Flora

Ocracoke is home to many plants which don't grow as well in other areas. Fig trees thrive here, and many Ocracokers make fig preserves, fig cake, fig syrup (terrific on pancakes!) and other fig concoctions. If your only experience with figs is Newtons, you should definitely try them fresh off a tree (fruit comes out in late summer, starting in about July). You can eat the entire fig, skin and all, although some people prefer to peel them using a knife. Another tree which does very well out here is the oleander, but you definitely do not want to eat anything from it!

My favorite plant which grows beautifully on Ocracoke is the hydrangea. I adore the clusters of small flowers which form blue, purple and pink "flower snowballs". When I was a child, there was a huge purple hydrangea bush in my yard. I loved to sit under it and watch the sunlight filter through the leaves, turning everything a pale shade of lilac. Something you might not know about hydrangeas is that Ocracokers call them hygeraniums. No, I don't know why.

And then there's this plant:



Let me know if you know what it is. (I have no clue...)