Wild Flowers

Flowering on the grassy slopes above Swanpool Beach, Falmouth. Insight: Red Dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum) flowers from March to October and is common throughout most of the British Isles.

Alexanders flowering yesterday in the warm spring sunshine on the coastal path above Swanpool in Falmouth. Insight: According to Culpeper, it is “effectual against the biting of serpents“.

Suddenly, a couple of days ago, there’s a bit of sunshine and one or two hedges in and around Falmouth are full of blossoming Blackthorn. Insight: Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is also known as Blackhaw, Buckthorn, Scrogg, Snag and Sloe.

Even Common Gorse is a joy at this time of year when not very much else is in flower. On a bright winter’s day it can light up the scene as it does here at Godrevy Point. Insight: There are … Read More

Common name: Ivy Latin name: Hedera helix Family: Ivy (Araliaceae) Flowers: September to November This photo: Marsland valley on the Cornwall and Devon county boundary Insight: There are two subspecies (ssp. helix and ssp. hibernica) though they’re difficult to tell … Read More

A welcome bit of colour found at Pendennis Point, Falmouth in Cornwall from a few flowering plants: Winter Heliotrope (Petasites fragrans), Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana) and Red Campion (Silene dioica). Insight: Winter Heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) flowers smell of vanilla or, … Read More

A few early Snowdrop were seen near the Helford River in Cornwall. Insight: Naturalised throughout British Isles but rare in northern Scotland.

Common name: Blackthorn Latin name: Prunus spinosa Family: Rose (Rosaceae) Flowers: March to May This photo: Marsland valley on the Cornwall and Devon county boundary Insight: The fruits are known as sloes. They ripen after all other plums.

Common name: White Ramping-fumitory Latin name: Fumaria capreolata Family: Fumitories (Fumariaceae) Flowers: May to September This photo: coastal path by Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth, Cornwall Insight: The drooping fruit and laterally compressed upper petal identify this as White Ramping-fumitory rather than … Read More

Common name: Polypody Latin name: Polypodium vulgare Family: Polypody (Polypodiaceae) Flowers: – This photo: Braunton Burrows, North Devon Gallery: British wild flowers Related images:

Common name: Large-flowered Evening-primrose Latin name: Oenothera glazioviana Family: Willowherb (Onagraceae) Flowers: June to September This photo: Braunton Burrows, North Devon Gallery: British wild flowers Related images:

Common name: Wild Privet Latin name: Ligustrum vulgare Family: Olive (Oleaceae) Flowers: June to July This photo: Braunton Burrows, North Devon Gallery: British wild flowers Related images: