Wild Flowers of Spring These slides are an arbitrary collection of Wild Flowers you may find in Spring In different parts of Britain and Ireland. The number is limited by the photographs available.

Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa Flowering in March before the Bluebells begin, this is one of our more spectacular woodland plants. It is not unusual to find sheets of Anemone nemorosa in the tens or hundreds of thousands.

It will also grow in the open and can be seen mixed with Primula veris (Cowslips) and Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid) in Derbyshire limestone country for instance. Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata Flowering usually in April, this species is the food plant for Orange-tip Butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) larvae (Caterpillars). You can sometimes find very small Orange eggs under the fading flowers.












Garlic Mustard is also known as Jack-by-the-Hedge. Male Orange-tip Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta Voted Britain's favourite flower on more than one occasion, this native plant is in full bloom by April but begins flowering in late March in many places.

The drooping flower heads of blue/purple flowers are typical and after rain, the scent of a wood full of Bluebells is one of the wonders of nature.

Britain and Ireland jointly provide home for 40% to 60% of the world population of Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Hybrid Bluebell Hyacinthoides x massartiana Hybrid or Garden Bluebells often make headlines as invasive plants. The worry often expressed in the media is that this fertile hybrid, which is a cross between Hyacinthoides non-scripta and Hyacinthoides hispanica, can oust our much loved native bluebell from its predominantly woodland sites.

There is some anecdotal but not too much serious research evidence to back this up. We notice Hybrid Bluebells because they tend to be found near human habitation or in gardens but they don't appear to take over woodland deep shaded areas out competing the native bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in any significant numbers. Spanish Bluebell Hyacinthoides hispanica There is so much confusion about the existence of true Spanish Bluebells in the wild in UK and Ireland that this photo comes from southern Spain. Neither the hybrid (Hyacinthoides x massartiana) nor the native (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) have been recorded from the Andalucian areas where this photo was taken by Brenda Jones.

The plant is erect, has blue pollen and in strong sunshine will open almost flat with reflexed tepal tips.

It isn't common and grows in ones and twos in rocky, mountainous limestone country - a striking habitat contrast to both the native Hyacinthoides non-scripta and the hybrid Hyacinthoides x massartiana in Britain and Ireland. Cuckooflower Cardamine pratensis This perennial, native plant remains a great favourite and still has several common names in regular use: Mayflower, Milkmaids, Lady's Smock and in Ireland, Biolar gréagháin.

It prefers damp grassy places and will appear in your garden if not outcompeted by other species.

It is also a food plant for the larvae (caterpillar) of the Orange-tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines). Look closely and you can see two orange eggs on this plant in the left hand photo. The photo underneath shows a female Orange-tip on a Cuckoo Flower. Greater Cuckooflower Cardamine raphanifolia Cardamine raphanifolia is an introduced plant which is common in Europe. It is found dotted about in England, Wales and Scotland and prefers similar damp grassy habitats to Cardamine pratensis (Cuckooflower).

Orange-tip butterflies love this plant every bit as much as the native and can be seen swarming around the flowers on a warm day in Spring. Bugle Ajuga reptans Ajuga reptans is a native plant flowering in April and May. It tends to be found in Woodland or shady habitats.

There are hairs on two sides of the stem which help distinguish this (in Scotland) from Ajuga pyramidalis, (Pyramidal Bugle).

The species name "reptans" means it sends stolons along the ground from which new plants grow.

It is common through Britain and Ireland. Pyramidal Bugle Ajuga pyramidalis Apart from The Burren in Ireland, a site in the Lake District and a few in southern Scotland, this Spring flowering perennial is only found in northern Scotland and some of the western islands.

It is exceedingly hairy with hairs all round the stem. It flowers In May in Scotland. Ramsons Allium ursinum Allium ursinum is also known as Wild Garlic and is a much sought after plant by foragers. Fortunately there is plenty of it so it doesn't seem to be at risk like so much of our flora.

This native plant will grow on basic, neutral and even slightly acidic soils and prefers shady conditions. It is usually in full flower in April and will often grow en masse with thousands of plants.

