Identifying British Wildflowers

The clue is in the name. Bluebells are distinctive flowers that can be found primarily in April and May throughout woodlands as well as in towns and gardens. The narrow bell-shaped flower is an iconic violet blue colour with narrow, pointed leaves – though bluebells are said to be poisonous if ingested so try to keep your distance.

The source of the blackberry! A bramble bush has long stems that are covered in thorns and can grow up to 2 metres high. The leaves are dark green on top and paler underneath and in the summer, they’ll flower with small pink or white petals. But you’ll be able to spot a bramble bush pretty much all year round, and across most habitats, too!

A popular wildflower amongst butterflies, the flower of a common dog violet has 5, bright purple petals and a white middle. As for the leaves, they’re heart shaped with darker green colouring. They’re often confused with the sweet wild flower, which is similar in colour but it has a sweet scent – unlike the dog violet which has no scent at all. You’ll see them flowering between April and June in most areas, including farmlands, heathlands and woodlands.

Cowslip can be found during the spring in woods and meadows, as they flower from April to May. As for the flowers themselves, they’re bright yellow and bell-shaped with 5 petals that are indented at the tips and can grow to between 15 and 30cm. The leaves of a cowslip can be eaten raw in salads or even cooked as a vegetable. Or why not try them brewed into a cup of tea?

Deadly nightshade has long, thin branches with smooth-edged, oval-shaped leaves that end with a point – but be careful, because the leaves are poisonous! So avoid getting too close. As for the flowers, they’re shaped like a bell with purple and green colouring, and the fruit is small, shiny black berries – you can tell them apart because a star shape forms where the berry grows from the plant.

Dog rose can be found on hedgerows, woodland edges and it flowers from May to August, while the fruit ripens between September and October. The stems are covered in hook-shaped prickles while the leaves alternate from side to side. The flowers are large, with pink or white petals (5 of them) and stamen coming out of the middle. They smell quite sweet so you’ll be able to sniff them out from a crowd!

Enchanter’s nightshade flowers from June to September in woodlands, grasslands and even gardens. Although if you found it in the latter, you may consider this wildflower a weed. Its leaves are oval and its flowers are small, pinkish-white with two scalloped petals – they’re quite unique so it’s relatively easy to identify them.

Look out for clusters of small blue flowers with 5 petals and white or yellow centres and simple leaves. You’ll find them mainly in spring and early summer and they tend to like shaded, woodland areas. Forget-me-nots are favoured by bees and butterflies so be sure to look out for these, too.

Foxglove is a valuable source of nectar for bees that flower from June to September. The foxglove flower is a downturned bell shape in a pink/purple colour with dark coloured spots on the inside. They grow well in acidic soil but can be found across the whole of the UK – especially on the edges of woodlands, on roadside verges, heathland, and in gardens and hedgerows. Foxglove is poisonous and highly toxic to consume, so always keep your distance from them.

Honeysuckle grows in any regular garden soil, as well as coastal, moorland and built up areas, while flowering between June and September. Red berries ripen in autumn while the cream tube-shaped flowers open up at the ends and turn a yellow-orange colour – and they have a scent to match. It’s a heady, sweet blend of fruits, floral, nectar and honey.

You’ll find Kingcups around water, like streams and in the shallow edges of ponds, during late spring and early summer. The flowers are large, shiny and yellow – think buttercups…but much bigger! You’ll typically see them from March to July.

Top tip: If you’re looking to create your own garden pond, Kingcups make for a great addition! The flowers offer shelter for wildlife (like friendly frogs!) and provide extra food for insects.

It looks just as it sounds! Old man’s beard is a climber, mostly seen growing in hedgerows during the autumn and winter months. Covered in fluffy white seedheads that sprout out from a darker centre, the quirky white fluff gives off the appearance of Santa’s beard.

Most commonly found in naturally damp locations, these pink and white flat flower heads are star-shaped with stamen coming out from the centre. The petals are ragged, narrow points, sparsely sprouting from the centre of the flower. You’re likely to find ragged robins between May and August in a number of different habitats, including wetlands, built-up areas and freshwater areas.

The colour is in the name – Scarlet pimpernel is a 5 petalled flower, bright red or pink in colour, that stems from long stalks with oval leaves. If you’re out looking for the scarlet pimpernel, you’ll have best luck between May and October around farmlands and built-up areas.

Found in damp and cool spots, water avens are bell-shaped flowers that are dark red/orangey-pink on colour, with yellow stamen. As their name gives away, they favour streams, lakes and ponds or shaded areas, and typically flower between May and September.