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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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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Alexanders

Flower: Yellow-green umbel. Fruit: Globular, ridged, turning black on ripening. Leaves: Yellowish-green bluntly toothed, divided and glossy.

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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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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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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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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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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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Garden Anchusa

Flower: Anchusa azurea produces brilliant deep blue to violet-blue flowers with a conspicuous white centre or eye. Each flower is about 1–2 cm across, five-petalled, and tubular, forming in coiled cymes that unfurl as the plant blooms — a hallmark of the borage family. Flowering typically occurs from May to... Fruit: After flowering, the plant forms the typical Boraginaceae fruit of four nutlets, each rough and dark brown when mature. The nutlets are small and bristly, enabling some dispersal by animals. While not showy, these fruit are useful for plant ID later in the season. Leaves: The leaves are long, lanceolate to oblong, grey-green, and covered in fine white bristles, giving them a rough texture. Lower leaves are stalked, while upper leaves clasp the hairy stems. The plant can grow up to 1.5 metres tall, especially in fertile garden soils. In a wildflower context, it appear...

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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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Cultivated Apple

Flower: Pinkish white in small clusters, 5 petals. Fruit: Large, fleshy and round. Can be green, yellow, pink, red or purple. Leaves: Deciduous, simple leaves growing alternate along the branches, serrated margins.

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