Category Archives: Cape Cod Wildflowers

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Cod Wildflowers

Beautiful Pink Crown Vetch Wildflowers On Cape Cod!

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As soon as I see the Crown Vetch wildflowers, I know that summer is really here! I saw these in the parking lot at the Visitors Center in Eastham and also in the parking lot at Coast Guard Beach.

Crown Vetch, a creeping plant, has bi-colored,  golf ball size flowers that grow in clusters at the end of stalks. They make lovely ground cover and are often planted to restore nutrients , especially nitrogen, to the soil. They grow on roadsides (or parking lots) from June to August, so you have plenty of time to see them.

So pretty, don’t you think?

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Trails, Cape Cod Wildflowers

Gorgeous White Wildflower At Fort Hill On Cape Cod!

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I had been watching this bud on the side of the trail at Fort Hill for a few days, taking a photograph of it every couple of days. I had no idea what it was, or even if it was a wildflower. The bud caught my attention; it was so pretty. (Click Blog link to see sequence of bud blooming.)

It finally bloomed and it is gorgeous! But I have no idea what it is. I cannot find it in any of my books or apps. Can anyone help me identify it?

Exquisite, don’t you think? Love the sequence of watching it bloom.

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildflowers

Pretty White Mouse-Ear Chickweed On Cape Cod.

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Mouse-ear Chickweed is a wildflower with tiny, white 1/2″ flowers.   These flowers have 5 deeply notched petals and 5 prominent sepals. The 6-12″ plants grow  from May through September so you should be able to see them this summer. I saw many of them along the trails at Fort Hill.

It is often called the “common weed of gardens, roadsides and lawns.”

Have you ever seen a Mouse-ear Chickweed? Pretty, don’t you think?

Cape Cod Blog, Cape Cod Photography, Cape Cod Wildflowers

Beautiful Jack-In-The-Pulpit Wildflower At The Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary On Cape Cod.

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I drove up to the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary the other day to see their new wildflower gardens and take some wildflower photographs. The gardens have just started to bloom so there were a few flowers to photograph, but peak season will not be for a few weeks.

After spending some time in the gardens, I decided to hike the Silver Spring Trail which is sometimes closed in the morning for bird banding,  and it was now the middle of the afternoon. Maybe there would be something new on the trail.

Wow! I certainly made the right choice! There it was… right on the side of the trail. I have not seen a Jack-in-the Pulpit since I was a little girl, so I was surprised to see one on the Silver Spring Trail. I had never seen one there before and  I almost missed it, as you can see looking at the 2nd photograph. It’s hard to see Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

A Jack-in-the-Pulpit gets it name because it looks like a preacher in a pulpit. It has a green and purple striped hooded tube the grows right beneath a large 3-part leaf. Within the tube is “Jack” (the preacher) that will be covered with miniscule flowers that become bright red berries in August. I will have to keep an eye on it this summer. So cool…

Have you ever seen a Jack-in-the Pulpit?