Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Flower: The flowers of Trachystemon orientalis (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) are star-shaped and typically a vivid bluish-violet, appearing in dense clusters atop thick, fleshy stems in late winter to early spring (February to April in the UK). Each flower has five narrow, pointed petals that curve slightly ba... Fruit: The fruit of Trachystemon orientalis is a dry, nutlet-like structure, typical of many members of the borage family (Boraginaceae). After flowering, the ovary develops into four small, hard nutlets enclosed within the remains of the calyx. These nutlets are brown, wrinkled, and relatively inconspicuo... Leaves: The leaves of Trachystemon orientalis are one of its most distinctive features. They are very large, broadly ovate to heart-shaped, and can grow up to 40 cm across. The surface is rough and slightly hairy, with a somewhat coarse texture, and the margins are often wavy or irregularly toothed. When yo...

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False Acacia

Flower: Cream-white, pea-like flowers. The flowers hang down in a loose spike and are similar in appearance to Laburnum but creamy-white and not yellow. Fruit: Brown pea-like pods, up to 4 inches long. Leaves: Deciduous. Dark green, pinnate leaves, up to 25cm in length. 3 to 9 pairs of blunt, oval leaflets. Leaflets are untoothed.

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Two-spined Acaena

Flower: The flowers of Acaena ovalifolia are small, greenish to reddish, and grouped in dense, rounded heads atop slender stalks. They are not especially showy and lack petals, but they are functional and bloom in summer. Each flower head can eventually produce barbed fruits, typical of the genus. Fruit: The plant produces dry, burr-like achenes with two prominent, barbed spines per fruit—hence the name “two-spined.” These hooks allow the fruit to cling to animals or clothing for dispersal. While not as aggressively barbed as some Acaena species, it’s still a hitchhiker and should be handled careful... Leaves: The foliage consists of pinnate leaves with rounded, oval leaflets—reflected in the species name ovalifolia. The leaves are usually dark green, with a slightly leathery texture, forming a low mat or spreading ground cover. The leaf arrangement is neat and regularly spaced.

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Spineless Acaena

Flower: The flowers of Acaena inermis are small, globular, and typically reddish or purplish, appearing in compact heads on wiry stems during summer. Unlike many other Acaena species, these flower heads lack showy spines or barbed appendages, giving rise to the species name inermis (meaning “unarmed” or “sp... Fruit: The fruit consists of small achenes, but unlike its relatives such as Acaena novae-zelandiae, A. inermis lacks the hooked spines that commonly aid in animal dispersal. This makes the seed heads less noticeable and less likely to cling to clothing or fur. Leaves: Acaena inermis has attractive, fern-like foliage, with pinnate, silvery-green to greyish-green leaflets. The plant grows as a low mat or ground cover, spreading along the ground to form dense carpets. Its foliage gives it ornamental appeal, especially in rock gardens and gravel beds.

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Winter Aconite

Flower: Cup-shaped flowers, up to 3cm wide. The flowers have large, deeply cut, leafy bracts at their bases. Fruit: Follicles which contain the seeds. Leaves: A perennial with deeply cut, glossy, hairless basal leaves. Throughout the British Isles, Winter Aconite is most common in the east of England and Scotland.

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Grey Alder

Flower: Grey Alder produces unisexual catkins—the male catkins are long, pendulous, and yellowish-green, appearing before or with the leaves in early spring, while the female catkins are smaller, upright, and initially green, later turning brown as they mature. The flowers lack petals and rely on wind polli... Fruit: The female catkins mature into small, woody, cone-like structures called strobiles, about 2–3 cm long, which open to release tiny winged seeds in late autumn or winter. These “cones” persist on the tree through winter. Leaves: The leaves are oval to lance-shaped, with a rounded or slightly heart-shaped base, and have a finely serrated margin. They are a pale green above and lighter below, often with fine hairs on the underside.

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Italian Alder

Flower: Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) produces small, inconspicuous flowers that are typically arranged in pendulous catkins. These catkins can be either male or female. Male catkins are slender and yellowish-green, and they release pollen into the air. Female catkins are shorter and more cylindrical, with ... Fruit: Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) produces elongated and cylindrical catkins, which are an important part of its reproductive structures. These catkins are typically pendulous, hanging from the branches, and they come in two main types: male and female. Male catkins are usually longer and more slender, ... Leaves: The leaves of the Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) are characterized by their heart-shaped form and serrated edges. These deciduous leaves are typically medium to dark green in color and have a glossy appearance on their upper surface. They are arranged alternately along the branches and can grow to be...

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Green Alkanet

Flower: The flowers of Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) are an intense, vivid blue in color, shaped like a star, and they typically bloom in clusters. These flowers are notably attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies due to their nectar-rich nature. Each individual flower consists of... Fruit: The fruit of Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) is typically small and nut-like, known as a nutlet. These nutlets develop after the flowering period and contain seeds. They are often dark in colour and quite small, each containing the potential to produce a new plant if they find suitable con... Leaves: The leaves of Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) are elongated and rough in texture, often hairy and lance-shaped. They have pronounced veins and are arranged alternately along the stems. The leaves resemble those of the forget-me-not, having a coarse texture and covered in tiny, stiff hairs,...

