Some of the Prairie species planted in Lurie Garden are non-native species to the U.S. Sea Star Thistle ( Eryngium planum), aka Flat Seaholly is a European species that has naturalized in the U.S. Two hundered years ago they were not found on the United States roaming prairies. Sea Star Thistle prefers hot, dry soils, making them quite happy in prairie lands in spite of being quite a distance from the sea.
