A stand of paper birch trees in Vermont in winter is an idyllic scene. Everywhere you look, you find ribbons of bark that practically beg to be used as canvases […]
IN THE BUD
An Azalea of Our Own
A flower bud in winter is a good symbol of hope, reminding us that spring will come again if we simply can endure. The shingled buds of the swamp azalea, […]
MIGHTY PHRAGMITES
America, the Invaded
The view across a Cape marsh in winter can be downright lyrical, with beautiful, spacious skies and amber waves of Phragmites australis, the invasive common reed. Soaring up to 20 […]
CONNIVING IVY
Your Friend Hedera Is a Clingy Climber
English ivy is a determined escape artist. It sneaks under garden fences while no one is looking to set up house in neglected or forgotten places, then starts working on […]
BUSHY BEARDS
Lichens Like It Here
Shrubby lichens like the bushy beard (Usnea strigosa) are sensitive enough to air pollution to be bioindicators: the bushier the beards, the cleaner the air. Judging by the robustness of […]
WINTERGREEN
The Groundcover That Refreshes
If the state of the world has left a bad taste in your mouth, a stroll through Provincetown’s Beech Forest can be a palate cleanser. Clear your mind on the […]
BLACK LOCUST
In the Grove
Once you learn to identify the black locust by its deeply furrowed, interlacing bark, you’ll start to see it everywhere on the Outer Cape — where there’s one, there are […]
YUCCA
Washashore Takes a Stab at Cape Life
Since our local ecosystem is mostly dominated by pitch pines, which keep our winter vistas green, it’s easy to forget that the roster of evergreen natives in our area is […]
BITTERSWEET
Death by Choke-a-Lot
A tendril of Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet) snakes along the boughs of a native black cherry at the periphery of a property on First Light Lane in Truro. This invasive […]
PRETTY SEEDY
Goldenrod Shows Some Backbone
A handsome line of seaside goldenrod in seed marks the height of the tidal zone at the mouth of the Herring River in Wellfleet, where the first leg of the […]
PARTY HARDY
Winterberry Celebrates December Her Own Way
A festive specimen of winterberry holly marks the season, in this case from the ditch between Shore Road and Route 6 in North Truro. While its spiky evergreen cousins are […]
IDENTITY CRISIS
Not a Cedar. Not Berries, Either.
A female Eastern red cedar, exploding in fruit, stands at the harbor end of Commercial Street in Wellfleet. The species is dioecious, meaning it comes in two different sexes, so […]
THREE SEASONS
The Beach Plum’s Fall Show
