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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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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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: Alkanet produces striking, vivid blue to violet flowers, each around 8–12 mm in diameter, with five rounded petals and a white central throat. These flowers grow in coiled spikes (scorpioid cymes), gradually unrolling as they bloom from May to August. Their intense colour and nectar-rich tubes make ... Fruit: After flowering, Alkanet forms four small nutlets per flower, which are rough and dark brown when mature. These nutlets are slightly wrinkled and dispersed passively — falling close to the parent plant. Although not particularly ornamental, the fruit plays a key role in the plant’s annual regenerati... Leaves: The leaves are lance-shaped to narrowly oval, and covered with coarse, bristly hairs. They grow alternately along the stem and have a rough, scratchy texture — an identifying feature. The basal leaves are stalked, while upper ones clasp the stem. The entire plant tends to be hairy and somewhat untid...

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Yellow Anemone

Flower: Yellow Anemone bears cheerful, bright yellow flowers, typically 2–4 cm across, with 5 petal-like sepals (true petals are absent). The blooms appear singly on slender stalks from March to May, forming elegant displays in deciduous woodlands. They lack the bluish tinge of A. apennina and the white col... Fruit: After flowering, it forms a cluster of small, dry achenes. These seed-like fruits are hairless and lack any special dispersal adaptations such as wings or hooks. Like other Anemone species, it reproduces more reliably through spreading rhizomes than by seed. Leaves: Its leaves are deeply lobed and toothed, typically divided into three main leaflets. A characteristic whorl of stem leaves appears beneath each flower, while the basal leaves are few and often emerge after flowering. The foliage resembles that of Ranunculus (buttercups), hence the species name ranun...

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Wood Anemone

Flower: The Wood Anemone is one of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in spring, typically flowering from March to May. Each plant produces a single, star-like flower with 6 to 8 petal-like sepals, usually white but sometimes tinged with pink or purple, especially in upland or shaded areas. The flowers open ... Fruit: After flowering, the plant forms small, dry, woolly fruits known as achenes, each containing a single seed. These achenes are arranged in a cluster and have no special dispersal mechanism, relying instead on gravity and small animals. Seed production is often low, and Wood Anemone spreads primarily ... Leaves: Wood Anemone has deeply divided, toothed leaves arranged in a whorl of three below the flower. The leaves are typically green but may develop a bronze tint in early spring or late in the season. The plant grows from creeping, brittle rhizomes that spread just beneath the soil surface, allowing it to...

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Wild Angelica

Flower: Wild Angelica blooms from July to September, displaying dome-shaped umbels of tiny, pale pinkish-white to purplish-white flowers. Each umbel can contain dozens of small five-petalled flowers, supported by purple-tinged stems. The flowers are particularly attractive to a wide range of insects, includ... Fruit: Following flowering, the plant produces oblong, flattened fruits that are slightly winged and ribbed. These dry, aromatic fruits develop in small clusters and turn from green to brown as they ripen. Each fruit splits in two when mature, releasing seeds that are dispersed by wind and water. The seeds... Leaves: The leaves of Wild Angelica are large, divided, and fern-like in appearance, with toothed edges and a somewhat glossy surface. They grow alternately along the thick, hollow stem, which often has a purple hue. The lower leaves are especially large, with long stalks and multiple leaflets, while the up...

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Garden Angelica

Flower: Yellowish-green flowers, appearing in rounded umbels measuring 5 to 7cm across. 5 stamens per flower. Pollinated by insects. Fruit: Oval, flattened fruits with corky wings, measuring 6 to 8mm long. The seeds ripen in August and September. Leaves: An erect perennial with 2 to 3-pinnate leaves. Each leaf measure up to 60cm (24 inches) in length. Hollow, green stems (occasionally purple). Biennial.

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Crab Apple

Flower: Crab Apple bears clusters of delicate, five-petalled flowers in shades of white to pale pink, typically blooming from April to May. The buds are often deeper pink, fading as they open. Each flower has a central cluster of yellow stamens and is highly attractive to pollinating insects, especially bee... Fruit: The small, rounded fruits of the Crab Apple are typically yellow-green, often flushed or mottled with red, and ripen in late summer to autumn. Unlike cultivated apples, they are usually no larger than 3–4 cm across and have a very sharp, sour taste. The fruits contain several brown seeds arranged in... Leaves: Leaves are ovate with a finely toothed margin and a rounded base, typically darker on the upper surface and paler and slightly hairy underneath. They grow alternately along the branches and can sometimes show reddish or purplish tints, especially in exposed areas. The tree itself is often gnarled wi...

