This is the time of year when the Japanese Knotweed is growing all over Cape Cod, and elsewhere. It grows densely to 6 feet tall with tiny, white flowers in 3″ spreading clusters. The leaves are heart-shaped.
Japanese Knotweed grows from August through September in open areas. Although it looks pretty, it is listed by the World Conservation Union as one of the world’s worst invasive plants.
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I have seen a lot of Smooth Sumac growing along the sides of the trails by the National Seashore. I wasn’t sure what it was until I did a little research.
Smooth Sumac is a large shrub which grows to about 10 feet with large, 12″ leaves. The bark is smooth and brown; the twigs are grey or red. The flowers are yellowish and bloom in June and July. The berries, which you can see in the photographs, are tiny, red, hairy, sticky and about 8″ upright. They grow in dense, conical clusters.
I also learned that it is not poisonous, like Poison Sumac.
Have you ever seen Smooth Sumac?
The gardens at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary have been totally done over this summer and they are gorgeous! There are little paths that you can walk along to see the wildflowers and butterflies close-up and get those treasured macros.
The yellow Coneflowers were blooming and were gorgeous as they stood over 6 feet tall. They remind me of Colorado as there were many growing along the trails in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Beautiful, don’t you think?
Sweet Pepperbush is a tall, leafy shrub which grows near coastal wetlands or swamps, which is why I’ve seen it on the Red Maple Swamp Trail at Fort Hill and the Spring Loop Trail at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. It is powerfully scented, so you can’t miss it!
The white flowers are 1/3″ with 5 petals and 10 long stamens on 8″ upright spikes. You can see a close-up of the spikes and a photograph of the entire shrub in the 2 blog photographs.
They are really pretty. Have you ever seen a Sweet Pepperbush?