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Alkanet

Flower: Tight clusters of purplish-blue flowers. Roundish petals. Densely hairy. 5 stamens. Pollinated by bees. Fruit: Brown, 4-parted fruit, about 4mm long. The seeds ripen from July to October. Leaves: The leaves and stems are very hairy. The leaves are elliptic and wavy-edged. Not toothed. The leaves are alternate along both sides of the stems. Biennial or perennial.

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Yellow Alkanet

Flower: Despite the name, Yellow Alkanet typically produces creamy yellow to pale ochre flowers, not bright yellow. Each flower is funnel-shaped, five-lobed, and measures about 8–12 mm across. The blooms appear in branched cymes, and the flowering period runs from May to July. Its floral structure is simila... Fruit: The fruit is composed of four nutlets, rough and wrinkled, often with small prickles or tubercles. These are typical of the Boraginaceae family and allow for dispersal by animals or water. The nutlets are black or dark brown when mature and develop after the flowers fade. Leaves: Leaves are narrow, lanceolate, and covered in stiff, white hairs, giving them a rough, sandpapery texture. They are arranged alternately on the stem, with basal leaves forming a rosette and upper leaves gradually reducing in size. The stems are also bristly and often branched. The plant can reach he...

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False Alkanet

Flower: False Alkanet produces bright sky-blue to violet-blue flowers, typically 8–12 mm in diameter, with a white eye at the centre. Flowers are five-petalled and flat-faced, borne in loose, coiled cymes (scorpioid inflorescences) typical of Boraginaceae. Blooming usually occurs in late spring to early sum... Fruit: The fruit consists of four nutlets, as is typical of the family, each covered with hooked or barbed tubercles that aid in animal dispersal. The nutlets are oblong and rough, turning dark brown or black when mature. These fruiting bodies are quite distinctive and useful in identifying the plant in la... Leaves: Leaves are alternate, lanceolate to ovate, and covered in stiff, rough bristly hairs, giving the plant a very coarse feel — hence the genus name Cynoglottis, meaning “dog’s tongue” (like Cynoglossum). Basal leaves form a rosette, while stem leaves are stalkless and often clasp the stem. The foliage ...

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Four-leaved Allseed

Flower: Four-leaved Allseed produces tiny, greenish-white to pinkish flowers in loose clusters. Each flower has five petals, but they are often so short that they are hidden by the long, pointed sepals. The flowers bloom from June to September and are usually self-pollinated or pollinated by small insects. Fruit: The fruit is a small, ovoid capsule that splits open into three valves when mature, releasing several tiny brown seeds. These seeds are dispersed by gravity or wind, often in disturbed, sandy soils. Leaves: Leaves are oval, smooth-edged, and arranged in opposite pairs that appear in groups of four due to short internodes, giving rise to the name "four-leaved." The plant forms spreading mats with slender, reddish stems and low-growing foliage.

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Sweet Alyssum

Flower: Sweet Alyssum is a charming and petite flowering plant with delicate blooms. The flowers, shaped like small clusters, come in a variety of colours, including white, pink, purple, and lavender. Each flower consists of four petals, creating a dainty and intricate appearance. The fragrance of these blo... Fruit: Sweet Alyssum is not typically grown for its fruit, as it is primarily cultivated for its attractive and fragrant flowers. The plant produces small, inconspicuous fruits that are not commonly a focal point in gardening discussions. The main ornamental appeal of Sweet Alyssum lies in its profusion of... Leaves: Sweet Alyssum features small, lance-shaped leaves that contribute to its overall compact and neat appearance. The leaves are typically green in colour and form a dense carpet of foliage beneath the delicate clusters of flowers. These leaves are relatively small in size, adding to the fine texture of...

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Green Amaranth

Flower: The flowers appear inside erect, terminal spikes, tassel-like in appearance. 5 pink sepals. Wind pollinated. Fruit: The fruit is a dry seed. Leaves: A hairless, yellowish-green plant similar in appearance to Common Amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus) but with shorter, looser tassels. The leaves are oval and pointed. Annual. A garden escape, infrequently naturalised.

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Common Amaranth

Flower: Common Amaranth produces small, greenish flowers tightly clustered in dense, bristly spikes at the top of the plant and in leaf axils. The flowers are inconspicuous individually, lacking petals, and are either male, female, or mixed. The flower spikes are often stiff and upright, with a rough, brist... Fruit: The fruit is a tiny capsule (utricle), usually around 1.5 mm long, that splits open transversely (like a lid) to release a single, smooth, glossy black seed. These seeds are very small—about 1 mm across—and prolific. A single plant can produce tens of thousands of seeds, allowing rapid spread and co... Leaves: The leaves are oval to diamond-shaped, with a blunt or slightly notched tip and prominent veins. They are typically dull green, hairy, and arranged alternately on the stem. The lower leaves have long petioles (leaf stalks), while upper leaves are smaller and more sessile. The midrib on the underside...

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