Orange Fringed Orchid

This pretty bog flower is usually called the "Yellow Fringed Orchid" but our local ones are orange. A less common but more romantic name is "Bobwhite’s Moccasin." Platanthera ciliaris is its current Latin name. It's legally protected in Michigan as an endangered species.

Portage linear park

Portage Creek Bicentennial Park is a paved trail hidden behind Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo's main commercial strip. It's a popular spot for biking, rollerblading, and strolling. Parking is available at the Portage Library, Celery Flats Interpretive Center (Garden Lane), Milham Avenue, and Kilgore Road. It's the centerpiece of Portage's bikeways.

Canoes and kayaks can be rented at the Celery Flats livery on summer weekends. [2011 update: budget problems eliminated regular rental program; group rentals, by reservation, may be available.]


Portage Creek Bicentennial Park
910 E Milham
Portage, MI

Yellow Coneflower

Yellow Coneflowers, ratibida pinnata, make a striking impression among the tall prairie grasses.