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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Common Alder

Flower: Yellow and pendulous (male catkins). Green and oval (female catkins). Male and female catkins present on same tree, and grouped in clusters of 3-8 on each stalk. Fruit: In winter the catkins turn into hard, dark, cone-like fruit which eventually release the seeds. Leaves: Deciduous. Round, dark green, leathery, smooth, serrated edges.

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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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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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Marsh Arrowgrass

Flower: A flower spike. The green flowers have purple edges. Individual flowers are up to 3mm wide. Flowers have 3 petals and 6 stamens. Fruit: Narrow, erect and arrow-like. Leaves: Long and grass-like leaves with deep grooves.

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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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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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Two-rowed Barley

Flower: Green spikes with awns of varying lengths depending on the exact species. Fruit: A single-seeded dry fruit, or grain, technically called a caryopsis. Leaves: An annual crop of the grass family. Barley has grass-like leaves. Green, long and linear.

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Six-rowed Barley

Flower: The flower is a pale green spikelet. The spikelets are arranged in groups of 3 rows along the stem of the plant (rachis). The similar-looking Two-Rowed Barley (Hordeum distinchon) are arranged in groups of 2 rows. Fruit: An oval caryopsis, 7-10mm long and 2-3mm wide. Leaves: An annual grass species with long linear stems. The leaves are alternate.

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Broad Bean

Flower: White with black blotch, appearing in clusters. Fruit: Long green pods which contain the beans. Leaves: Compound leaves. The 5-9 leaflets are oval and without toothed edges.

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Annual Beard-grass

Flower: A dense, long, one-flowered spike (up to 15cm or 6 inches). The spike looks fluffy/silky and greenish-white due to its compactly-spaced awns (each up to 7mm long). Pollinated by the wind. Fruit: The fruit is a caryopsis. A caryopsis is a kind of dry, one-seeded fruit common in grasses. The seeds ripen from July to September. Leaves: An annual grass with typical-looking linear, grass-like leaves. Leaf blades are minutely hairy or hairless and about 6mm wide.

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