Alexanders
Alexanders is a biennial wildflower that can be grown for ornamental purposes or for its edible leaves. It has a somewhat pungent aroma similar to that of wild celery or myrrh.
Alexanders blooms early in the year, with umbels of greenish yellow flowers that can measure 4 to 6 cm across. The leaves are oval, dark green and toothed. As flowers fade they are replaced by small dark seeds, which are a food source for birds.
Alexanders has an interesting history. It’s not a ‘true’ Irish native but has become naturalised over at least 500 years. Named after Alexander the Great, it was believed to have been introduced to the British Isles by the Romans, and can still be seen growing around medieval monastery sites. In Ireland it can often be spotted in coastal locations.
Type: Biennial
Height: 75 to 120cm
Flowering period: February to June
Soil: well drained, moisture retentive soil
pH: Neutral to alkaline
Aspect: sunny position
Bird's Foot Trefoil
Birdsfoot trefoil is a hardy perennial that can adapt to a wide range of environments. It has been known to grow on walls or among limestone rocks, and is very suited to roadside verges, meadows and lawns.
The plant produces warm yellow pea-like flowers, sometimes tinged with orange as they age. Mature seedpods resembles narrow bird’s claws, hence the name. It is generally low-growing, but the flowers can grow as tall as 80cm, particularly when surrounded by swards of grass.
A very valuable nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators, including rare visitors like the Clouded Yellow Butterfly. Also a larval foodplant for the Common Blue Butterfly and the Six-Spot Burnet moth.
Type: Perennial
Height: 10cm to 80cm
Management: can be cut short, to flower regularly
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: All, best on dry or moist soils
pH: Neutral to Alkaline
Aspect: Any except deep shade
Black Medick
Black Medick, also known as Yellow Trefoil or Yellow Clover, can be an annual or a short-lived perennial. It is in the legume or clover family, with small yellow flowers that are clustered into tiny (3-8mm) round heads.
Nectar-rich flowers make this an excellent pollinator-friendly plant. The flowers eventually develop into black, kidney-shaped seedpods. It will re-grow and flower short if cut in spring or summer.
Black Medick has a sprawling, mat-like growth pattern that makes it adept at covering bare ground. It can often be seen growing along roadsides or in grasslands.
Type: Short lived perennial, sometimes an annual if suppressed by more vigorous flora.
Height: 30 to 80 cm.
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Sandy, light, or compacted clay
pH: All, mainly neutral to alkaline.
Aspect: Sunny
Management: Biennial or short lived herb, control seeding if unwanted
Bladder Campion
A striking wildflower with drooping, pale pink or white flowers, which emerge from an inflated, balloon-like calyx. Named after the god of the woodlands in Greek mythology, Bladder Campion can often be seen in the wild swaying in the breeze from late spring to early autumn.
Bladder Campion competes well with grasses, and by Year 3 will be established as a self seeding perennial. Suits a wide range of soils and habitats/
An important nectar source for pollinators, the scented evening blooms are particularly attractive to moths.
Type: Perennial
Height: Flowers to 90cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Rubble, gravel, sand, loam, clay, limestone
pH: 6-7.5 7.5-9
Aspect: Warm and sunny
Management: Moderate persistence in unmanaged grassland. Moderate tolerance of cutting but will compete on steep banks with no cutting.
Bluebell
Bluebells are a significant Irish wildflower: it is estimated that 25 to 50% of all common bluebells are found in Ireland or Britain. These attractive, tubular flowers bloom from April, often seen as carpets of violet-blue foliage in woodland environments.
Up close, the gently drooping stem supports intricate bell-shaped flowers that have a sweet scent, particularly on warm days. These flowers have immense value to pollinators as an early source of nectar and pollen: the Carder Bee, Red Tailed Bumblebee, Tree Bumblebee and White-footed Hoverfly are just some of the species that can be observed foraging from the plant.
Bluebells are a perennial wildflower, and take 3 years to flower; for the first couple of years the young bulb slowly takes on a chive-like appearance. Beware non-native or hybrid versions of Bluebell; native seed sources protect our biodiversity.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30-50cm
Flowering period: March to May
Soil: All soil types, except bog peat
pH: 5 to Neutral to 7 - provided a leaf litter builds up (such as in woodland or under bracken fern)
Aspect: Shade; sunny banks where the roots are cool
Management: Moderate tolerance of cutting but will compete well on steep banks with no cutting. Persistence in woodland and certain managed grassland.
Broadleaf Plantain
A low-growing wildflower often found in meadows and lawns, alongside roadways or in moist wastelands. Also known as Greater Plantain, ‘rat’s tail’ or ‘white man’s footprint’, it can grow even in areas of high foot traffic.
The plant has a rosette of broad dark green leaves with prominent veins. Small and tightly clustered purple/brown flowers grow on slender stalks that can reach 30 cm in height. Very good tolerance of cutting.
Often dismissed as a weed, Broadleaf Plantain has a history of medicinal uses: the leaves have been used to treat respiratory problems or to help treat bladder infections. It can also have great benefit for seed-eating birds if left to grow over winter.
Type: Perennial
Height: 10-30 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in Clay soil.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun or semi shade
Management: None, grows best on compacted ground
Lesser Burdock
Lesser Burdock is a thistle-like plant that is distinguished by its hooked ‘burrs’, with bristles that cling stubbornly to clothing and passing animals. This is the plant’s clever way of dispersing and reseeding. The sticky quality of these burrs actually inspired the invention of Velcro!
Lesser or Common Burdock flowers from July to September, with pink-to-purple flower heads (15-30mm across) that are a good source of nectar for butterflies and other pollinators. The burrs are a food source for birds as well.
The plant often grows to 1.5 metres in height. The young inner stems are edible, while the root is also often consumed, particularly in Asian cuisine.
Type: Biennial
Height: 30 to 150 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Most but best in deep, rich soil.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun or shade
Management: Allow to set seed if wanted or cut in flower if unwanted
Burnet Saxifrage
A delicate-looking but surprisingly resilient native wildflower, found across dry grasslands, roadside verges, and limestone meadows, particularly in the south and east of Ireland. Despite its name, it is not a true saxifrage, nor is it closely related to the burnets: its name likely comes from the resemblance of its fine, fern-like leaves to those of Salad Burnet.
Burnet Saxifrage produces airy umbels of small white flowers held high on slender stems. The flower heads are rich in nectar and attract a variety of pollinating insects, especially hoverflies, small bees, and beetles. It plays an understated but valuable role in supporting invertebrate life, particularly in species-rich grasslands and traditionally managed meadows.
The plant’s finely divided foliage forms a low rosette at ground level, helping it withstand grazing and dry conditions. It thrives in calcareous soils and is seen as a key indicator of healthy, low-input grassland.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Best in dry, light and sandy poor soil. Waste places and gravel pits
pH: Neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Cat’s Ear
A low-growing perennial that is happy to stretch out and spread in meadows. The basal rosette of furry, toothed leaves is believed to have led to its moniker, as it kind of resembles the ears of a cat. It is also sometimes referred to - a bit more bluntly - as ‘false dandelion’.
The short, wiry stems are topped by bright yellow flowers (3 to 4 cm across) with purple tipped-bracts. This is a recommended species for bee-friendly patches and will also attract hoverflies, with a reasonably long flowering period.
The plant produces wind-dispersed seedheads with a ‘parachute’ mechanism that helps them to spread more widely.
Type: Low creeping perennial
Height: 30 to 45 cm
Flowering period: May to August
Soil: Best in shallow, compact, dry, light soil.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Moderate persistence in dry short grassland. Keep fertility poor
Common Centaury
Most often found in dry grasslands, open heaths, dunes, and along coastal paths, Common Centaury boasts clusters of five-petalled, star-like pink flowers. The flowers only open fully in bright sunlight, staying tightly closed on overcast days.
The smooth, branching stems feature pairs of oval-shaped leaves arranged opposite one another. Though delicate in appearance, it is well adapted to poor soils and exposed locations. Depending on where it grows, the height it reaches can vary.
Common Centaury is a pollinator-friendly plant, and one that offers a nectar source where floral diversity may be limited. The plant was once widely known for its use in herbal remedies, especially for digestive complaints.
Type: Annual, biennial
Height: 5 to 50 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in dry, sandy, soils such as seaside, Eskers and on the Burren
pH: Acid, neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Common Centaury is an un-common plant and requires site specific management.
Common Mallow
The attractive, mauve-purple or deep pink flowers of Common Mallow (also known as Tree Mallow) bloom in abundance in late summer and continue well into the autumn. Each flower has five petals with distinctive dark veins and a delicate, silky appearance.