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Cultivated Apple

Flower: The Cultivated Apple produces attractive, five-petalled flowers in shades of white to pale pink, often deepening to a stronger pink in bud. These appear in clusters during April and May, providing an important nectar source for pollinators such as bees. Each flower has numerous yellow-tipped stamens... Fruit: Its well-known fruit—the apple—is a rounded, fleshy pome that varies greatly in size, colour, flavour, and texture depending on the cultivar. Apples typically ripen from late summer to early autumn and can be green, red, yellow, or a mix of these colours. The fruit contains five seed chambers arrang... Leaves: The leaves of Cultivated Apple are oval with finely serrated edges and a pointed tip. They are a dull to mid-green colour, with a slightly hairy underside and often a wrinkled texture. Leaves grow alternately along the branches and typically appear slightly after the blossom, remaining until autumn....

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Variegated Yellow Archangel

Flower: Variegated Yellow Archangel bears bright yellow, hooded flowers in whorls around the upper parts of the stems, typically blooming from April to June. The flowers resemble those of other members of the mint family, with a two-lipped structure adapted for pollination by bees. The lower lip often has r... Fruit: Following pollination, the plant produces small, dry nutlets that are held within the remains of the flower’s calyx. These nutlets are inconspicuous and are sometimes dispersed by ants (a process known as myrmecochory), although vegetative spread via rooting stems is more common in this plant’s prop... Leaves: The leaves are opposite, ovate to heart-shaped, and prominently toothed. In the ‘argentatum’ variety, they are strikingly variegated with silver-white markings along the midrib and veins, creating a marbled or mottled appearance. The stems are square in cross-section, slightly hairy, and creep along...

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Yellow Archangel

Flower: Yellow Archangel produces distinctive hooded, bright yellow flowers from April to June. Each flower is two-lipped with reddish-brown markings on the lower lip and appears in whorls around the stem. These blooms are characteristic of the mint family and resemble those of White Dead-nettle, but with a... Fruit: The fruit is a small, dark nutlet, formed in clusters of four beneath each flower after pollination. While not particularly showy, these fruits allow the plant to self-seed modestly. More commonly, however, Yellow Archangel spreads vegetatively through its creeping rhizomes, allowing it to form dens... Leaves: The leaves are oval to heart-shaped with toothed edges and arranged in opposite pairs along the stem. In the native wild form, the leaves are plain green, but garden cultivars often show silvery marbling. All leaves are softly hairy and give the plant its "dead-nettle" appearance, though they do not...

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Dragon Arum

Flower: Dragon Arum produces a striking and unusual inflorescence consisting of a large, dark purple to almost black spathe that curves around a tall, erect spadix. The spathe can be 30–40 cm long and has a glossy, sometimes mottled appearance. Flowering typically occurs in late spring to early summer. The ... Fruit: The fruit develops as a cluster of bright red berries following pollination. These berries are visually striking but toxic if ingested. They are about 1–2 cm in diameter and mature by late summer. Leaves: The leaves are large, deeply lobed and glossy green, often emerging after the flower. They can be up to 50 cm across, with a distinctive arrowhead or palmate shape and smooth texture.

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Asarabacca

Flower: The flowers of Asarum europaeum are small, inconspicuous, and nodding, typically hidden beneath the leaves. They appear in spring (April–May) and are bell-shaped with three fleshy, dark purplish-brown sepals that are fused at the base and flare outward slightly. These sepals form the visible "flower... Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry capsule containing numerous tiny seeds, each with a fleshy appendage (elaiosome) that attracts ants, which disperse the seeds through a process known as myrmecochory. The capsules split open when mature in early summer. The fruits are typically hidden at the base of the pla... Leaves: Asarabacca has striking shiny, evergreen, kidney- or heart-shaped leaves, typically 5–10 cm wide, with entire, smooth margins. The foliage forms a low, dense carpet, making the plant ideal for shaded ground cover in woodland gardens. The leaves grow in pairs or loose rosettes and remain glossy green...

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Common Ash

Flower: Common Ash trees produce small, purplish-black flowers in early spring, usually between March and May, before the leaves emerge. These flowers grow in dense clusters and are wind-pollinated. Male and female flowers often occur on separate trees, although some trees may bear both. While not showy, th... Fruit: The fruit of the Common Ash is a winged seed known as a “key” or “samara.” These slender, one-winged seeds develop in hanging clusters through late spring and summer, ripening by autumn. Once mature, they are dispersed by the wind and may remain on the tree through winter, providing food for birds a... Leaves: Ash leaves are pinnately compound, usually consisting of 7–13 toothed leaflets arranged in opposite pairs along a central stalk. The leaves are a bright to mid-green and can grow quite large, contributing to the tree’s light, airy canopy. In autumn, they turn a clear yellow before falling. The bark ...

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