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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Common Agrimony

Flower: The flowers of Common Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) found in the UK are small and yellow, arranged in elongated spikes on slender stems. Each individual flower consists of five petals and has a delicate, cup-shaped appearance. The flowers bloom in clusters and are known for their bright, cheerful y... Fruit: The fruit of Common Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) found in the UK is composed of small, burr-like structures containing seeds. These fruits typically develop after the flowering period. They have a rough or prickly exterior, designed with hooks that easily attach to fur or clothing, aiding in the d... Leaves: The leaves of Common Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) found in the UK are compound and alternately arranged along the stem. Each leaf is composed of smaller leaflets arranged in a feather-like or pinnate pattern. The leaflets are serrated along the edges, providing a distinctive appearance. The surfac...

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Fragrant Agrimony

Flower: The inflorescence is a long flower spike. The flowers are about 1cm across with notched tips. 12 stamens. 2 pistils. Fruit: Bell-shaped, burred fruit with hooks that are down-turned. The fruit is about 1cm long. Leaves: No basal leaves. The stem leaves are stalked and alternate up the stems. They are pinnate leaves with 3 to 7 pairs. Leaflets are lance-shaped and large toothed. The leaves are more deeply toothed than those of the similar looking Common Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria). Also, the stems of Fragrant Agr...

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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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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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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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Allseed

Flower: The small white flowers are short-stalked and appear inside branched clusters. The 4 petals are about as long as the toothed sepals. Fruit: The fruit is a globular seed capsule. Leaves: A well-branched annual with very small, pointed oval leaves. The leaves are in opposite pairs along the stems. Greyish-green, stiff, thread-like, forked, reddish stems.

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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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Grape-leaf Anemone

Flower: The flowers of Eriocapitella vitifolia are small and pink or white, with five petals and a yellow center. The flowers have a sweet aroma and are usually seen in clusters. They have a long flowering season, typically from late spring to early fall. Fruit: The fruit of Eriocapitella vitifolia is a small, round, yellow berry with a thin skin. The flesh is sweet and juicy, and the flavor is similar to a grapefruit. The fruit is usually about 1 inch in diameter and ripens in late summer. Leaves: The leaves of Eriocapitella vitifolia are bright green, glossy, and pointed. They are oval-shaped and grow in clusters of three. The leaves are approximately 2-3 inches long, and they have a slightly waxy texture. The leaves are tough and leathery, with a distinct vein pattern along the edges. They ...

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Apple-of-Peru

Flower: Solitary, bell-shaped, pale blue or violet flowers with a white throat. The flowers measure about 3 to 5cm across and only open for a few hours per day. Fruit: The fruit is a brown berry enclosed inside the net-veined sepals. The berries each measure about 1.5cm in diameter. Leaves: An annual flower with pointed oval leaves up to 10cm (4 inches) long. The leaves are toothed and have wavy edges.

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Globe Artichoke

Flower: The flower of a Globe Artichoke has a large, round, thistle-like head that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter. The outer leaves of the flower are dark green in color and are tightly layered around the base of the flower. The inner leaves are more purple in hue and are edible. The flower has a large... Fruit: The flower of the Globe Artichoke plant develops into an edible thistle-like head, which is the vegetable. The actual fruit of the plant is a small, dry, brown, spiny capsule containing numerous seeds. Leaves: The leaves of the Globe Artichoke are large, thick, and spiny. They are pale to dark green in color and can grow up to 8 inches in length. Each leaf is deeply lobed with a sharp point at the end and a thick, fleshy base. The leaves are covered in small prickles, which are edible but can be quite sha...

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Garden Asparagus

Flower: Garden Asparagus produces small, bell-shaped flowers, pale greenish-white to yellowish in colour, typically appearing in early summer (May to June). The flowers are dioecious—individual plants are either male or female. Male flowers are more numerous and showier, while females are fewer but produce ... Fruit: Only female plants bear fruit: round, red berries, about 6–10 mm across, ripening by late summer. These berries are toxic to humans, containing sapogenins that can cause gastrointestinal upset. Birds, however, often eat them and disperse the seeds. Leaves: The “leaves” are actually needle-like cladodes—modified stems that function like leaves. These cladodes are slender, green, and feathery, typically arranged in tufts along the wiry, erect stems. True leaves are reduced to tiny scales at the base of each cladode cluster. Mature plants can reach up to...

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Wild Asparagus

Flower: Asparagus prostratus produces small, bell-shaped flowers that are yellowish-green, around 4–6 mm in length. Each flower has six tepals and hangs singly or in pairs on short stalks from the leaf axils. Blooming occurs in late spring to early summer. While inconspicuous, the flowers are delicate and n... Fruit: After flowering, the plant produces small, spherical red berries, each about 5–8 mm across. These fruits are visually striking against the wiry stems but are mildly toxic to humans and not consumed. They contain a few black seeds and are eaten by birds, which help disperse them. Leaves: What appear to be “leaves” are actually phylloclades — modified flattened stems that look like slender, pointed needles. True leaves are tiny and scale-like. The phylloclades are arranged in tufts along the thin, wiry stems and are typically green, spine-tipped, and less than 2 cm long. Stems often ...

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Bog Asphodel

Flower: Deep yellow spike of flowers, often tinged orange. Flowers are star-like with 6 petals and orange anthers. Fruit: Egg-shaped and bright orange. Leaves: Long and slender, grass-like.

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Goldilocks Aster

Flower: Loose, erect clusters of bright golden yellow flowers. They measure no larger than 1.8cm across. The yellow stigmas are prominent. Very late flowering. Fruit: The fruit is an achene. An achene is a type of dry, one-seeded fruit. Leaves: Numerous, linear, lance-shaped leaves. Unlike the similar looking Golden Samphire (Inula crithmoides), the leaves are not fleshy.

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