Elk Rapids Almanac
Elk Rapids Almanac, June 2026
June
The month of the Strawberry Moon, the full moon closest to the start of summer, and named for the wild strawberry harvesting season.
June 6- 10:30 in the a.m. and while sitting on my front porch, a large adult black bear slowly walked across Bay Breeze and then sauntered into the woods-scratched his back on a tree then continued his walk towards Dexter Street. - Christine Petersen
The month of the Strawberry Moon, the full moon closest to the start of summer, and named for the wild strawberry harvesting season.
June 6- 10:30 in the a.m. and while sitting on my front porch, a large adult black bear slowly walked across Bay Breeze and then sauntered into the woods-scratched his back on a tree then continued his walk towards Dexter Street. - Christine Petersen
June 10 - The Horse Chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum, is a 50-75 foot deciduous ornamental tree blooming with large fragrant clusters in several locations around Elk Rapids. Also known as European horse chestnut, Conker tree, Common horse chestnut, Horse-Chestnut, Buckeye, it produces a toxic inedible nut. It is native to southeastern Europe and is not to be confused with the edible chestnut species found in Michigan, which include the American chestnut, Japanese chestnut, European chestnut, and chinquapin. - msu.edu
May 22 - Native lupine Hybrid lupine plants are blooming now in many gardens. While the showy plants have large spikes of flowers and stand out in any garden, they pose a risk to the native, Lupinus perennis or Sundial Lupine. They can readily cross-pollinate and the offspring can be toxic to the endangered Karner blue butterfly, whose caterpillars rely exclusively on the native Sundial Lupine to survive. When adult Karner blue butterflies lay eggs on the hybrid lupines, the newly hatched caterpillars are unable to digest the foliage causing them to starve. While the Karner blue habitat range is primarily the western and southern counties in Michigan, the invasive and non-native lupines can spread rapidly and harm local ecosystems. The cross pollination can be avoided by only buying the native variety, Lupinus perennis.
- Elise Roe
- Elise Roe
June 15- Four weeks ago, we saw this nest while picking rhubarb. Then, two weeks later, we noticed that the baby birds had hatched. Now, all the baby birds have flown away. What a beautiful thing to see! - Elizabeth Cooper
June 20-An Elk Rapids resident recently pointed out an American Elm thriving in his back yard. The tree is 25 feet tall and mysteriously sprouted there about 15 years ago. He fondly recalled the overarching canopies of American elms that lined the streets of Birmingham, Michigan in his childhood, and identified several places in our vicinity that still have thriving specimens, mostly in open fields and meadows. His tree is descended from one of the rare American Elms that survived the Dutch elm disease. - Elk Rapids neighbor
Note: American Elm, Ulmus americana, reaches a height of 70’ or more, with a native range of Eastern United States. The Dutch Elm Disease, (DED) a fungus that blocks the tree’s water transport system, was introduced via European elmwood in the 1930s and by the 1970s had wiped out millions of large and beautiful shade trees once lining city streets across America. An estimated 1 in every 100,000 trees has a natural genetic tolerance to the fungus, allowing many survivors and newly cultivated varieties to remain. There is currently renewed interest and effort in an American Elm comeback.
Planting an American Elm in Michigan brings back a native, majestic shade tree. Hardy cultivars are resistant to Dutch Elm Disease (DED); adaptable to Michigan’s zone 4 and to a wide range of soils; support nearly 200 species of butterflies, moths, and provide seeds for songbirds; have urban hardiness for wind, intermittent flooding and moderate amounts of road salt. https://bealbotanicalgarden.msu.edu/campus-arboretum/tree-tour/american-elm
Note: American Elm, Ulmus americana, reaches a height of 70’ or more, with a native range of Eastern United States. The Dutch Elm Disease, (DED) a fungus that blocks the tree’s water transport system, was introduced via European elmwood in the 1930s and by the 1970s had wiped out millions of large and beautiful shade trees once lining city streets across America. An estimated 1 in every 100,000 trees has a natural genetic tolerance to the fungus, allowing many survivors and newly cultivated varieties to remain. There is currently renewed interest and effort in an American Elm comeback.
Planting an American Elm in Michigan brings back a native, majestic shade tree. Hardy cultivars are resistant to Dutch Elm Disease (DED); adaptable to Michigan’s zone 4 and to a wide range of soils; support nearly 200 species of butterflies, moths, and provide seeds for songbirds; have urban hardiness for wind, intermittent flooding and moderate amounts of road salt. https://bealbotanicalgarden.msu.edu/campus-arboretum/tree-tour/american-elm