Fields of Yellow: Sunflowers blooming at Maintz Wildlife Refuge

Fields of yellow: Sunflowers blooming at Maintz Wildlife Preserve

For those strong enough to face the recent waves of Missouri humidity, sunflowers fields could be seen in full bloom in Oak Ridge.

Located about 30 minutes from Cape Girardeau, the Maintz Wildlife Preserve annually plants sunflowers to feed birds and other wildlife in the area. The Missouri Department of Conservation has planted eight fields of flowers at Maintz in various fields near the intersection of County Roads 471 and 472.

To make things even more convenient, maps can be found posted in the parking lots at Maintz detailing the locations of all eight fields in the area.

With that in mind, finding the countryside sunflower spot still challenges some. The annual event has begun to double as a photo backdrop for many visitors, but it remains unyielding in its lack of cellular service.

A honey bee perches on a sunflower floret Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge.BEN MATTHEWS ~ bmatthews@semissourian.com

Some flowers have begun to pass their blooming peaks and begun to droop, but the fields can still be seen in bloom at Maintz. To get there from Jackson, take Highway 72 west, then Route B north, the County Road 472 west 1.5 miles to the area.