Cuckooflower gets its name because it first appears in April, at the same time as cuckoo. May and June are the months when cuckooflower is in full bloom and, for this reason, many people call it the Mayflower. It is also known as Lady’s Smock and Milkmaids. These pretty, pinky-purple and white flowers are often […]
Wildflowers of the United Kingdom and Ireland
A collection of articles about wildflowers found in the United Kingdom.
Wood Anemone
Wood anemone is one of our first spring flowers. Like many of our native wildflowers, it is also known by many other names: moonflower, wood crowfoot and ‘windflower’, to name a few. Windflower is directly related to its botanical name derived from the Greek. Greek legend says that Anemos, the Wind, sends his namesakes the Anemones, […]
Primrose
The primrose, or “first rose”, is often found in woodland, hedgerows and old pastures. Its pale yellow flowers appear singly on hairy stems and can be seen between March and May before most trees come into leaf. Primroses are unusual as they produce two different types of flowers on two different plants. The ‘pin-eyed’ flower […]
Wild Garlic
Wild garlic (or ramsons) starts growing underground in late winter and its striking white flowers appear between May and June, contrasted against lush green foliage. Flowers are hermaphrodite (they have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees and other insects. Seeds ripen in July, when the plant dies back completely, allowing other […]
Lesser Celandine
Lesser celandine is one of the first flowering plants to appear at the end of the winter (February to May). The plant itself is small (5-30cm tall) with dark, heart-shaped leaves. The flowers, which appear on a short stalk and open fully in bright sunshine, form a carpet of yellow stars in woodland, under hedgerows, […]
Bluebell
The Bluebell is a perennial woodland herb that grows in spring from bulbs. The shoots emerge from early January, before tree leaves block a large proportion of the available sunlight. The bluebell sets seeds profusely and also multiplies by offshoots from its bulbs. As a result it can be a dominant species that carpets the […]