Downy stems often grow to a meter in height with lobed alternate leaves. Seeds are brown to brownish green when ripe and 2-3 mm in diameter; they are often called ‘cheeses’ because of their resemblance to a cheese wheel.
While the tough roots and dense foliage have seen it become a bit of a problem plant across the pond, here in Ireland it has great value as a pollinator-friendly native; it is commonly found in some areas more than others.
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 60 cm to 120 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in dry, sandy soil
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Prune to half its height after flowering (before winter), and again in spring to tidy.
Common Sorrel
Typically perceived as a weed, Common Sorrel produces clumps of tiny reddish-pink flowers on slender spikes.
The edible, arrow-shaped leaves can measure from 5 to 12 cm long. These leaves have a bitter, vinegary taste and are best eaten when young. The plant can be toxic if eaten in large quantities.
Often seen in grasslands or on roadside verges, Sorrel is an important food plant for the larvae of the Small Copper butterfly.
Type: Short lived perennial or biennial
Height: 20 to 80 cm
Flowering period: May to July
Soil: Most soils, but best in moist soil.
pH: Acid or neutral
Aspect: Shade to full sun
Management: To keep Sorrel growing the soil /meadow must be cut once per year and the ground scarified or gap created.
Common Vetch
Common Vetch is a scrambling wildflower that can be seen growing in grassland, farmland or waste ground habitats. The twining stems feature pinnate leaves (usually in pairs) with tendrils at the tips.
Pea-like pinkish-purple flowers - solitary or in pairs - emerge from leaf-axils. These flowers attract various bumblebee species and are followed by downy black seedpods.
A member of the legume family, Common Vetch has the ability to fix nitrogen and improve soil structure, and it is sometimes used as ‘green manure’ or cover crop.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 90 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in Clay.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Allow to set seed, also spreads by creeping roots.
Corncockle
A cornfield annual which is now essentially extinct, but has been reintroduced from British sources. One very big reason for its eradication was the fact that it was a persistent weed that farmers faced, reseeding itself during harvest time.
Of course, Corncockle is so attractive to look at that you really have to wonder how it came to be regarded as a weed, regardless of the obstacles it brought with it. Delicate reddish pink flowers with a white centre are borne on slender stems that can grow over a metre in height. The plant's leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, while soft, silvery hairs extend all the way up to the calyx that contains the petals.
Corncockle can be sown in spring or autumn; if sown in autumn it will flower the following year.
Type: Annual
Height: 60 to 150 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Good in most soils, best in sheltered areas.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Little to none required.
Cornflower
Much like Corncockle, Cornflower was a victim of agricultural intensification and is now on the edge of extinction in Ireland. A couple of the last remaining geographic 'holdouts' were found in Wexford and the Aran Islands in the early 90s.
Cornflower typically blooms from mid to late summer, with vivid blue outer petals and violet coloured inner florets. The flowerheads measure from 3-4 cm across, while the stems have distinctive grooves and lance-shaped leaves.
Cornflowers attract an array of beneficial insects, while the open, daisy-like flowers mean that pollen and nectar are readily accessible to pollinators.
Type: Annual
Height: 20 to 75 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Most soils
pH: Neutral or Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: End of season management
Corn Marigold
Corn Marigold has daisy-like golden yellow flowers that can occasionally bloom as late as October.
With fleshy, deep-lobed leaves, the flower can be found in tillage fields or waste ground, but it is now listed as ‘near threatened’ in Ireland. This native seed is sourced from some of the remaining Irish sources.
Corn Marigold was once a much-feared ‘cornfield weed’ for farmers, but the colourful wildflower is of great benefit to pollinators, moths and (later in winter) seed-eating birds.
Type: Annual
Height: 20 to 50 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: most soil types
pH: Neutral, will grow on any soil
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Low maintenance. Sow and grow, and cut at end of year or leave to the birds
Corn Pansy
Corn Pansy showcases small pale cream flowers, each with a distinctive yellow eye. The petals are often subtly streaked with purple, serving as a landing strip for pollinators and guiding them to the nectar within.
The flower's elegant structure makes it a welcome sight on arable or cultivated lands, while it can also be seen growing along roadside verges, particularly in the south east of the country.
Historically, the name "pansy" derives from the French word pensée, meaning "thought; pansies were often given as tokens of love and remembrance, symbolizing thoughts of loved ones.
Type: Annual
Height: to 15 cm
Flowering period: May to September
Soil: Most soil types, best in light soil.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: None, sow and grow and cut at end of year or leave to the birds and frost
Corn Poppy
You may be surprised or maybe even dismayed to learn that the feathery, deep scarlet flowers of Corn Poppy (or Common Poppy) generally only last for one day, but the plant produces so many that you may not notice the shortened life span. The overlapping petals are arranged around a dark centre.
This distinctive wildflower is often seen in meadows, roadside verges, and cultivated fields, especially in the east or southeast of the country. The poppy is, of course, the source of much symbolism and debate since it became a way of paying tribute to fallen soldiers, particularly those from both World Wars.
A great pollen source for bees and butterflies, with its open, bowl-like shape allowing for easy access.
Type: Annual
Height: 20 to 90 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Most soil types but best in deep, dry, light and rich soil.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: None. Do not cut unless weedy, allow to set seed
Cow Parsley (Ladies Anne Lace)
A tall wildflower with frothy sprays of tiny white flowers, often spotted growing along roadsides, hedgerows, and woodland edges.
Hollow, ridged stems are topped with flat, umbrella-shaped clusters of blossoms (known as umbels). The finely divided, feathery leaves are a giveaway of its membership in the carrot family (Apiaceae), and they somewhat resemble parsley, hence the name.
Its seeds - maturing by midsummer - are taken by small birds, and the hollow stems can serve as overwintering spots for insects.
In managed meadows or wildflower areas, this wildflower may need control to prevent it from outcompeting more delicate species.
Type: Biennial
Height: 60 to 150 cm
Flowering period: May to June
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in dry, loam
pH: All types
Aspect: Full sun, semi shade
Management: Control where unwanted
Corn Spurrey
This delicate plant typically reaches up to 30 cm in height, with branched, reddish-brown stems and narrow, fleshy leaves arranged in whorls. From June to September, it produces small white flowers, each with five notched petals, which open in the afternoon and emit a sweet scent. The flowers are rich in nectar, and borne on downy stems which can be upright or grow at an angle.
Corn Spurrey tends to be found growing on arable land, disturbed ground, and field margins.
Type: Annual
Height: 20 to 30 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Most soils, but best in deep dry, light and rich soil.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Shade to full sun, frost free
Management: Moderate persistence in peaty grassland. Keep fertility poor
Cowslip
Cowslip has had a notable decline - in some areas of the country more than others - but it is showing encouraging signs of revival, particularly along roadside verges. This wildflower has bright yellow bell-shaped flowers with a sweet fragrance, borne aloft in clusters on long downy stems.
Cowslip blooms in April and May, and is valuable as an early source of nectar for bees and butterflies The plant is partial to grassland or semi-grassland environments. The plant has a good tolerance of cutting and will regrow if meadows are kept short.
In Ireland cowslip has traditionally been regarded as having medicinal properties, and used in herbal remedies. It is sometimes called ‘St Peter’s Keys’ due to the appearance of the flower head. The story goes that St Peter was angered by people trying to sneak their way into Heaven through the back door and was so rattled that he dropped his keys. Hence Cowslip was born.
Type: Long-lived perennial
Height: 25 to 30cm
Flowering period: April to June
Soil: like moist conditions best
pH: Neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun or shade
Management: Persistence in well maintained grassland. Keep fertility poor, will thrive on golf courses.
Devil’s Bit Scabious
A very popular presence in wildflower mixtures, Devil’s Bit Scabious is commonly found in the wild in places such as damp grasslands, marshes, heaths, roadside verges and boglands.
Bobbing, blueish-purple flower heads bloom from July to October, providing mid and late season nectar for pollinators. The flowers form in clumps, borne on long and slender stems. Filaments extend out from the flowerhead, giving it a pincushion-like appearance.
An excellent butterfly friendly plant: as an example the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly will lay hundreds of eggs on the plant, while the larvae will also feed on the plant’s leaves.
Type: Long-lived perennial
Height: 30 to 60cm
Flowering period: July to October
Soil: prefers damp, well-drained soils
pH: slightly acidic to neutral
Aspect: Full sun to part shade
Management: Excellent tolerance to cutting
Dog Violet
A widespread, low-growing native wildflower that graces Ireland's woodlands, hedgerows, and grassy banks It produces unscented violet-blue flowers, each with five overlapping petals and a curved spur which contains nectar. Deep purple lines are etched into the petals, with a pale patch at the centre.
