selection of Nebraska native wildflowers and grasses and other hardy U.S. natives. Deb Karel says, “Let's enjoy what Mother Nature planted and get WILD!” M-F 8-5, Sat. 8-4, Sun. 1-5 thru Father's Day. 402/892-3442,  gardenland@bluebirdnursery.com
            June 4 in Bellevue.  “National Trails Day” at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center from 10-4, featuring guided wildflower walks, outdoor photography tips, hiking gear demos and interactive stations. www.fontenelleforest.org, 402-731-3140
            June 4 in Omaha. “Wildflower Walks” at Lauritzen Gardens led by Director of Conservation Jim Locklear. Walking tour of the Woodland Trail From 10-11:30 a.m. through the garden’s 10-acre native stand of oak-hickory forest. Walking tour from 2-3:30 p.m. to observe prairie natives (wildflowers and grasses) in gardens and landscape of Lauritzen Gardens.  Fee: $7.00 admission per adult; free to members of Lauritzen Gardens. No advance registration required. www.lauritzengardens.org, 402/346-4002
            June 4 near Gering. “Wildflowers of the Wildcat Hills” guided wildflower walk at 9:00 a.m., weather permitting,at Wildcat Hills Nature Center 10 miles south of Gering via Nebraska Highway 71. Meet at the Nature Center. Plant signage on trails. 308/436-3777, ngpc.wildcat.hills@nebraska.gov
            June 4 near Clearwater, “Wildflower Walk” through an eastern sandhills native prairie from 11-12 with the Nebraska Native Plant Society.  The prairie is 2.8 miles south of Clearwater on Highway 275, east side of River Road (516th Ave).  The site has a variety of habitats from wetland swales to small dunes. akrohn@shoestringseed.com
                June 4 near Marquette. “Griffith Prairie 5K/10K Fun Run/Walk” offers a great time to explore this amazing post-burn, fresh, green and flowering Platte River bluffs prairie with walking or running friends.  Check-in at 8:30 a.m. Entry form and more at www.prairieplains.org/assets/files/Final%20race%20form%20for%20web.pdf
            June 6 in Omaha. “Mommy and Me: Wildflowers” preschool program for children ages 3 to 5 and an accompanying adult from 10-11:30 a.m. Read about wildflowers, go on a wildflower hike and create your own wildflower book to take home. Fee: $8/member, $14 non-member. Advance registration required. www.lauritzengardens.org, 402/346-4002
            June 12 near Denton. “Weekend Wildflower Walk” at Spring Creek Prairie from 3-4:00 p.m. June is a great month for viewing native prairie wildflowers on a walk led by botanist Kay Kottas. Wonderful opportunity to see native plants up close and to get using them in home landscaping projects. Fee: $6/adult, $4/children ages 8-12 accompanied by an adult. Register by June 11. springcreekprairie.audubon.org, 402/797-2301

