Green Alkanet
One of the more conspicuous wildflowers growing in damp verges, along paths and under trees, Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) covers the ground in a knee-high mass of bristly green leaves and bright blue flowers that are very popular with pollinating insects. It is a perennial plant and if cut down, it will grow again in the same spot from its deep tap roots. The leaves stay green throughout winter. The flowers have five petals and a white centre: their colour varies from pale blue to bright blue to violet, depending on their age.
Header photo of Small Copper butterfly on Green Alkanet is by Andrew Wilson.
Bluebells
We are now at the end of the bluebell flowering season, but you can still spot some elderly flowers under the trees and along woodland edges on the Common. Most of the bluebells here are hybrids of the Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica), an introduced garden plant, and the native English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). While English Bluebells have a sweet scent, narrow leaves and flowers on only one side of a drooping stem, Spanish Bluebells have no scent, broad leaves and flowers growing all around the stem which is more upright. The flower colour is usually deep blue for the native bluebell, and pale blue (sometimes white or pink) for the Spanish. The flower colour fades as the flowers mature. All bluebells provide valuable pollen and nectar for early bees and other insects.
Hawthorn
A valuable component of ancient hedges and woodlands, Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) supports hundreds of different species of wildlife, from bees and other pollinating insects attracted by its pollen and nectar, to caterpillars of many moths and butterflies feeding on its foliage, to birds that feast on its berries (called haws). Its thorny foliage makes a perfect nesting place for many bird species. May is the month hawthorn is in bloom, and that’s where it got its other name from: May-flower. Its flowers are sweet scented, white, or sometimes pink, and have five petals each, growing all along the branches of the tree in flat-topped clusters. Hawthorn leaves are about 6cms long, and have toothed, deeply cut lobes. This small tree is fantastic for biodiversity in urban gardens.
Sheep’s sorrel
Walking on our rare lowland acid grassland on Mill Hill, you will be greeted by a wonderful red carpet of plants. Look more closely, and you can see the minuscule red flowers along the flower spikes of the perennial Sheep’s Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), one of the species indicative of acid grassland. A relative of dock, Sheep’s Sorrel’s leaves are edible, although sour and somewhat bitter – much loved by the caterpillars of the Small Copper butterfly.
Cow parsley
Over the past few weeks, a sea of tall white umbrella-like flowers has grown all along the shady paths on the Common and the Leg o’Mutton reserve: Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris). Flowering April to June, this is the first member of the Carrot family (Umbellifers) to flower, followed later by the similar-looking Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) that flowers June to September. Somewhat confusingly, the name Queen Anne’s Lace has been used to refer to both Cow Parsley and Wild Carrot. Cow Parsley is an important source of pollen and nectar for a variety of insects, including Orange-Tip butterflies. It can easily be confused with the highly toxic Hemlock (Conium maculatum), which has simlar-looking flowers and leaves. While the stems of Cow Parsley are hairy and a pale pinkish green, Hemlock has a hairless green stem, with purple blotches. Because Hemlock can cause skin irritation, it is best not to touch or pick any of these flowers.