Dog Violet serves as an important larval food plant for the Dark Green Fritillary and Silver Washed Fritillary butterflies.
Type: Rhizomatous Perennial
Height: 5 to 12 cm
Flowering period: April to June
Soil: Moist but well-drained; tolerates a range from loamy to slightly sandy or clay
pH: Neutral to slightly acidic (though adaptable)
Aspect: Partial shade to full shade
Eyebright - (Arctic Eyebright)
This low-growing, semi-parasitic wildflower can be found scattered across unimproved grasslands, upland pastures, and dunes, often hiding in plain sight among taller plants it quietly draws nutrients from.
Eyebright flowers are typically white or pale lilac, with purple veins and splashes of yellow. They often resemble miniature faces peering out from the grass. The slender stems rarely grows taller than 10 to 15 cm, with sharp-toothed bracts and oblong, opposite leaves.
This wildflower can play a very important role in meadow management: by tapping into the roots of neighbouring grasses and herbs, this plant helps check dominant grasses and creates space for less competitive wildflowers to thrive.
Eyebright has long been associated with traditional herbal remedies - especially for treating eye complaints, hence the name.
Type: Annual
Height: 5 to 15 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Most, best in meadow conditions and neutral loam soil.
pH: Acid, neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Moderate persistence in peaty grassland. Keep fertility poor
Field Scabious
Not to be confused with Devil's Bit Scabious, Field Scabious can be distinguished by its deeply lobed leaves and branched stems (which are also hairier in appearance).
Field Scabious has a pincushion-like appearance, with vivid bluish lilac flowers that have longer florets along the outer edges.
This wildflower has a fairly long growing season and will attract bees, butterflies and moths in abundance. The plant responds very well to cutting. Although it is a perennial by definition, Field Scabious will often flower in the first year. It can be sown in spring or autumn.
Type: Perennial
Height: 50 to 120 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils, but best in deep, dry, sandy, light or rich soil.
pH: Neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Responds to cutting. Dead head for longer flowering.
Figwort
An unobtrusive and understated wildflower that can be observed standing tall in hedgerows, damp woodland edges or along streams.
The 2-lipped flowers are reddish-purple in colour, opening in loose spikes from mid to late summer. Two of the four stamens protrude outwards from the lips. Figwort produces an abundance of nectar and is massively popular with bees and other pollinators. The plant’s somewhat unpleasant smell can also attract the curiosity of other insects.
The root of the plant is knobbly and fig-like (hence the name) and was historically thought to treat swollen glands and scrofula (a form of tuberculosis), giving rise to its other name, "Throatwort".
Type: Perennial
Height: 60 to 120 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Prefers moist, well-drained soil; tolerates a range of soil types
pH: Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soils
Aspect: Partial shade to full shade
Fleabane
A somewhat lesser-known native wildflower, Fleabane thrives in moist, well-drained soils and can be found in the wild in damp meadows, hedgerows or along rivers. It’s much less common east of the River Shannon.
Branched stems produce heart shaped leaves and clusters of flowers that bloom into late summer. The flower heads - with yellow petal-like rays radiating outwards from a golden central disc of tightly clustered, tubular florets - are very inviting and accessible for bees and other pollinators.
Thick underground runners help the plant to spread and establish itself, and it tends to grow in clumps. Fleabane gets its name from the olden day practice of using smoke from burned and smouldering fleabane plants to ward off fleas.
Type: Perennial
Height: 40 to 80 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils, but best in deep, peaty, damp soil.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Shade to full sun
Management: Requires cutting at end of year
Forget-me-not
This attractive and evocatively-named wildflower grows in loose clusters in a variety of habitats, including woodlands or marshy ground. It has soft, downy and lance-shaped leaves.
The five-petaled flowers are sky-blue with a distinctive yellow eye, providing a source of early spring nectar. Interestingly, this yellow eye eventually fades to white, signifying to pollinators that the nectar has been all used up.
Forget-me-nots thrive in moist, shaded environments, making them ideal for woodland gardens or areas with a reasonably high level of moisture. In cooler summers they can have a longer blooming period.
Type: Perennial or Annual or Biennial (depending on specific variety)
Height: 10 to 30 cm
Flowering period: March to June
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun
Management: None
Foxglove
One of the most popular and striking wildflowers, foxglove is a biennial that produces rosettes of downy oval leaves in its first year of growth. It’s the second year where it dazzles though, with drooping purple flowers emerging from tall (up to 5 feet) spikes.
Each tube-shaped flower has distinctive dark purple markings along the inside, fringed by white. An excellent nectar source for the bumblebee.
In the wild, foxglove is often found in woodland or mountain areas. It thrives in acidic, well-drained soils but will do fine in most. The tiny, dust-like seed is wind dispersed and can remain viable in the soil for years. Be aware that the whole plant is poisonous if ingested.
Type: Biennial
Height: 60 to 150 cm
Flowering period: May to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in light dry, acid, sandy, peaty or light soil
pH: Acid, Neutral
Aspect: Shade to full sun
Management: Requires self seeding, in shade allow seed to fall, or cut and scatter the seeds. Some persistence in dry open peaty shaley grassland. Keep fertility poor.
Garlic Hedge Mustard
Often referred to as ‘Jack-by-the-Hedge’, the wildflower Garlic Mustard typically grows in shady places such as woodland edges or hedgerows. Its lifecycle spans two years, with the plant growing foliage in the first year and flowering in the second.
Heart-shaped leaves with toothed edges emit a distinctive garlic scent when crushed. Small, white, cross-shaped flowers are borne in terminal clusters. The early-season blooms provide nectar for pollinators, while the leaves support butterfly larvae, including that of the Orange Tip Butterfly.
In addition to its flowers, Garlic Hedge Mustard produces long, slender seed capsules that measure between 20 and 70 millimeters in length.
Type: Biennial
Height: 30 cm to 1 metre
Flowering period: April to June
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in loam
pH: Acid, neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Shade to full sun
Greater Knapweed
This perennial is commonly found in grasslands, meadows, roadsides and verges. It tends to thrive in open, lime-rich soil with little competition.
Tall stems - sometimes reaching up to 1 meter in height - are topped with thistle-like flower heads measuring 3 to 5 cm across. The purple petals - both elegant and ragged - are contrasted by scaly, bristly bracts directly underneath. The grey-green leaves, meanwhile, are pinnate and arranged alternately along the stem.
Greater Knapweed is a magnet for butterflies, attracting species such as the Meadow Brown, Silver-washed Fritillary and Common Blue butterfly.
Type: Perennial
Height: 50 to 90 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Will grow in most alkaline soils, but best in deep, dry, sandy, light soil.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Does not require cutting. Keep fertility poor. End of season cutting.
Greater Trefoil
A herbaceous perennial typically growing between 30 and 50 cm in height. It features hollow, upright stems and clusters of bright yellow pea-like flowers that bloom from June to August.
Each flower head contains 5 to 12 individual flowers. The plant's leaves are trifoliate, and its seed pods resemble a bird's foot, hence the common name.
This wildflower serves as a valuable nectar source for various pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Additionally, as a member of the legume family, it is adept at fixing nitrogen in soil. Its adaptability to wet soils makes it a frequent inhabitant of marshes, ditches, and damp pastures.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 50 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in deep, rich soil or peat.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Hare’s Foot Clover
Hare’s-foot clover is a soft-textured annual that thrives in dry, sandy soils and sunlit grasslands. Though generally low-growing (rarely exceeding 25cm), hare’s-foot clover can form low carpets in the right conditions, adding a soft blush to dry grassland.
The plant produces distinctive, cylindrical flower heads covered in fine, silky hairs, giving them a fuzzy, silvery-pink appearance reminiscent of a hare’s foot. These bloom from June to September and are held on slender stems above trifoliate, narrow leaves.
Type: Annual with Biennial tendency to flower after 12 months
Height: 10 to 25 cm
Flowering period:
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in dry, sandy soil
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Keep grassland open
Hemp Agrimony
Hemp agrimony is a tall, moisture-loving perennial that thrives in damp ground, such as riverbanks, marshes, wet meadows and the edges of woodlands. It is well suited to both wild habitats and wildlife gardens, where its height and late-summer blooms add structure and colour.
The plant produces frothy clusters of fluffy, pinkish-mauve flowers. These rise above the foliage on reddish stems that can reach up to 1.5 metres in height. Its leaves are divided and toothed, giving the plant a slightly rugged, architectural look.
Hemp agrimony is particularly attractive to a wide range of pollinators, especially butterflies, bees and hoverflies, which flock to its nectar-rich flowers in late summer. It is a favourite of butterfly species such as the Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell.
