Imagine a whisper of wind whistling through a sandy corridor. A sublime scent of pine infiltrates the heavy heat. Yet, I bike with intent to reach the beach. On blistering summer days, my destination is on the other side of these sandy hills and swales. I pedal, dismount and shed my shoes. My hot feet refuse to pause. I run, hop and skip as fast as I can to the surf zone. My feet cool in the waves while an offshore breeze offers a tangy salt-spray facial. In my rush, what did I miss?

I have great reverence for sandy hills or dunes, great or small, exposed to the elements. Dunes in the landscape seem unchanged from year to year, but they are constantly shifting due to wind and water. An extensive dune system facing the ocean consists of a row of narrow hills with troughs or swales between them. Step lightly. Following the designated dune trail between the marsh and shore offers a unique opportunity to explore a desert-like ecosystem. It is dry with extreme temperature variations, and it has sandy, nutrient-poor soil, unlimited sun and strong winds. In coastal dune habitats, add salt. Imagine eating a bag of potato chips without a thirst quencher nearby!

Established in dunes and swales farthest from the shore is the eastern prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa). A true succulent, our local prickly pear is one of 200 species found in North, Central and South America. It thrives in well-drained soil, or sand that does not hold water. Wide lemon-yellow blooms are on display in June and July! Once you start looking, you will see them everywhere along the trails at Cape Henlopen State Park. Each flower tops a fleshy branch that is flat and rounded like a paddle. Beware of the spines and invisible spine-like hairs on the pads! These spines act as a windbreak to reduce moisture loss in the cactus. Shiny spines may also reflect excess sunlight away from the plant. The cacti produce a pear-shaped, fuschia-red fruit called “tunas.” Proceed with caution! Be aware that the plant and fruit are covered with translucent, hair-like spines that will prick even through thick garden gloves!

Balancing on the back ridge of the primary dune and thriving in the shallow swale, seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens) has a basal rosette of long, wide leaves pointing toward the sky. The physical leaf pattern intercepts blowing sand and directs the particles toward the plant base. To conserve water, the leaves are thicker and have a wax-like exterior. A waxy surface is like a good raincoat. It keeps the moisture in and the salt spray out. This showy species of goldenrod is salt and drought tolerant! According to the USDA, seaside goldenrod is a “short-day perennial, so flowering coincides with shortened photoperiods.” Growing as high as six feet, its color-dense clusters of bright-yellow blooms attract migrating monarch butterflies each fall.

Primary sand dunes, which are closest to the surf, take the brunt of high tide. On the front lines, feel the emerald-green, rubber-like leaves of American searocket (Cakile edentula). These plants grow low to the ground and form a hardy barrier between the intertidal zone and the dunes. Searocket is a succulent that stores water in its leaves and roots. It has a central root called a taproot that anchors the plant and helps to secure the sand. Researchers note that searocket is a very competitive plant. It will produce more leaves and roots when a different species of plant moves into the neighborhood. Look for lavender blooms in late summer followed by rocket-shaped seed pods.

American beach grass (Ammophilia breviligulata) thrives in the dunes and requires sand to stimulate root production. This grass with narrow leaves holds the sand with an underground rhizome or stem (not just a taproot) that sometimes grows 30 feet below the surface! As the rhizomes spread from the parent plant (like strawberry plants), new plants develop along the stem, adding more leaves to hold the sand in place. If the leaves are covered by sand, the stem of beach grass will push upward to the surface! The curved surface of the leaves limits water loss and funnels sand directly to the base of the plant, which helps build height in the dune.

To help protect our hardworking dune plants, be sure to follow designated pathways and step lightly!