Category Archives: Cape Cod Wildflowers

Beautiful Blue Chicory Wildflowers Are Blooming On Cape Cod

The deep blue Chicory wildflower is blooming abundantly on Cape Cod this summer. Did you know that each flower lasts for only a day?

Chicory grows on a stiff stalk and has numerous stemless flower heads. It looks like the flower grows right on the stalk. The flowers are 1-1 1/2″ and the plant grows from 2-4 feet on roadsides and by the sides of trails from June to October, so you have plenty of time to see them!

Love the rod-like stamens in the center of the flower…

 

Gorgeous Bright Orange Trumpet Creeper Wildflowers Blooming On Cape Cod

The bright orange Trumpet Creepers are gorgeous and prolific here on Cape Cod this summer. They seem to be everywhere! I took this photograph at Fort Hill on the road to the overlook.

Trumpet Creeper is a woody vine with bright reddish-orange tubular-shaped 5 petaled flowers. The flowers are 2″ with 7-11 in a group and climb to 12 feet from July to September.  They are native to this area.

Have you ever seen a Trumpet Creeper? So pretty! They look just like a trumpet!

 

Bouncing Bet Wildflowers Are Blooming On Cape Cod

I have seen these Bouncing Bet wildflowers  all around but never knew what they were called until I did a little research. And I had never heard of their name “Bouncing Bet” before, so this was a first for me!

Bouncing Bet wildflowers, also known as Soapwort,  have pale pink or lavender to whitish flowers with 5 petals, each having scalloped edges with an indent at the tip. The petals tend to fold back. The flowers form a cluster on a stiff stalk. They grow on open areas and roadsides, which is where I saw them overlooking Boat Meadow Creek, from July to September.

So pretty, don’t you think? Have you ever seen a Bouncing Bet?

Purple Climbing Nightshade Wildflowers Are Blooming At Fort Hill On Cape Cod

The purple Climbing Nightshade wildflowers are blooming along the trails at Fort Hill. They are such a pretty wildflower with purple shooting star shaped flowers with 5 violet curved petals swept back from a central yellow “beak.” They grow in round clusters at the end of a long stem. The flowers are tiny, only about 1/2” while the vine climbs to 4 feet.

The berries, which you can see in the photograph are egg-shaped, shiny green and ripen to bright red. Beware: the berries are extremely poisonous. “The unripened berries of this plant have a toxin that can cause death when eaten.”

Enjoy these beautiful, delicate wildflowers from a distance!

Spotted Wintergreen Wildflowers Blooming On Cape Cod

Spotted Wintergreen is such an interesting wildflower as the waxy white flowers droop down to the earth until they bloom and then they face the sun. The Spotted Wintergreen  is very similar to a wildflower that I used to see in Colorado called Pipsissiwa which has solid green leaves.

Spotted Wintergreen grows from 4-10″ with 1″ flowers. They bloom in July and August in the woods so you still have plenty of time to find them.

Have you ever seen a Spotted Wintergreen wildflower? Pretty cool looking flower, don’t you think?