Type: Perennial
Height: 1 to 1.5 metres
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in dry, sandy, loam, or peaty soil
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Management: None, does not like cutting in spring or summer. Plant can be divided at roots to spread.
Kidney Saxifrage
Kidney Saxifrage (Saxifraga hirsuta) is a low-growing and early-flowering wildflower found mainly in moist, shaded crevices of upland rocks and woodlands. It gets its name from the rounded, kidney-shaped leaves that form a tight rosette close to the ground. These leaves are thick and slightly fleshy, with serrated edges and a reddish underside sometimes tinged with deep green or purple.
The plant is covered in fine reddish hairs, particularly on the leaf stalks and flowering stems, giving it a soft, almost velvety texture. From late spring into early summer, Kidney Saxifrage produces delicate sprays of small, star-shaped white or pinkish flowers. The petals are often speckled with tiny red or yellow dots.
Though it tends to grow in quiet, remote locations, it offers up nectar to insects such as hoverflies and solitary bees when few other plants are in flower.
Type: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Height: 10 to 30 cm
Flowering period: March to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade, deep shade
Kidney Vetch
Kidney Vetch is a unique low-growing wildflower, with clusters of flowers that are commonly yellow but can also be white, orange, purple or tipped with red. These flowers are bedded into a fuzzy cushion-like head with bracts just below it.
A member of the legume family, kidney vetch can play a role in fixing nitrogen in soil, as well as stabilising soil structure. The plant is typically found growing in seaside areas, meadows, grasslands, or rocky slopes.
The flowers are rich in pollen and nectar, attracting the usual suspects, while it is also a vital food plant for the Small Blue Butterfly, a species classified as endangered in Ireland. Indeed, according to Biodiversity Ireland the health of local populations may often be linked to the presence of Kidney Vetch. Also a food plant for moth and beetle larvae.
Type: Biennial, occasionally annual
Height: 30 to 50 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in dry, sandy, light soil.
pH: Slightly Acid, Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun.
Management: None, Keep ground open and allow seed to set
Lady’s Bedstraw
From July through August, Lady’s Bedstraw produces clusters of tiny, star-shaped yellow flowers on slender, square stems. These blooms emit a sweet, honey-like scent that intensifies as they dry, thanks to the presence of coumarin - the same compound responsible for the aroma of freshly cut grass.
Thriving in dry, lime-rich soils and sunny locations, Lady’s Bedstraw is a mat-forming plant with narrow, pointed leaves arranged in whorls around its stems. Its resilience and adaptability make it a common sight in various habitats across Ireland, including sand dunes or coastal cliffs.
Beyond its visual appeal, Lady’s Bedstraw holds historical significance. Traditionally, it was used to stuff mattresses, imparting a pleasant fragrance and believed to deter fleas. The plant also served practical purposes: its flowers yielded a yellow dye, its roots a red dye, and it was employed in folk medicine and cheese-making processes.
Type: Creeping Perennial
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in dry, sandy, loam
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Cut anytime, allow to set seed. Will spread by running roots. Not tolerant of any prolonged flooding.
Lady’s Smock
Lady’s Smock bears pale lilac or pink flowers, each with four petals, with slender stems rising above a rosette of pinnate leaves. It’s a delicate perennial wildflower that thrives in damp meadows, along stream banks, and in wet woodland clearings
Flowering from April to June, it can reach heights of around 30 to 60 cm, although it remains more modest in size when growing in grazed or closely cut areas. The flowers have a slightly papery texture.
This is a good early-season nectar source, and a larval food plant for the Orange Tip Butterfly.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: April to June
Soil: Moist, fertile soils; often found in clay, loam, or peaty conditions
pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
Lesser Knapweed
A very tough wildflower that is much more widespread in Ireland than Greater Knapweed; it is similar in appearance with some notable differences. Also known as Common Knapweed or Black Knapweed, it is perhaps one of the best wildflowers you can grow in terms of its value to nature.
The thistle-like purple flowerheads have round and compact blooms, in contrast to the more ‘showy’ appearance of Greater Knapweed. The leaves are also narrower and less deeply lobed.
Lesser Knapweed is highly adaptable and thrives in a wide range of soils, from mildly acidic to neutral. Flowering from midsummer until early autumn, it’s a superb native nectar source for a wide range of pollinators, including the Painted Lady Butterfly, Carder Bumblebee and Six-Spot Burnet moth.
Type: Long lived Perennial
Height: 30 to 80 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun or partial shade
Management: Allow to set seed for germination. Typical hay meadow plant; prefers not to be cut but grazed.
Marjoram
Wild Marjoram is a fragrant perennial herb from the mint family. Native to much of Europe, including Ireland and the UK, it thrives in well-drained soils and is particularly associated with chalk or limestone grassland.
This upright plant typically grows to a height of 30 to 60 cm. Opposite leaves are oval, green and give off an aroma when crushed. In mid to late summer, Wild Marjoram produces clusters of small, tubular, pinkish-purple flowers at the tops of its square stems. These flowers are highly attractive to pollinators, and Marjoram is a great option for cottage gardens or wildlife patches.
Marjoram is a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, where it is valued for its warm, slightly bitter flavour. Traditionally, it has also been used in herbal medicine for treating digestive issues, coughs, and infections.
Type: Perennial
Height: 20 to 60 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils, but best in dry, sand or loam.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Can be cut regularly, and tolerates competition.
Meadowsweet
This plant can grow quite tall (occasionally over 1.5 metres), and is commonly found around the country growing in damp meadows or marshes. Meadowsweet spreads via its rhizomes, forming clumps over time; it can be left undisturbed in the wild or managed in gardens
The creamy white flowers have a sweet fragrance that tends to draw pollinators in, although the flowers don’t actually produce nectar. Meadowsweet does, however, act as a larval food plant for a whole host of insects, including the Emperor Moth and Mottled Beauty Moth. The dark green pinnate leaves have a distinctive almond scent that differs from the flowers.
Historically, Meadowsweet has been used in herbal medicine, with its flowers and leaves containing salicylic acid, a compound closely related to aspirin, known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Type: Perennial
Height: 60 to 180 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Will grow in most peaty or wet soils, but best in rich clay soil.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Management: Always cut every other wildflower species in a Meadowsweet meadow every year, but Meadowsweet does not need cutting for up to 5 years. Encourage it in the wettest part, and leave it alone except to pick flowers for wine/the vase.
Meadow Buttercup
A classic meadow wildflower that blooms profusely in spring and early summer, adding some vibrant yellow to the landscape. It is well-suited to a range of habitats, from damp woodland clearings to roadside verges, but overall prefers moist and (contrary to many meadow wildflowers) nutrient-rich soil.
The blooms are cup-shaped and easily accessible to pollinators, with five golden-yellow petals arranged around a central cluster of stamens. The tall upright stems have bright green pinnate leaves with 3 to 7 lobes.
Type: Perennial
Height: 20 to 60 cm
Flowering period: April to June
Soil: Will grow in most soils, but best in moist, well drained soil, Clay, uplands or flood plains
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Allow this species to flower, set seed and then cut, or treat as per all meadow plants cut after July 21st
Mugwort
Mugwort is characterised by tall, branching stems and silvery-grey aromatic leaves. The leaves are deeply lobed, with a soft, felted texture on their undersides, giving the plant a silvery appearance from a distance. In late summer, Mugwort produces small, inconspicuous flower heads that range from yellow to reddish-brown, growing in dense clusters at the tops of its stems.
Traditionally, Mugwort has been used for its medicinal properties, though it’s more often encountered today as a tough, hardy plant in hedgerows, waste ground, and along roadsides. It thrives in areas that are disturbed or have poor soil, making it a resilient species that can withstand tough conditions.
A valuable plant for pollinators, Mugwort attracts a variety of insects, including bees and hoverflies, who are drawn to its late-summer blooms. Its leaves and stems also support a range of moth larvae.
Type: Perennial
Height: 1 to 2 metres
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile soils, but Mugwort is highly adaptable and can grow in poor, disturbed, or compacted soils.
pH: Prefers slightly alkaline to neutral soils
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Mullein
Mullein often appears in dry, open ground, old quarries, field margins and along roadside banks. In its first year, it forms a dense, low-growing rosette of large felted leaves, silvery-grey and soft to the touch.
By the second summer, it sends up a tall, woolly stem lined with small yellow flowers that open gradually from the base upward. Though each flower is short-lived, the plant blooms steadily from July into early autumn, offering a valuable and extended source of pollen to bees, particularly bumblebees.
After flowering, the spike remains standing into winter, drying into a dark silhouette that still plays a role — its seeds provide food for finches and other birds, and its tall, rigid form offers shelter to overwintering insects.
