As summer goes on, pretty wildflowers are popping up across Illinois, but there are certain places you cannot legally pick them.

I'm terrible at keeping plants alive but it can be fun to pick wildflowers and create a lovely little bouquet in the summer. There are often times when we're going for a walk, driving, or just out and about in the summer that we encounter beautiful blooms we would like to take a bouquet of and put into a vase.

But, just like in Iowa, there are certain places in Illinois where it's illegal for you to pick flowers. So pause before you create that beautiful bouquet.

Where You Can't Pick Flowers In Illinois

Let's start with the obvious. don't pick flowers off of private property, unless you have the owner's permission.

Also, don't pick wildflowers along the road. This could create traffic jams or create a dangerous situation on the road. According to Illinois law, you could actually be fined for it. Illinois law reads:

Whoever wilfully drives upon, picks, removes, destroys, cuts down, or in any manner injures any tree, shrub, plant or flower planted or growing within the right-of-way of any public highway, shall be guilty of a petty offense and fined not more than $100. However, the provisions of this section shall not preclude the highway authority having jurisdiction over the highway from trimming, transplanting, or removing such trees, shrubs, plants or flowers when necessary, in the discretion of such authority, to facilitate the use of such highways for public travel.

Basically: unless you have to trim the tree in a median or something, leave whatever is growing in the earth along the road alone.

National Parks, Monuments, or National Forests are a no in general for collecting wildflowers. Seedles says you can only pick wildflowers from these places with a permit.

But there are several U-pick wildflower farms in Illinois if you're bent to pick your own bouquet. You can get details about one of them at this link.