Pokeweed is a very distinctive, succulent plant here on Cape Cod. Its 1/4″ flowers are racemes with 5 white to pinkish round waxy sepals and green centers. Its leaves are large and egg-shaped. The stems turn red with age and the berries turn a dark blue.
It is a large plant which grows from 4-10 feet and blooms from July to September in open woods and fields. I saw these Pokeweeds at Fort Hill in Eastham along the side of the trail by the Nauset Marsh.
In the first photograph you can see the buds before they bloom to the left and as they bloom on the right. In the 2nd photograph you can see the dark blue berries that hang from the plant and look like grapes.
After reading one of the comments, I realized that Pokeweeds are very toxic plants, both the berries and the stem. Stay far away!
This pretty Common St.-John’s-Wort wildflower was growing along the side of the parking lot here in Eastham on Cape Cod. It is so delicate with its many stamens.
Common St.-John’s-Wort grows to about 20″ tall with bright yellow flowers with have 5 petals that are are black-dotted on the edges. It blooms from June to August along roadsides and waste areas.
Have you ever seen a Common St.-John’s-Wort wildflower? Pretty, don’t you think?
These Bladder Campion wildflowers were just starting to bloom at Fort Hill in Eastham On Cape Cod. The flowers are 3/4″ and with lobed petals and protruding pistils which bloom from June to September.
The vibrant blue Chicory wildflowers can be seen everywhere all over Cape Cod fields and roadsides. Chicory grows on a stiff stalk with stemless flower heads whose petals are fringed at the ends. Each flower lasts only about a day and close at midday.
Chicory wildflowers are about 1 to 1/1/2″ and the plants grow to 2-4 feet from June through October. Love their pistil and stamens… they look like little bright blue rods.
I saw this wonderful native Bristly Sarsaparilla wildflower when we were up in Provincetown last week. It was so pretty and unusual. It has flower clusters at the top of erect, bristly stems and grows 1-3 feet with blooms June and July. The flowers turn into dark blue berries. Pretty cool, huh?
Have you ever seen a Bristly Sarsaparilla wildflower?
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
