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Wildflowers S - Y

Salsify (tragopogon porrifolius) 
   
P.  H.  Ht 3 ft (90 cm).  Long thin leaves and mauve-pink flowers.  Meadow plant.  Found by roadsides and canal banks.  Food plant of Marbled Fritillary butterfly.  Origin of seed - Aldington, Kent.  More info 
Sea Holly (eryngium maritimum) 
   

P.  Vivid grey-blue stems, leaves and flowers.  Flowers are thistle-like but very striking.    Ht 2 ft (60 cm).  Flowers July to October.  Roots used to be candied, and were also used as an aphrodisiac.  Found in the wild in coastal areas and beaches.  More info

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Selfheal (prunella vulgaris) 
   
P.  Low-growing grassland wildflower with purple flowers arranged, it was thought, to resemble a throat - and so were therefore suitable for healing sore throats!  More info
Shepherd's Needle (scandix pectin-veneris) 
   

A.  Rare arable weed which has declined dramatically since the 1950�s.  Although still quite common in eastern Britain it is only found in one place in South Glamorgan in Wales.  More info

 

Flowers during summer.   Member of the Carrot family.  Ht 60 cm (2 ft).  Ferny leaves and clusters of small, white flowers. 

 

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Spiked Speedwell (veronica spicata) 
   
P.  Ht 1 - 2 ft (30 - 60 cm). Green leaves and spikes of blue-mauve flowers from June to August.  Rare in the wild.  Bee plant.  Makes a good cut flower.  Bee plant.  Origin of seed - Europe.
Thrift (armeria maritima) 
   

Thin, dark green leaves form a neat mound with masses of tiny pink flowers from April to May.  Good nectar plant for butterflies and moths, particularly the Amulet, Thrift Clearwing, Black banded and Feathered Ranunculus moths. Grows well in wet, dry or infertile soil.  Very salt tolerant.
Toadflax (linaria vulgaris) 
   
P.  Yellow Snapdragon-like flowers with orange centres, and thin leaves.  Spreads.  Ht 1 - 2 ft (30 - 60 cm).  Food plant of the Spotted Fritillary butterfly.  Has been used in the treatment of skin cancers.  Flowers June to October.  More info
Viper's Bugloss (echium vulgare) 
   

HP.  Gorgeous blue flowers with red anthers.    Ht 2 ft (60 cm) or so. Particular favourite of the Painted Lady butterfly, and bees, hoverflies and moths.  Flowers June to September.  Good plant for coastal/shingle areas.  More info
Water Figwort (scrophularia auriculata) 
   

P.  Ht 1.2 m.  Small purple-brown flowers from July to October.  Found on moist soil in ditches, streams and shady banks.  Origin of seed - Shropshire.

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Weld (reseda luteola) 
   

B.  H.  Rosette of leaves in first year from which arises a tall spire of  greeny yellow flowers in the second year.  ht about 5 ft.  Flowers June to August.  Romans used the flowers to dye the tunics of vestal virgins! More info.  Price reduced to clear.
White Campion (silene latifolia alba) 
   

P.  Found in open wasteground, hedgerows and meadows.  Large white flowers, scented in evenmings.  Ht 3 ft (90 cm).  Food plant of the Marbled Coronet, Marbled Clover, and Sandy Carpet moths.  More info

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White Horehound (marrubium vulgare) 
   

HP.  H.  CG.  Found in wastelands and fields.  Flourishes best in dry soil.  Square stems and wrinkled, downy, grey-green leaves and whorls of white flowers from June to September.  Ht 2 ft (60 cm).  Makes a good fly repellent.  More info

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Wild Basil (clinopodium vulgare) 
   

P.  Strewing herb.  Pretty pinky-mauve flowers from July to September.  Hedgerow and woodland margins plant, so likes  shade.  Ht 32 ins (80 cm).  Nectar-rich so good for bees, butterflies and moths.    Seed origin - England.  More info

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Wild Carrot (daucus carota) 
   

B.  Finely divided leaves and umbels of white flowers, the centre of which are red or purple.  Ht 3 ft (90 cm).  Flowers all summer.  Wild Carrot seeds were once popular as a form of birth control.  Does not have an edible root like the cultivated carrot.   More info.  

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Wild Clary (salvia horminoides) 
   

P.  Wrinkled, toothed leaves and small blue-violet flowers.  Ht 1 - 3 ft (30 - 90 cm).  Often found in shady hedgerows and by streams.  Flowers May to September.  Food plant of the Twin-spot Carpet moth caterpillars. 


Wild Clematis (clematis vitalba) 
   
P.  Climber.  Hedgerow plant.  Pretty white flowers.  Moth plant - Lime Speck Pug, Haworths Pug, Small Emerald, The Fern, Pretty Chalk Carpet, Least Carpet.  Bee plant, and birds like the fluffy seedheads.  Also known as Traveller's Joy.   Seed origin - Westwell, Kent.  More info 
Wild Foxglove (digitalis purpurea) 
   

B.  Large downy leaves and spires of purple-pink bell-shaped flowers.  Good bee plant.  Found in open woodland.  Much folklore and magic surrounds the plant.  Food source of the Frosted Orange, Heath Fritillary, Lesser Yellow Underwing and Foxglove Pug moths.  Shade or partial shade.  More info

CAUTION - HARMFUL IF EATEN
Wild Mignonette (reseda lutea) 
   
P.  Small pale yellow flowers on spikes.  Food plant of Bath White, Cabbage White and Orange Tip butterflies.  Ht 2 ft (60 cm).   Origin of seed - Europe.  More info
Wild Pink Geranium 
   

This one has posed a problem for me to identify!  I collected seed from very pretty pink geranium-type flowers in a grassland/meadow area.  All I can say is that they are very pretty!  Seed origin - Aldington, Kent.
Wild Primrose (primula vulgaris) 
   
P.  Pretty yellow flowers with orange centres..  Ht 6 ins.  Food source for the following moths - Pearl Bordered Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Triple-spotted Clary, Gothic, Riband Wave, Plain Clary, twin-spot Carpet.  Duke of Burgundy Fritillary butterfly caterpillars feed on the leaves.  Much folklore is attached to the plant.  Also has herbal uses.  More info
Wild Strawberry (fragaria vesca) 
   

P.  Small strawberries which are more full of goodness and tastier than garden strawberries.  Leaves provide food for Grizzled Skipper butterfly caterpillars.  Also attracts moths - Amulet, Yellow Shell, Beautiful Carpet, Dark Marbled Carpet and Common Marbled Carpet.  Fruits provide food for birds.  More info
Yarrow (achillea millefloium) 
   

P.  Sprays of white flowers and frondy leaves.   Origin of seed - Somerset.  More info

(Sorry, no photo available) - only 2 x 7 cm pots left at present
Wild Marjoram (origanum majorana) 
   

P.  H.  Pinky-mauve flowers.

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