Type: Biennial
Height: 1.5 to 2 metres
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow best in dry, light soil
pH: Neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: No cutting, if in a meadow allow to flower and cut meadow at the end of summer. To persist keep the meadow open so the seed can germinate.
Musk Mallow
With lighter pink flowers compared to its cousin Common Mallow, it is also less common (funnily enough) - although it can be more typically found on dry soils in the south east. The plant self seeds and can be found growing in hedgerows or along roadsides.
Its petals are marked with distinctive dark pink veins and have a delicately musky scent which gives the plant its name. The slender stems can grow to waist height, with lobed feathery leaves, while the flowers can measure 3-6 cm across.
Musk mallow is a great choice for a cottage garden or wildlife friendly area. Its colourful and scented blooms are attractive to bees, butterflies, hoverflies and other beneficial insects.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 80 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most dry, sandy or loam soils, or one that is well drained
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Keep competition away and allow to set seed, grows on disturbed soils before grasses invade
Opium Poppy
The solitary bowl-shaped flowers on each stem have 4 lilac purple petals. These petals have darker blotches towards the centre. After blooming, seeds are produced in urn-shaped capsules with an attractive 'cap'- as these capsules enlarge they can be cut for decorative flowers.
Large, heart-shaped leaves clasp the upper stem. The poppy seeds are edible, contain oil and are added to bagels or certain types of bread. Irish-sourced Opium Poppy does not contain opiates like it's Himalayan cousin.
Type: Annual, with biennial growth habit
Height: 40 to 100 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in dry, sandy loam.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun, Partial shade
Management: Allow to self seed
Ox Eye Daisy
In the wild Ox Eye Daisy tends to thrive along roadsides and embankments or in field margins. The ridged stem can grow as high as 80 cm. White petal-like rays spread outwards from a golden centre of disc florets. The leaves are distinctively spoon-shaped, forming a basal rosette.
Ox Eye is a trusty food source for pollinating insects like hoverflies, bees and butterflies; it attracts moths at night, while the Patchwork Leafcutter Bee is known to use the petals for lining its nest.
Ox Eye Daisy is also known as ‘Dog Daisy’ or ‘Moon Daisy’; the latter because it can appear noticeably bright on cool evenings. The old ‘He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not’ game originated with the petals of this plant.
Type: Short lived Perennial
Height: 80 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun or light shade in hedgerows
Management: Ox-eye grows new from seed every few years; it is important to create the conditions for seed to set and fall onto bare ground.
Pineapple Mayweed
Low-growing and quietly persistent, this native annual forms a compact dome of feathery green foliage, its leaves finely divided and lightly scented. But it’s the flower heads that draw the most attention—small, domed, and yellow-green, with no surrounding white petals like its daisy cousins. Feathery leaves emit a sweet pineapple-like aroma when crushed, hence the name!
Blooming from May to October, the plant produces a steady succession of these pineapple-scented cones, which are popular with pollinators, especially hoverflies and solitary bees.
It rarely rises above 20 or 30 cm in height, with upright stems that stay neat and self-contained. Once flowering ends, the seed heads dry out and crumble easily, releasing seeds that scatter wherever the wind or the next passing boot might carry them.
Type: Annual
Height: 10 to 40 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade, deep shade
Management: Allow to self seed
Primrose
You’ll often spot the Primrose brightening up damp woodland edges, grassy verges and sheltered hedgerows in early spring. It’s one of the first wildflowers to bloom after winter, sometimes appearing as early as February. This is a welcome sight for early foraging bees, which rely on their nectar after the lean winter months.
Clusters of sweetly scented pale-yellow flowers sit low to the ground, each with five soft, heart-shaped petals and a darker ‘eye’ at the centre. The crinkled green leaves grow in a rosette at the base, sometimes carpeting the ground in tufts.
In Irish folklore, the Primrose was often linked to protection and good luck. People would leave bunches by the doorstep to keep fairies at bay or to welcome the arrival of brighter days. Known in Irish as Sabhaircín, it’s a gentle but powerful symbol of spring’s return.
Type: Perennial
Height: Allow to set seed, do not let the plant get smothered by grasses. Best planted as plants and divided after flowering.
Flowering period: January to May
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in Clay
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, Partial shade, Deep shade
Purple Loosestrife
The upright poker-like spikes of Purple Loosestrife can reach up to 2 meters in height, with whorls of vivid purple or magenta flowers. The flowers typically have 10-12 stamens, surrounded by narrow petals.
These flowers bloom into early autumn and are of great value to pollinators like the Small Elephant Hawk-Moth, the Emperor Moth, the Red Tailed Bumblebee and the Powdered Quaker Moth.
In the wild this perennial can often be found in waterlogged margins, meadows, marshes and along riverbanks. As you may have guessed it is a moisture-loving plant. In some parts of the world it is regarded as extremely invasive, but here in Ireland it is a healthy and very welcome sign of our native biodiversity.
Type: Annual, Biennial or Perennial
Height: 1 to 2 metres
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Moist, rich soils – prefers clay, loam, or silty soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade or deep shade.
Quaking Grass
Quaking Grass is a delicate native grass that brings a subtle charm to Ireland's meadows and limestone-rich soils. From June to August, its wiry stems bear heart-shaped spikelets that ‘tremble’ in the breeze, giving the plant its distinctive name.
Tiny flowers transition from pale green to a golden brown as the season progresses, adding visual interest to the landscape. The seeds are a valuable food source for various farmland birds, including yellowhammers and linnets.
This perennial grass thrives in well-drained, calcareous soils and is commonly found across Ireland, particularly in regions like the Burren. Its unique, nodding flower heads have also earned it a place in dried floral arrangements, appreciated for their lasting beauty.
Type: Perennial
Height: 25 to 30 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
pH: Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Aspect: Full sun
Ragged Robin
Ragged Robin is so called because of its deeply cut, ragged-looking petals, which are usually rose-pink in colour but sometimes white. The stalk is covered with small downwards facing hairs, which discourage insects such as ants from harming the plant.
The species is in decline due to habitat loss - in particular wetland habitats, as Ragged Robin is a plant that thrives in marshes or damp meadows.
This is a valuable wildflower for long-tongued bumblebees and butterflies, and a caterpillar food plant for the Lychnis moth. It will also attract hoverflies, dragonflies and various other insects, which in turn serve as a food source for other wildlife.
Type: Perennial
Height: up to 75cm
Flowering period: May to June
Soil: Will grow in most damp soils.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Easy to look after, can be cut anytime
Ramsons
A native woodland perennial often found carpeting the forest floor in spring. Also known as wild garlic, this plant has a long history of traditional use but is now treasured as much for its role in supporting wildlife and adding vibrancy to shaded spaces as for its culinary potential.
Ramsons produces loose clusters of white star-like flowers from April to June. These serve as an early nectar source for pollinators. The unmistakable garlicky aroma is evident when the wildflower is picked.
Ramsons grows best in damp, shaded environments, especially beneath deciduous trees, where it forms lush colonies over time.
Traditionally foraged and still popular with chefs and foragers alike, the leaves are edible and often used in pestos, soups or as a punchy spring green. However, caution is needed when foraging, as Ramsons can be confused with toxic species such as lily of the valley or lords-and-ladies.
Type: Perennial
Height: 20 to 50 cm
Flowering period: April to June
Soil: Will grow in most wet soils
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Partial shade, deep shade
Management: Restrict brambles and nettles
Red Bartsia
Red Bartsia is a native annual wildflower that thrives in low-fertility soils, often found in areas like roadside verges, railway cuttings, and other disturbed grounds. This plant is semi-parasitic, drawing nutrients from the roots of nearby grasses, which helps maintain a healthy balance in wildflower meadows by preventing grasses from becoming overly dominant.
The plant features slender, reddish stems adorned with narrow, lance-shaped leaves. From June to September, it produces spikes of pink to reddish flowers, each about 8-10mm long, with a two-lipped corolla. These blooms are a reliable source of nectar for bees, butterflies and other insects.
The seeds require a period of cold stratification to germinate successfully.
Type: Annual
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Red Campion
A pollinator-friendly wildflower that blooms from late spring through summer, often in hedgerows, grassy banks or woodlands.
Pinkish red flowers with five deeply notched petals are borne on downy stems that can grow as high as a metre. The leaves - also furry in appearance - are pointed and oval-shaped. In a meadow they make for a nice transition or contrast with Bluebells.
Red Campion is dioecious, meaning individual plants bear either male or female flowers; the male flowers are generally smaller.
Type: Short lived Perennial
Height: 30 to 100 cm
Flowering period: May to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Neutral
Aspect: Partial shade, deep shade
Management: Easy to grow. Allow to set seed.
Red Clover
Perhaps more widely known as a soil-improving cover crop - or one grown for fodder - than a wildflower, Red Clover is a member of the legume family and can fix nitrogen in the soil in which it grows.
The plant produces clusters of pinkish-red flowers, each measuring 2 to 3 cm across. These nectar-rich blooms are particularly attractive to bumblebees, including the Common Carder Bee and Red-Tailed Bumblebee. The leaves are divided into three oval-shaped leaflets, with a distinctive white mark.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 50 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Ribworth Plantain
Lumbered with the decidedly unglamorous nickname of ‘Rat’s Tail’, Ribworth Plantain may not win any wildflower beauty contests but it has considerable wildlife benefits: particularly for birds. Wild Chaffinches, Bullfinches and other species can avail of the high protein seeds in autumn and winter.
Short, tightly clustered brownish-green flower heads are borne aloft on ridged, leafless stalks. Pale yellow stamens extend out from this spike to provide a bit of visual interest.
Narrow, spear-shaped leaves (the plant is sometimes referred to as Narrow Leaved Plantain) form a basal rosette.
In Irish folklore, ‘Slánlus’ was well-regarded for its healing properties and often applied to fresh cuts.
Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 10 to 15 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, Partial shade
Management: Allow to set seed. Will establish quickly and die out if the meadow remains uncut
Rough Hawkbit
This native perennial has bright yellow, dandelion-esque flower heads, each measuring between 25 to 40 mm across. Ray florets with toothed tips extend out from the centre, with the outer rays tinged by red or orange. The flowerhead sits atop leafless stems that can reach up to 60 cm in height. Long, lance-shaped leaves form a basal rosette.
The stem, leaves and buds are usually covered in coarse white hairs, earning it the alternative name ‘Bristly Hawkbit’. Rough Hawkbit is suited to dry grasslands and calcareous soils. It is commonly found in Connacht, the south east or in the midlands.
Type: Perennial
Height: 15 to 60 cm
Flowering period: May to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in acid, moist, loam
pH: Acid, Neutral, (Smooth Hawksbit grows on alkaline soils)
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Allow to set seed, can be cut any time will flower again.
Salad Burnet
A herbaceous perennial with dense, globular flowerheads on slender reddish stems. It produces very small crimson red and green flowers with dangly yellow anthers. After blooming the plant produces burred fruits.
Salad Burnet has three to twelve pairs of toothed leaflets, forming a basal rosette. The leaves have a cucumber scent when crushed, and are popular as an addition to salads, soups, teas or chilled drinks.
The plant favours dry, nutrient-poor chalk or limestone; many can be found growing in the Burren.
Type: Perennial
Height: 15 to 40 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in dry loam.
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Keep grassland cut each summer but do not let grasses smother with dead foliage
Sea Aster
A hardy wildflower found along Ireland’s coastal habitats. Its smooth, fleshy green leaves have a slight waxy sheen, allowing them to withstand saltwater exposure.
Sea Aster blooms from late summer through autumn, with modest clusters of pale mauve or blue flowers emerging from bright yellow centres. The flowers are a key source of sustenance for pollinators, particularly late-flying butterflies like the Painted Lady Butterfly.
Sea Aster’s adaptability to both salt and freshwater environments makes it a vital component of coastal ecosystems. In addition to supporting pollinators, its dense root system helps to stabilise the soil, preventing erosion along coastal dunes and marshes. It is also an important food source for a variety of shorebirds and coastal wildlife, especially during the colder months when other food sources are scarcer.
Type: Perennial
Height: 45 to 90 cm
Flowering period: August to September
Soil: Best in moist sand
pH: Neutral
Aspect: Full sun
Scented Mayweed
Scented Mayweed - also known as German Chamomile - has daisy-like flowers, with white petals extending from a central disc of yellow florets.
The plant’s name comes from the aromatic oils in its leaves and flowers, which are often compared to chamomile. Feathery, finely divided leaves are spaced along its small, branching stems.
Scented Mayweed tends to grow in patches, complementing fields and grassy verges with its light scent. It’s highly attractive to pollinators, particularly hoverflies, bees, and butterflies. Ladybirds are also very fond of this plant - always a beneficial insect to have around.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile
pH: Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline
Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
Management: Regular mowing can help control spread, but the plant thrives in traditional, low-intensity farming systems where grassland is managed for biodiversity.
Scentless Mayweed
A native wildflower that can be found growing in a range of habitats across Ireland, particularly in disturbed, open areas like field edges, roadsides, and waste ground. The white petals and yellow central disc are typical of the Mayweed family. Aside from the lack of a scent, one key visual difference between this species and Scented Mayweed is the solid receptacle at the centre of the flower head.
The plant typically grows to around 30 to 60 cm tall, with branching stems and finely divided greyish-green leaves. Flowers bloom from April or May and well into autumn. and are attractive to pollinators, especially bees and hoverflies.
Type: Biennial or Annual
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: April to October
Soil: Fertile, loamy to clayey soils; often found in disturbed or agricultural areas
pH: Prefers slightly acidic to neutral soils
Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
Sea Campion
A very resilient wildflower that can be seen growing on cliff faces, shingles or seaside locations. It’s a low-growing and mat-forming perennial, with its fleshy, grey-green leaves enabling it to retain moisture and tolerate exposed environments.
The snow white flowers feature five petals, each deeply split in two, which open outward invitingly for pollinators. These emerge from an inflated sepal marked with distinctive purple or red veins.
Ominously referred to as ‘Dead Man’s Bells’; according to folklore picking this wildflower or taking it into your home could bring great misfortune.
Type: Perennial
Height: to 20 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Rocks and dry sandy soil
pH: Neutral
Aspect: Full sun
Management: None, if found growing from our seaside mixtures do not allow cutting blades to damage foliage.
Sea Mayweed
Another daisy-like wildflower from the Asteraceae family, with white petals extending out from a centre of golden-yellow disc florets. As you may guess from the name, Sea Mayweed favours coastal locations like saltmarsh margins, shingle or cliffs, as well as waste ground.
Fleshy succulent leaves enable the plant to retain moisture and tolerate exposed, windy conditions.
This wildflower can vary in appearance and growth habit; whether growing close to the ground or upright, or having alternately hairless and hairy stems.
Type: Short lived Perennial
Height: 20 to 60 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most sandy soils, best in dry loam
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Allow to spread and develop in meadows, it will die out after year three but attracts many insects and provides some colour
Selfheal
Selfheal blooms from late spring to early autumn, with distinctive square, often reddish stems and bright, purple tubular flowers. Purple is of course one of the favourite colours of pollinators. The flowers are particularly appealing to bumblebees, which readily visit them to gather nectar. Selfheal also provides a food source for seed-eating birds, particularly in the late autumn months.
The plant grows in a low, spreading manner, forming clusters of lance-shaped leaves that are arranged in a rosette at the base. As the plant matures, the small, dense flower spikes rise above the foliage, displaying clusters of deep purple flowers with a hint of blue.
Selfheal thrives in a variety of habitats, from grassy meadows to road verges and even damp woodlands. It is a hardy species, able to grow in both acidic and neutral soils, often spreading through its creeping stems, which root at the nodes.
Selfheal earned its name due to its traditional herbal role. It was used to treat a variety of ailments, such as sore throats, wounds, and cuts, and even as a remedy for minor burns.
Type: Perennial
Height: 20 to 40 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, but especially compact soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Management: Will grow where there are gaps, and self seeds readily. Keep it from being smothered; grass must be cut.
Shepherd’s Purse
Shepherd’s Purse features small four-petalled white flowers, which are typically clustered atop low-growing, branching stems. The heart-shaped seed pods gave the plant its common name, as they resemble the pouches once carried by medieval peasants.
The seed pods eventually break open to release copper coloured seeds. A single plant can produce up to 3,000 seeds, making it a persistent ‘weed’ when unwanted. In the wild Shepherd’s Purse can be seen growing along roadsides, on waste ground or even creeping up through pavement cracks.
Despite its modest appearance, this plant has great value for butterflies - in particular because it has a very long flowering period and serves as a nectar source when other sources are sparse.
Type: Annual
Height: 10 to 35 cm
Flowering period: March to December
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun
Smooth Hawkbit
A charming and often overlooked native wildflower that brightens up Ireland’s meadows, roadsides, and grassy verges. A relative of the dandelion, this perennial is easily identifiable by its striking yellow, daisy-like flowers which bloom from late spring through to early autumn. The flower heads are composed of numerous thin, elongated petals radiating from a central yellow disc, creating a vibrant display of colour that attracts pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies.
The plant’s slender, erect stems grow up to 50 cm tall and are topped with solitary flowers. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves, which form a rosette at the base, are smooth and slightly glossy. Unlike its cousin, the common dandelion, Smooth Hawksbit lacks the coarse, toothed edges and gives off a more delicate appearance.