Nebraska Wildflower Brochure from Nebraska Department of Roads

Bob Henrickson's Top Twelve Wildflowers
       Beardtongue, Penstemon grandiflorus. There are over 200 species of Penstemon, with nearly 24 native to the Great Plains. Ours are upright, multi-stemmed perennials, growing from 2-3 feet tall. Flowers are shaped like snapdragons, in shades of pink, red, blue, purple or white, arranged in upright spikes. Prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Look great planted in masses.
       Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta. Bright golden yellow daisies bloom mid-summer into autumn. Deep brown center disks are striking through winter. Grows in full sun or partial shade in soil that is well-drained but not dry.
       Compass plant, Silphium laciniatum. This classic prairie plant is a relative of the sunflowers, with many large bright yellow flowers in late summer. The large 15" coarse, oak-like leaves align themselves in a north-south direction, then it sends up a 4-7' flowering stalk in summer. Also called "century plant" because of its ability to survive for decades. Best for larger gardens where the prairie sky is your background. Can grow to 3' wide and 7' high.
       Desert globemallow, Sphaeralcea coccinea. Hardy, low-growing native groundcover with coral red flowers throughout the summer. Foliage is silvery gray and deeply cut. Prefers dry site once established.
       Leadplant, Amorpha canescens. A Nebraska native that attracts butterflies. It has showy blue-purple flowers with gold anthers that rise above silvery green foliage. Prefers well-drained soil in full sun, but also tolerates poor, dry soil. Grows 2' high and wide.
       Plains coreopsis,Coreopsis tinctoria. A native annual that flowers from June to September. Showy yellow flowers with red centers and brown center disks are produced on fairly large branched plants. Grows from 1-3' tall and prefers dry prairies or open woodlands.
       Prairie coneflower, Echinacea pallida. Showy flowerheads have pale pink drooping petals around a dark, dome-shaped disk. Grows 1-3' tall in moist to dry upland prairies. Stout, unranched stems are covered with coarse, stiff hairs. Seedheads remain through winter.
       Prairie larkspur, Delphinium virescens. Native perennial of moist, tallgrass prairies that grows to 3' tall. Distinctive flowers in May-June have five white petal-like sepals with purplish-brown spot and a long spur.
       Prairie phlox, Phlox pilosa. Native perennial with rounded clusters of deep pink to magenta flowers blooms May-July. Grows from 1-2' tall in dry to moist, well-drained prairies. Narrow leaves can be up to 4" long.
       Purple poppy mallow, Callirhoe involucrata. This tough native is often grown as a groundcover or allowed to weave among taller perennials. Its stems lie close to the ground, but do not root, growing out to 4’ each year from a bulb-like corm that gets as big as a turnip. Bright purple cup-shaped flowers bloom profusely in early summer among the attractive, cut-leaf foliage.
       Spiderwort, Tradescantia ohioensis. Clump-forming, multi-stemmed perennials with arching, grass-like leaves. Produce showy clusters of flowers in late spring and early summer. Colors range from various shades of blue to pink, rose, purple and white. Spiderworts native to the Great Plains can tolerate full sun and dry conditions.
       Yellow coneflower, Ratibida columnifera. This bushy 2' tall native prairie plant is extremely drought-tolerant. In late summer the top of the plant is covered with flowers of bright yellow petals drooping around a central cone. Prefers a hot, sunny site and well-drained soils.

Where to See Wildflowers in Nebraska
Nebraska 's Top Ten Wildflower Viewing Roadways
Nebraska Department of Roads "Roadside Wildflowers"
1—Highway 2 from Grand Island to Alliance : look for cowboy's delight, wild begonia, shell leaf penstemon, prairie spiderwort
2—Highway 20 from From Valentine to Chadron
3—Highway 83 from North Platte to McCook
4—Highway 83 from North Platte to Valentine
5—Highway 6 from Imperial to McCook
6—Highway 8 from Falls City to Fairbury
7—Highway 11 from Scotia through Burwell to Butte in Boyd County
8—Highway 61 from Ogallala to Merriman
9—Highway 71 from Gering to Crawford
10—Highway 12 from Ponca to Valentine; for diversity
Other great roadways for wildflower viewing:
Highway 87 from Alliance to Hay Springs
Highway 29 from Mitchell to Harrison
Highway 92 from Oshkosh to Gering
Highway 34 from Benkelman to McCook
Highway 275 from Clearwater to O'Neill

Parks and Public Properties for Wildflower Viewing
AUD = Audubon Society
NGPC = Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
PPRI = Prairie Plains Resource Institute
TNC = The Nature Conservancy
WAC = Wachiska

Upland Deciduous Forest—Natural Areas
Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue (NGPC), 1111 N. Bellevue Blvd. in Bellevue
Indian Cave State Park in Richardson County (NGPC), 4 miles east of Barada
Mahoney State Park (NGPC), 3 miles east of Ashland in SE Nebraska
Platte River State Park (NGPC), 2.5 miles east of Louisville in SE Nebraska
Ponca State Park near Ponca (NGPC), 2 miles north of Ponca
Rulo Bluffs Preserve (TNC) in Richardson County
Schramm Park State Recreation Area (NGPC), 9 miles south of Gretna
Smith Falls State Park (NGPC), 12 miles east of Valentine in the Sandhills
Native Plant Displays/Gardens
Governor Furnas Arboretum in Brownville
Itha T. Krumme Memorial Arboretum in Falls City
Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha