Enchanter’s nightshade, Circaea lutetiana. It has small pinky white flowers between June and August. it’s a ‘hairy’ plant with hairs seen on the leaves (both sides) and leaf stalks (petioles). Despite its name, enchanter’s nightshade is unrelated to other nightshades. It actually belongs to the willowherb family. WT. Photo: Stephen Middleton
Canadian Goldenrod, Solidago canadensis. As its name suggests it is native to northeastern and north-central North America. It forms colonies of upright growing plants, with many small yellow flowers in a branching inflorescence held above the foliage. It is an invasive plant that was imported to be grown as an ornamental in flower gardens. It is highly popular with a […]
Pyracantha. Pyracantha is a genus of large, thorny evergreen shrubs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are native to an area extending from Southwest Europe east to Southeast Asia. They have a white rose flower and resemble and are related to Cotoneaster, but have serrated leaf margins and numerous thorns (Cotoneaster is thornless). On Parkland Walk it is certainly a […]
Common Valerian, Valeriana officinalis. It bears sweetly scented pink or white flowers that attract many fly species, especially hoverflies. It is consumed as food by the larvae of some butterflies and moths. Valerian has been used as a herb in traditional medicine since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. Hippocrates described its properties, and Galen later prescribed […]
Wild strawberry, Fragaria vesca. The Wild Strawberry is not actually the ancestor of commercial strawberries but it does have an excellent flavour. Its white flowers appear from April to July and the small but very tasty fruits follow soon after. WT
Bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara. Purple flowers with yellow stamens give way to bright red berries, edible for some birds, which disperse the seeds widely, but the berry is poisonous to humans and livestock. WT
Herb Robert, Geranium robertianium. One of the commonest wildflowers on Parkland Walk, coping admirably through dry spells and in dry, gravelly or stony ground. Herb-robert is a foodplant and nectar-source for many invertebrates including bees, hoverflies and the barred carpet moth. It was traditionally used as an antiseptic, as well as to treat stomach upset and nosebleeds. Its leaves are […]
St John’s wort, Hypericum perforatum. This plant, named after John the Baptist, is famous for its medicinal qualities in the treatment of low moods and mild depression. It flowers around the 24th of June, the feast day of St. John the Baptist. Sales of the supplement are banned in France due to concerns about serious interactions with other drugs. WT
Marsh marigold, Caltha palustris. Marsh-marigold by a pond provides shelter for frogs and early nectar for insects.
Groundsel, Senecio vulgaris, Also known as ‘Old-man-in-the-spring’. The seed heads led to its Latin name, Senecio, derived from the word for ‘old man’ – pull the white, fluffy seeds from the flower head and they leave behind a bare, dotted ‘scalp’.
