Wild Flowers and Plants

Vaccinium myrtillus, commonly known as Bilberry or Whimberry, is a species of shrub that bears edible fruit.

Mountain Cornflower is a variable but attractive plant native to the mountains, meadows and woodlands of Europe. It is commonly recorded from the wild in England, Scotland and Wales, as a garden escapee.

In the Middle Ages Water Mint plants were placed on the floors of banqueting halls so that as guests came in a strong aromatic smell of mint would be released as it was crushed under foot.

Monkey Flower is a non-native flower, originally brought to Britain in 1812, from islands off the coast of Alaska.

Frogbit survives the winter by producing specialised buds, called turions.

Water Plantain flowers can be seen from June through to August, but only open in the afternoon and early evening.

The Teasel is so called because textile makers used its spiny combs to ‘tease’ cloth.

Borage also known as a starflower, has bristly or hairy stems and ovate, alternate leaves, with branched clusters of starry, bright blue five-petalled flowers.

Fiddleneck came to Britain from the USA and is now well established locally as a wild flower, in most areas of Britain.

Tutsan is derived from the French ‘toute-saine’ meaning ‘all healthy’.

The White Water-Lily is native to Britain and is the largest flower produced by any British wild plant, growing up to 20cm in diameter.

Great Willowherb is the largest natural Willowherb found in Britain.

Lesser Burdock flowers between July and October and can be found in a variety of habitats, like waste ground, roadsides and woods.

Red Valerian was introduced to Britain in the 1600’s, from the Mediterranean and soon naturalised in the wild.

The word ‘feverfew’ derives from the Latin word febrifugia, which means ‘fever reducer’.

The Dog Rose, has large pink or white five-petalled flowers with a sweet scent.

Marsh Cinquefoil is unique in Britain as it is the only one with magenta flowers. All other cinquefoils have yellow flowers.

Silverweed is a creeping, low-growing plant, with silvery, downy, toothed leaves and saucer-shaped, five-petalled, yellow flowers.

The Common Centaury flowers close when the sky becomes overcast or when the weather is damp.

Rosebay Willowherb is an example of a ‘pioneer species’. This is a plant that can colonise a barren area with very little competition, such as areas after a fire.

The name Cowslip actually means ‘cow-slop’, as in ‘cowpat’, in reference to it growing where cows had been.

Despite not belonging to the rose family, it is thought the name Primrose derives from the Latin ‘prima rosa’, meaning first rose.

The Marsh Marigold could be one of our most ancient plants. It is possible that it was growing here before the last Ice Age.

The Cuckoo Flower gets it’s name from the fact it generally comes into bloom around the time the cuckoo starts to call.

Common Gorse is a large, evergreen shrub, with coconut perfumed yellow flowers, is covered in spiky green leaves and is a member of the pea family.

Yellow Pimpernel is native to Britain.

Large Bittercress has white, occasionally purplish flowers, with blackish-purple anthers and a bright green hairless stem and leaves.

The used common name of Stitchwort is a reference to the once-held belief it cured pain in the side caused by exercise, known as a ‘stitch’.

Common Mouse-ear is a low growing, quite hairy plant, with lanceolate un-stalked dark green leaves arranged in opposite pairs along the stem.

The Bogbean is the County flower of Renfrewshire.

The common name ‘Guelder Rose’ comes from the Dutch province of Gelderland.

White Campion is sometimes called the ‘Grave Flower’ or the ‘Flower of the Dead’ as it often grows in graveyards.

Pignut is a short to medium hairless perennial which arises from an edible tuber, which pigs will root out with their snouts to eat.

Clover-like leaves with small white flowers with lilac veins.

Lesser Celandine has small yellow flowers with many tiny petals.