20th July 2025

Wayfaring Tree berries

It's still July but seeds are dispersing and berries ripening. The Miller Woodland Trust (MWT) site in Chalkpit Lane has a superb array of native trees and shrubs. The planting mix provides a food source for many species and the central meadow area supports all manner of butterflies and other invertebrates. There are a good number of Wayfaring Trees (Viburnum lantana) which are currently dripping with these ripening fruits. The black berries are fully ripe and wasps are loving the sticky flesh. The berries are taken by thrushes in particular.

Sea Buckthorn berries

There are also good numbers of these Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) bushes which are laden with these orange berries. Sea Buckthorn is native to our coasts and sand dunes and lots occur along the beaches of the Sandwich and Pegwell Bays. They create spiny thickets that are great shelter for many creatures and thrushes again love the berries. Sea Buckthorn is very adaptable and is often planted inland in gardens as a decorative shrub.