It’s a hardy wildflower, often found in areas that experience frequent disturbances, such as grazed meadows, road verges, and disturbed soils. The plant’s ability to tolerate a range of conditions makes it a valuable addition to any wildflower meadow or native planting scheme.
Apart from its beauty, Smooth Hawksbit serves an important ecological function. Its pollen-rich flowers support pollinators, while its seeds provide a food source for small birds, particularly finches, during the winter months. This makes it an excellent choice for enhancing biodiversity in gardens or nature reserves.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
St. Johns Wort
The wildflower boasts clusters of bright yellow, five-petalled flowers, each petal delicately marked with tiny black dots around the edge. The plant itself grows in low clumps or upright stems, typically reaching up to 60cm in height. Its leaves are small, oval-shaped, and when held to the light, show a smattering of translucent dots.
The plant will attract hoverflies, bees and various insects during the summer months. Despite its beauty, it has something of a chequered history with farmers, occasionally seen as a troublesome plant on grazing land, as it can be toxic to livestock in large quantities.
St John’s Wort was often used as a herbal treatment for mild to moderate depression in Ireland and other countries, although this seems to be less common now.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 90 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in dry, sandy, loam or dry clay
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Keep this important species from being swamped out by grasses. Gap create where you establish it.
Sweet Violet
One of the earliest flowers to appear in spring, Sweet Violet was once common in hedgerows and woodland edges, but has seen a decline in many areas.
The wildflower has adistinctive fragrance: soft, powdery, and floral. The blooms, which appear from February through April, are typically deep purple but can occasionally be found in shades of pale mauve or white. Each flower sits close to the ground on a short, slender stalk, tucked among a rosette of heart-shaped, slightly hairy leaves.
Historically cultivated in cottage gardens and prized for perfumes and confections, Sweet Violet also had a role in folk remedies, though it’s now more valued as a herald of spring and a nectar source for early-emerging insects. Despite its dainty appearance, it can form dense clumps over time, spreading gently by runners when undisturbed.
Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 5 to 15 cm
Flowering period: Late February to April
Soil: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soils
pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Aspect: Partial shade to full shade
Teasel
A very unique wildflower. Produces a basal rosette of lance-shaped leaves in the first year, before flowering around July of the second year.
The bristly conical flowerheads feature a central strip of small purple blooms, which are attractive to pollinators. After flowering, brown seed heads remain throughout the winter and are a popular food source for seed-eating birds, goldfinches in particular. Directly underneath the flower heads, a series of bracts extend out elegantly in a chandelier-like manner.
The stems are coated with short thorns and can grow as high as 2 meters. Leaves lower down the stem are joined at their bases, allowing water to collect and providing a drinking source for many insects.
Type: Biennial
Height: to 2 metres
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Management: Teasel often self-seeds freely. Young plants are easy to thin out and remove.
Thrift
A hardy perennial often found clinging to sea cliffs, coastal paths, and salt-lashed headlands. Sometimes known as Sea Pink, it’s one of those plants that seems to thrive in places where little else will.
Thrift forms dense, grassy clumps of narrow, needle-like leaves that hug the ground, from which wiry stems rise to display rounded heads of pink, occasionally white, flowers. These blooms appear from late spring into early summer, and in some exposed locations, can even be found persisting later into the year.
Thrift provides early nectar for pollinators and plays an important role in stabilising thin soils on cliffs and coastal grassland.
Tough, tolerant, and surprisingly ornamental, Thrift has made its way from the wild into gardens, especially rockeries and gravel beds. It prefers full sun and sharp drainage, and once established, needs very little in the way of care.
Type: Perennial
Height: 10 to 20 cm
Flowering period: May to June
Soil: Best in sand
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun
Management: If in gardens, clip after flowering.
Upright Hedge Parsley
This perennial native herb is known for its delicate, fern-like foliage and white, lacey flowers that bloom in early summer, adding a soft, airy beauty to any landscape. Often found in more rural, undisturbed areas, it can grow up to 90cm tall, with finely divided leaves and clusters of small, umbrella-shaped flower heads.
The flowers attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies and small beetles. Its aromatic, feathery leaves release a mild, carrot-like scent when crushed.
Upright Hedge Parsley is not as common as it once was due to changes in land use and habitat loss. It can be sown in late autumn or early spring for flowering the following summer.
Type: Biennial or short-lived perennial
Height: 30 to 90 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Prefers well-drained, moderately fertile soils but can tolerate a range of soil types
pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
Weld
Weld, ‘Buí mór’ in Irish, is a tall, upright wildflower that brings a little splash of yellow where it grows - which includes roadsides, waste grounds, and disturbed ground. It is most fond of lime-rich soils, and sets deep roots quickly - helping to stabilise soil.
A biennial, the plant produces basal rosettes of shiny dark green leaves in its first year, followed by dense, tapering spikes of small yellow-green flowers in its second year. Lance-shaped leaves on the stem have wavy edges.
The nectar-rich flowers attract a variety of pollinators, and sit atop hollow stems which can reach well over a metre in height. After flowering, the plant takes on shades of orange.
Historically, Weld was prized for its vibrant yellow dye (it is sometimes referred to as Yellow-weed), which was used to colour textiles before synthetic alternatives emerged.
Type: Biennial
Height: 1 to 1.5 metres
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in most dry soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Allow to self seed
White Bedstraw
A delicate yet persistent wildflower often found in meadows, hedgerows, and grassy woodlands, White Bedstraw is a perennial that weaves its way through the undergrowth with ease.
White Bedstraw produces small, star-like white flowers that bloom from late spring through to midsummer, gathered in dense, rounded clusters at the ends of slender stems. The plant itself has a sprawling habit, often reaching up to 60cm, with long, narrow, lance-shaped leaves that are softly textured. The stems are square in shape, a characteristic of the bedstraw family, and as the plant matures, they can sometimes take on a reddish hue.
Easily grown from seed, once White Bedstraw is established, it will happily spread across your garden or wildflower patch, creating a soft, naturalistic groundcover. Its fragrant leaves have been historically used in herbal remedies and even as a bedding material.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: May to July
Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
pH: Neutral to alkaline
Aspect: Prefers full sun to partial shade
White Campion
This clump-forming plant features semi-evergreen foliage and produces delicate white flowers from late spring to early autumn. The flowers, approximately 2–3 cm across, have five deeply notched petals and are borne on downy stems that can reach up to a metre in height.
White Campion is dioecious, meaning individual plants are either male or female, and it often hybridizes with Red Campion to produce pink-flowered offspring.
The plant's nocturnal fragrance attracts night-flying insects.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 90 cm
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Will grow in dry, sandy, loam
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Allow to self seed. Short lived; if the plant disappears, re-cultivate or gap create to get it back.
White Clover
Depending on who you ask, White Clover is a weed, a cherished wildflower or an invaluable cover crop. It forms a low-growing carpet of foliage, rooting at leaf junctions to stretch out. As a nitrogen fixer it is only suitable for certain wildflower meadow arrangements, as it can encourage grass growth.
White Clover typically forms a low-growing carpet of trifoliate leaves during its first year. From April or May through to autumn, slender stems are dotted with clusters of tiny white or cream flowers. The flowers have a sweet scent and act as a magnet for pollinators, including bumblebees and the Common Blue Butterfly.
The flowerheads are compact and made up of numerous small, tubular flowers. Beneath the flowerheads, a ring of small bracts extends outward. Toothed leaves have v-shaped white marks.
Once the flowering season passes, the plant’s seed heads turn brown, providing food for seed-eating birds, including finches. The protein-rich trefoil leaves are also a favoured snack for wood mice.
Type: Perennial
Height: 5 to 15 cm
Flowering period: May to October
Soil: Thrives in moist, well-drained soils but is highly adaptable
pH: Prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soils, but can tolerate a range from mildly acidic to alkaline
Aspect: Full sun to partial shade. Most vigorous in open, sunny conditions.
Wild Angelica
Wild Angelica (Angelica sylvestris), known in Irish as Gallfheabhrán, is a tall-growing native perennial that does very well in damp meadows, woodland edges, and marshy ground. From July to September, it sends up hollow purplish stems up to 2 metres in height. These are topped with impressive umbrella-like clusters of pale, pinkish-white flowers.
A member of the carrot family, Wild Angelica is a magnet for pollinators, attracting bees, hoverflies, and butterflies with its nectar-rich blooms. Its foliage is finely divided, with large, toothed leaves that clasp the stem, adding to its architectural appeal.
Historically, the plant was valued for its aromatic stems and roots, which were used to flavour liqueurs and confections. It also served as a source of yellow dye.
