At first glance, the native evergreen Epigaea repens looks a bit haggard. Its rough, leathery leaves, which have bite marks and brown spots left by the visiting insects it hosts, are knitted together with last fall’s deciduous leaf litter in groundcover patches that seem rather lifeless. But gently moving the dead leaves aside reveals that the trailing arbutus, or mayflower, is now in bloom, its delicate trumpet-shaped flowers heralding the new season. Often hidden entirely under the litter, the white and pink blooms of the mayflower are so delightfully fragrant that it was once almost picked to extirpation. State law now prohibits disturbing this increasingly rare plant.
To appreciate the scent of its tiny blooms, look for a patch growing trailside like the one pictured here along the fire road off Highland Road in Truro. Epigaea repens hates being disturbed, so take care not to inadvertently trample it while you enjoy the first whiff of spring.
