The beautiful Outer Banks are filled with wild sea oats, bitter penicum and American beach grass. These plants simply thrive in the dry, salty conditions of the Outer Banks. But there are some other interesting plants and trees growing along the beach areas that just may surprise you!
Your rental cottage just might be bordered by shrubbery containing almost gray looking waxy berries. These are bayberries, often used in making candles and other scented items. Campers have been known to place sprigs of bayberry around their tents to repel insects. Bayberries are also used to flavor uniquely spiced beers. Not many birds can tolerate the waxy coating of a bayberry, although some have adapted to them and now benefit from their energy rich properties.
Is your Outer Banks cottage surrounded by what looks like blackberries? These are actually black raspberries and can be eaten right off the bush or baked in delicious homemade pies. We have spent many hours walking through Corolla picking black raspberries. If you choose to do this, be sure these are actually what you are picking before you consume them. Then suit everyone up with long sleeves and gloves to protect yourself from thorns. Spray yourself with bug spray before venturing in to the bushes. The tick population is heavy in the Outer Banks brush, so wear long pants and tuck them in to your socks, checking for ticks after picking your berries.
Finally, have you noticed the short and thick trees containing fresh orange fruit? These are persimmon trees growing wild in the ocean air. The deer in the Outer Banks simply love ripened persimmons. They are edible, however you should always be careful when eating a persimmon. Unripe persimmons contain tannin shibuol, which is known to cause gastrointestinal problems or even cause bezoars. Persimmons are ripe when they are soft enough to resemble newly rotting fruit.
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