Type: Biennial
Height: 1 to 2 metres
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils, best in Clay
pH: Acid, Neutral
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Management: Allow to set seed, gap create to get established, will grow on ungrazed ground
Wild Carrot
This biennial plant is distinguished by delicate, lacy white flower heads arranged in flat-topped umbels. Often, a single dark red or purple floret appears at the centre of the umbel, a feature that aids in attracting pollinators.
The plant's finely divided, feathery leaves and sturdy, ridged stems are characteristic of the carrot family. After flowering, the umbels contract into a concave, nest-like shape, earning it the nickname 'Bird's Nest'. This transformation not only adds visual interest but also aids in seed dispersal.
While the slender taproot is edible when young, it quickly becomes woody and is not typically consumed.
Wild Carrot was once common in grasslands but is now mostly seen on roadsides, quarries or waste ground.
Type: Biennial
Height: 1 to 2 metres
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Management: Medium tolerance of cutting
Wild Chamomile
Wild Chamomile is a hardy native perennial that has seen a decline in recent years and is now mainly found in West Munster. Despite its resilience, habitat loss and modern landscaping practices have made it less common than it once was.
Characterized by its yellow-green, dome-shaped flower heads, Wild Chamomile is unique in appearance - it has no petals, which sets it apart from its more familiar relatives like German or Roman chamomile. Its finely divided, feathery foliage releases a pleasant apple-like scent when crushed, giving rise to its nickname "pineapple weed." This fragrance is not just charming; it has long been valued for its calming properties and is commonly used in herbal teas.
Wild Chamomile tends to thrive in compacted or disturbed soils, often popping up in the most unglamorous of places—footpaths, roadsides, field entrances, and well-trodden tracks.
As a pollinator-friendly plant, Wild Chamomile attracts small flies and solitary bees, particularly when flowering from late spring into summer.
Type: Annual
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: June to September
Soil: Prefers well-drained, light, sandy to loamy soils.
pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Aspect: Full sun
Wild Valerian
This graceful perennial is partial to damp meadows, riverbanks and woodland margins. Unfortunately its natural habitats are becoming scarcer in Ireland, so it is a valuable addition to a wildflower meadow - provided you have the right conditions.
Wild Valerian produces dense clusters of pale pink to white tubular flowers (each about 3–4 mm) atop sturdy erect stems. The plant's pinnate, toothed leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along the stem.
Beyond its visual appeal, Wild Valerian plays a significant role in supporting pollinators, offering nectar to various insects during its blooming period. Historically, its roots have been valued for their sedative properties and were commonly used in herbal remedies to promote relaxation and sleep.
Type: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Height: 1 to 2 metres
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in damp rich soils
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, damp open woods
Management: In meadows keep the soil wet, block up your drains and allow an amount of thatch to develop to provide protection to the root zone of the plant.
Wood Avens
Wood Aven is a native wildflower commonly found in Ireland’s shaded woodlands, hedgerows, and along damp paths. Its dark green, deeply toothed leaves are often covered in fine hairs, giving them a rough texture.
From late spring to early summer, the plant produces clusters of small, daisy-like yellow flowers, which are surrounded by leafy bracts, adding a delicate fringing effect to the blooms. Though its flowers may not be as striking as some other wildflowers, bees and other pollinators aren’t bothered and will happily visit the plant.
Once the flowers fade, the plant produces spiky seed heads that cling to passing animals or clothing, aiding in seed dispersal. The plant is also known for its distinctive, spicy scent, which has earned it names like 'St. Peter’s Wort' or 'Herb Bennett' in folk medicine.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 60 cm
Flowering period: May to July
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Mildly Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade, deep shade
Management: Easy, hardy, tough plant; good ability to support itself without any trouble. Not for the small garden unless you plant ground cover.
Wood Sage
From July to September, Wood Sage produces slender, one-sided spikes of pale greenish-yellow flowers with maroon-tipped stamens. These flowers are a good nectar source.
The plant can reach up to 60 cm tall, with reddish stems and downy leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The leaves are heart-shaped at the base, wrinkled, and edged with gentle teeth, giving them a textured appearance reminiscent of culinary sage.
The plant prefers acidic soils and can be found growing in such environments as sand dunes, coastal cliffs, hillsides or woodland.
Type: Perennial
Height: to 60 cm
Flowering period: July to September
Soil: Will grow in well drained acid soils
pH: Acid, Neutral
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade, deep shade under tall trees
Woundwort
A lesser-known wildflower that is easily recognised by its densely packed spikes of tubular pinkish-purple flowers, blooming from late spring to early summer. After flowering, the plant's seed heads remain through autumn.
The plant's rough, textured leaves are ovate and can grow up to 15 cm long, with a slightly downy surface. They form a rosette at the base, with additional leaves running up the stems. The plant gives off a subtle scent when in flower.
Woundwort can often be found in semi-shaded environments, such as woodland clearings or along damp, sheltered paths. Its name, derived from the historical use of its leaves to treat wounds and bruises, reflects its traditional medicinal value.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 90 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Best in clay soil
pH: Acid, neutral, alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Management: Try to avoid cutting this species. If clumps form in your meadow, cut around them until the autumn. Cut in early spring before May when the shoots grow out of the soil, or cut after flowers set seed - not in late spring or summer when the plant emerges.
Yarrow
Yarrow is an aromatic wildflower with downy, fern-like leaves and umbel-like clusters (6 to 10 cm) of small flowers. The individual flowers have yellowish disc florets with pink or white ray florets surrounding them. In milder years these can bloom late into the year, providing a valuable source of nectar and pollen for pollinators still ‘on the wing’.
The plant is a good choice for cottage gardens or wildlife-friendly areas, with a tendency to spread. A rough, furrowed stem generally grows about as high as 50 cm. Historically, Yarrow was used for healing or to staunch bleeding.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 to 50 cm
Flowering period: June to November
Soil: Will grow in most soils. Best in clay.
pH: Acid, Neutral, Alkaline.
Aspect: Full sun
Common Agrimony (Yellow Agrimony)
A downy perennial with tapering spires of pale yellow flowers. An excellent hedgerow species.
Each flower has five delicate petals, neatly arranged like a miniature star. The blooms are rich in pollen and nectar, making them a quiet favourite among bees, hoverflies, and other pollinators. Leaves are pinnate and slightly toothed.
Once flowering ends, the plant produces small, burr-like seed heads with hooked bristles. These cling to passing animals or humans, aiding in the seeds’ dispersal.
In folklore, the plant was once believed to ward off evil spirits or soothe sleepless nights.
Type: Perennial
Height: 30 cm to 130 cm
Flowering period: July to August
Soil: Will grow in most soils
pH: Neutral, Alkaline
Aspect: Full sun, partial shade
Management: Allow to flower. Do not cut hedges in summer.
Yellow Flag Iris
Yellow Flag Iris is a tall perennial wildflower with large, sword-like leaves that grow in dense clumps. Emerging in the spring, these leaves form a fan-like structure around the base of the plant.
In June and July, the plant’s striking flowers then emerge: large, showy and bright yellow, with intricate markings on their petals. Each flower is held on a tall, slender stem, rising above the leaves to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and moths.
This iris species thrives in wet, marshy environments and is often seen growing in ditches, along canal banks, and in shallow water. Once established, Yellow Flag Iris can spread rapidly, forming dense colonies, making it a useful plant for stabilizing the soil along water margins and preventing erosion.
The dense foliage of Flag Iris provides shelter for small creatures, while the plant can also help filter and improve water quality by trapping pollutants in its roots. As such it is a valuable presence in wetland ecosystems.
Type: Perennial
Height: 1 to 1.5 metres
Flowering period: June to August
Soil: Will grow in most damp soils, flowers best when stressed in dry soil
pH: Acid, Neutral
Aspect: Shade to full sun
Management: Persistence in all wet soils and grassland
Yellow Rattle
Known as ‘nature’s lawnmower’ for its ability to suppress grasses, whether in new wildflower meadows or elsewhere. It does this by attaching itself to the roots and feeding on nutrients, weakening and slowing growth and allowing other wildflowers to get established.
Hooded, open mouthed yellow flowers - with blue/violet teeth - are a very attractive pollen and nectar source for bees; the leaves meanwhile are oblong with rounded teeth.
Yellow rattle gets its name from the fact that the inflated dry seed pods will rattle in the wind. They then release their seeds naturally.
Sow from August as it needs a period of cold to germinate.
Type: Annual
Height: 20 to 50 cm
Flowering period: May to July
Soil: Prefers well-drained, moderately fertile to poor soils
pH: Neutral to slightly acidic
Aspect: Full sun to light shade