On a hot day when in full flower the smell of Garlic is unmistakeable and so strong that those who don't much like this herb are best advised to stay away. Few-flowered Garlic Allium paradoxum Few-flowered Garlic rarely shows any flowers and usually presents itself with bulbils as shown in the photograph.

It is an introduced plant from the Caucasus which can spread easily. In the southern uplands of Scotland for instance, it can take over country verges for miles. Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna ssp fertilis You could include this plant in the collection of sildes of "Early flowering plants" too because if the winter is mild it will regularly flower in January and February occasionally even flowering the year before, in December or November.

Previously known as Ranunculus ficaria, the taxonomic change happened aruond 2010. The commonest subspecies has no bulbils in the leaf axils and is known subspecies fertlilis. However the bulbils are tricky to find and it is likely that Ficaria verna ssp verna which has bulbils, is under recorded.

Lesser Celandine grows in damp meadows, grassy verges and streamsides. If you get it in in your garden it can become quite a nuisance. Cowslip Primula veris It is possible to see Cowslips in flower before March but often these are sown from non-native seed and are foreign varieties or forms. The more typical flowering time is April and on higher ground, May.

Primula veris is a plant of open grassland and you can find it in meadows and on grass verges. It prefers basic soils. Oxlip Primula elatior Oxlips are rare in Britain and only native to a few woodlands in east Anglia. Elsewhere they are introduced.

While they are not uncommon in Europe and grow in the open, in Britain they require roots in damp clay, and flower stems in dappled shade. Too much shade and they won't flower.

Oxlip is also sometimes used to describe the hybrid between Primrose and Cowslip which is confusing.

The hybrid between Primula elatior (Oxlip and Primula vulgaris (Primrose) = (Primula x digenea) is quite common as the two parent species tend to grow in the same woodland. Greater Celandine Chelidonium majus In spite of the common name this plant does not belong to the same family as Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna). It is a member of the Papaveraceae - the Poppy family.

The flowering periods of these similarly named species hardly overlap but you occasionally find Greater Celandine in flower at the same time as Lesser Celandine.

If you break off part of the stem or leaf, a bright orange sap oozes out. At one time this was used to cure warts.

Tried it. Doesnt work.

Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris As its name suggests, Marsh Marigold is found in boggy or watery habitats. The flowers opposite were photographed on the banks of the River Ouse near York.

Typically flowering in March or April, Caltha palustris can be much earlier in sheltered spots in a mild winter. In the mountains and on the north coast of Scotland it remains in flower in July and August.

Red Campion Silene dioica This native plant is one of our commonest wayside plants and is dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants).

Generally coming into flower in April, it can usually be found in ones and twos throughout the year including winter if the weather is mild.

Spring Cinquefoil Potentilla verna Taxonomists have been confused by this plant for decades and it has had four names changes of which this is the latest (2019).

As the common name indicates it flowers in Spring starting in April and into May.

Its preferred habitat is dry basic grassland and it can be quite common in limestone country for instance. Over the country it is classified by Clive Stace as a very rare plant (RR). and is absent from Ireland. Field Pansy Viola arvensis Viola arvensis is an "arable weed" which means that if the farmer isn't too careful with herbicides, it can be found growing in and at the edge of arable crops. It is also found on allotments.

It is usually seen flowering Spring but takes advantage of the weather at any time of year and will produce a few flowers in a mild winter. Hybrid Pansy Viola x contempta Field Pansy (Viola arvensis) and Wild Pansy (Viola tricolor) are the parents of this relatively uncommon hybrid. This photo was taken in 2020 when early rains had destroyed all attempts by a local famer to plant the usual Oilseed Rape crop.

The arable weeds took over and there were literally millions of these hybrids showing all variations from Viola arvensis to Viola tricolor in the community.

Next year 2021 was normal and the numbers went down to zero. Common Dog-violet Viola riviniana Viola riviniana is our commonest wild, native, perennial Violet. It will grow almost anywhere and typically is found near hedgerows, at the base of trees and in general grassland.

It isn't uncommon to find it flowering in late mid-summer in mountains at Alpine height.