Wildflowers

[cloughie]

A clump of Three Cornered Leek is flowering in a lane near us. It is an early flowering plant...but December? Anyone else seen it yet. (It does favour areas near the sea.) As I think I mentioned somewhere else...probably ages ago....it was once described as 'rare, but locally abundant'. It seems to have become regarded as an invasive species:

https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/home-garden/gardening/gardening-qa-how-can-i-stop-an-invasion-of-threecornered-leeks-a99336.html

I think they are lovely, and the 'triangular prism' shape of the flower stem is always a delight for kids to discover.

Usually around in the ‘wild garlic’ season!

[ardcarp]

...to which it is closely related, I think. There is a walk in Cornwall, a rough track, leading away from a beach and inland for a few miles. I must have done it last about 20 years ago in early spring, but it was extraordinary in that each side of the path was lined with clumps of three cornered leek until about halfway when it quite suddenly changed to wild garlic. I must do it again soon and see what has changed, if anything.

[oddoneout]

...to which it is closely related, I think. There is a walk in Cornwall, a rough track, leading away from a beach and inland for a few miles. I must have done it last about 20 years ago in early spring, but it was extraordinary in that each side of the path was lined with clumps of three cornered leek until about halfway when it quite suddenly changed to wild garlic. I must do it again soon and see what has changed, if anything.

Different soil/growing conditions? The wild garlic prefers moisture and a bit of light shade.

[gradus]

Different soil/growing conditions? The wild garlic prefers moisture and a bit of light shade.

Wild onion has grown back where I'd tried to clear it. A nuisance but it has culinary value and there's plenty to share around.

[ardcarp]

Bit of a cheat really, 'cos they're not wild flowers. Not in this country anyway,
But a couple of 'Christmas Cacti' (or should it be cactuses?) which have been totally ignored on a utility room sill have gone potty this year. In a nice way.

[ardcarp]

Back to wild flowers. Mrs A and walking friend stopped for a picnic in a lay-by, and counted wildflower species:

All spotted in 3 square metres of verge by lay-by*

Wormwood
Yarrow
Birds eye speedwell
Stitchwort
Ground ivy
Hog weed
Buttercup
Plantain
Comfrey
Greater celandine
Garlic mustard
Hemlock
Sow thistle
Charlock
Dandelion
Alkanet
Burdock
Mustard
Hedgerow cranesbill
Hedge bedstraw
Herb Robert
Campion
Bush vetch

...and small trees:
Hawthorn
Mountain ash.

* They often measure the number of species in fixed area. Sometimes in just 1 square metre of meadow.

So all well in West Dorset.

[french frank]

Exciting news this morning (all right, calm down, everyone ). I've often wondered while strolling across our Twelve Acres why it was absolutely covered with white clover while there was no red clover at all. I decided perhaps the red is more of a meadow plant with white more common in bits of (semi-)cultivated urban park. Also white spreads very quickly (a creeping plant whereas red is more upright) and is longer lived.

Then this morning I spotted two red flowers (a single plant I suppose). This is even more puzzling: why only a single plant? From a seed, presumably, but only one over that wide area?

[oddoneout]

Exciting news this morning (all right, calm down, everyone ). I've often wondered while strolling across our Twelve Acres why it was absolutely covered with white clover while there was no red clover at all. I decided perhaps the red is more of a meadow plant with white more common in bits of (semi-)cultivated urban park. Also white spreads very quickly (a creeping plant whereas red is more upright) and is longer lived.

Then this morning I spotted two red flowers (a single plant I suppose). This is even more puzzling: why only a single plant? From a seed, presumably, but only one over that wide area?

Might have been many seeds but just one that got lucky with where it landed. The two clovers have different growth patterns and longevity and I think you are right about red clover doing better in a meadow environment which can accommodate a taller growing plant.

[french frank]

I think you are right about red clover doing better in a meadow environment which can accommodate a taller growing plant.

Also, I've just thought, the Common gets regularly cut throughout the summer which will tend not to affect the creeping white clover too much. But since I've been mulling this for some months (as you do!), I was astonished to finally spot the red flowers today.

I doubt they'll survive the next cut, though, which will mean no seed and no more red clover. Which also explains their rarity here.

[oddoneout]

Also, I've just thought, the Common gets regularly cut throughout the summer which will tend not to affect the creeping white clover too much. But since I've been mulling this for some months (as you do!), I was astonished to finally spot the red flowers today.

I doubt they'll survive the next cut, though, which will mean no seed and no more red clover. Which also explains their rarity here.

I was going to say that with the grass hardly growing so reducing the need to cut, the plant might at least manage to set some seed - but then remembered you are not scorched earth territory as I am here... The white clover in my "lawn" is just about completely dried up, with the bees cruising fruitlessly around trying to find a few remaining blossoms, or suck the last drop of nectar out of those that remain in one shady place.

[Serial_Apologist]

Exciting news this morning (all right, calm down, everyone ). I've often wondered while strolling across our Twelve Acres why it was absolutely covered with white clover while there was no red clover at all. I decided perhaps the red is more of a meadow plant with white more common in bits of (semi-)cultivated urban park. Also white spreads very quickly (a creeping plant whereas red is more upright) and is longer lived.

Then this morning I spotted two red flowers (a single plant I suppose). This is even more puzzling: why only a single plant? From a seed, presumably, but only one over that wide area?

Nearly everyone around here appears to be in clover, but there are very few reds in the beds.

[french frank]

Nearly everyone around here appears to be in clover, but there are very few reds in the beds.

You may jest, but I could bore for Britain on clovers . This morning there were a few new flowers that have come out since yesterday. About five now, all within a couple of feet of each other. And I also found what leafsnap identified as Thal's clover. Off to photograph now, if I can find it!

PS I couldn't find them, but looking at the slight blush on some of the white clovers I wonder if these were just white clovers that were very embarrassed (the one I took this morning on leafsnap):

[oddoneout]

You may jest, but I could bore for Britain on clovers . This morning there were a few new flowers that have come out since yesterday. About five now, all within a couple of feet of each other. And I also found what leafsnap identified as Thal's clover. Off to photograph now, if I can find it!

PS I couldn't find them, but looking at the slight blush on some of the white clovers I wonder if these were just white clovers that were very embarrassed (the one I took this morning on leafsnap):

If Thal's clover I would wonder how it got there, having looked it up.
This might be more likely? https://parrottlab.uga.edu/parrottlab/Clover/index.htm

[french frank]

If Thal's clover I would wonder how it got there, having looked it up.
This might be more likely? https://parrottlab.uga.edu/parrottlab/Clover/index.htm

Useful link, thank you. Yes, I wondered whether it was just a variant of the white clover (repens). I think leafsnap takes a rather more global view and doesn't utilise its GPS. In fact, that link throws up the possibility that the red flowers I found were also a variety of repens. Must hasten back tomorrow and check the leaves of the red flowers (pratense?) more closely. Pratense would normally be more upright, but given that the grass was cut this week they wouldn't have had much time to grow any taller.

[oddoneout]

Yes I know they're not wildflowers but this was the closest I could get to an appropriate slot...
I read this with interest https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...oulds-darkness and then followed the slime mould link and got transfixed https://www.barrywebbimages.co.uk/Im...s-Myxomycetes/