August of every year prompts an excursion to an isolated drainage ditch out in the vast acreage of central Illinois soybean and corn fields. This annual expedition is to capture pics of the elusive Red Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) in it's habitat.
This ditch is surrounded by the aforementioned farm fields w/ no residential or commercial (farm) operation centers as far as the eye can see. The road is a single lane dirt one. I discovered the site years ago when I worked as a field inspector for an agronomic company. The ditch's ability to maintain as a viable ecological wildflower niche is amazing. This type of spot in the wild (so to speak) is getting quite rare around here.
Some of the pics aren't the best as they were from the other side of the ditch. Ditch is over 6' deep and probably 15' or so across. Another factor may be age and use of camera (Canon SX 130, has taken in excess of 75000 pics over the last few years). My less than perfect eyesight doesn't help either...
Lobelia




Swamp Milkweed - favorite for Monarchs and bees



bees Monarch buds

White Milkweed


Elderberry


stalking the wild asparagus
brought some home

Bottlebrush bush
Viceroy BF

Arrowleaf
lobelia w/ arrowleaf flower to the right



Boneset


Rose hips


mint


Oat grass




Isolation of area

tracks in the ditch base

Members of the expedition - wife (Deby), dog (Plato), and myself (shadow)

Intriguing diversity. Makes me wonder how it all got there--runoff, birds, seeds tracked in by other critters? Pretty nifty site and sight.

What breed(s) is Plato?

Siberian Husky

Plato is one super cute puppy!!

I am still trying to wrap my head around an annual expedition to a ditch in farmland to see wildflowers--is central Illinois
so immaculate that ya-all don't have wildstuffs except in isolated ditches? is this the only place the elusive cardinal lobelia can be found? Fascinating ditch--really. Is this a one-of-a-kind ditch or do you have lots of wild-ditches scattered between vast farms? Sorry, I am just very curious trying to comprehend the set-up.

Thank you for sharing pictures of your expedition--it is really neat to see the elusive cardinal lobelia and friends taking refuge in a ditch. I hope they let that ditch be!

awwwww gorgeous puppy

That was a wonderful expedition Jay, thank you for showing it to us.

@dirtdorphins: in response to your query -
Most of the available land in these parts is farmland for corn a/o soybeans (cen. Il. reportedly has some of the best soil for agronomic purposes in the world). There are quite a few ditches that serve these farms but most are manicured by said farmers and thus unable to support wildflowers. There are other areas, usually in a/o near smallish forests where wildflowers may be present. State parks/lakes have wilds in some abundance. I am sure some other sites in cen. Il. have the native red lobelia but the site noted above is the only one I know close enough to visit that do support a colony of the reds.

Thanks J,
I suppose it would stand to reason then that you also have some of the best soil in the world to work with for your purposes ? which is a mighty fine benefit of living in farmland!
I used to live in the middleofnowhere MN surrounded by corn/soy, and a whole lot of unmanicured wilds. I really, really miss the deep, blackgold topsoil! and the rain, neither of which I am blessed with out west.

Conversely, you doubtless have a more varied scenery to visually enjoy.

That white Swamp Milkweed sure is nice! Do you think it is a natural variation or an escaped cultivar? (I've seen white cultivars for sale lately...but would be cool to have found a 'natural' version.)

Also the one you have labeled "Bonset" (assuming you had meant Eupitorium perferatum) is likely Tall Bonset/Tall Throughwort - Eupatorium altissimum as the leaves are not perforated. E. altissimum is quite rare in my neck of the woods so that would be a great find up here. ;P

Brenda, sorry for the late response.
The white milkweed must be a natural, I'm quite certain none of the farmers around there have planted any cultivar seed in/around the ditch.
You're right about boneset; lately, some eye problems have contributed to a rash of typographical errors on my part.

Thats cool, I've never seen the white one in my area but would love to have one...prity.
Erk! Hope the eye problems can get better...nothing more annoying (to me anyways) if I can't see right...and I have a compulsive need to correct miss-ids....hopefully its helpful...

Just found this thread and have a question please.
For the Bottlebrush bush what is the botanical name of that one?

I would enjoy walking with the dog along the ditches; you have a lovely setting there.

greene said:Just found this thread and have a question please.
For the Bottlebrush bush what is the botanical name of that one?

I would enjoy walking with the dog along the ditches; you have a lovely setting there.

That looks like Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

Jay's right

Jack, did you eat those asparagus?

Thanks. I kind of thought that's what it might have been.

Ann, wife over-cooked em, so missed out on that particular delicacy.
@flaflwrgrl

Awwwwwwwwww. I adore asparagus. The hubs calls it "that vile weed". That's okay, it means more for me.