Plants of the week (A-Z)

A Mediterranean tree that lives in the wilds of Edinburgh’s first public park.

Acer pseudoplatanus – 2nd January 2023 – Sycamore

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A non-native tree that has colonised our islands and is now fully ’naturalised’, but it still divides opinion.

Adoxa moschatellina – 14 September – Moschatel

This week, Richard Milne writes about finding Adoxa moschatellina (moschatel, aka town hall clock, or five-faced bishop). The clusters of flowers always contain exactly five flowers, which between them have 24 petals. Read the article to learn more.

Aesculus hippocastanum – May 20th 2024- (Horse Chestnut)

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A wonderful sight in Spring and a source of ‘conkers’ in Autumn.

Aethusa cynapium – 21st August 2023 – Fool’s Parsley

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This plant is said to be highly toxic but the European Food Safety Authority thinks not.

Aira praecox – May 18th 2026 – Early Hair Grass

An early grass, mostly found on infertile soils

Ajuga pyramidalis – February 14th 2022 -Pyramidal Bugle

Here’s a plant that has a distinctly northern distribution in the British Isles - we present images from Easter Ross.

Alisma plantago-aquatica – August 19th 2024 – (Water Plantain)

An amphibious native plant that lives in ponds and ditches.

Alliaria petiolata – 22nd May 2023 – Garlic Mustard

A native herb with a delicate garlic flavour; invasive in other parts of the world.

Allium paradoxum – April 29th 2024 – Few-flowered Garlic

This invasive species has ‘taken over’ the springtime flora in many of our woodlands. Maria Chamberlain encountered it many years ago when it was less common, and she relates the tale.

Allium paradoxum – Few-flowered Leek (or Few-flowered Garlic)

Maria Chamberlain recalls seeing this species over 50 years ago when it was quite rare. It has become a common invader of woodlands and gardens.

Allium triquetrum – Three-cornered Garlic

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Another wild garlic, elegant but invasive.

Allium ursinum – 12th April 2021 – Ramsons

Following on from last week's Plant of the Week, we look at another member of the Allium family: ramsons, Allium ursinum, currently well on its way to full leaf and soon to come into flower.

Alnus glutinosa -5th October- Alder

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Roger West has been looking at our native Alder, a familiar tree of wet places which has served mankind well for many centuries, and which has much to offer for the future.

Alnus glutinosa – March 16th 2026 – Alder

A tree that fixes nitrogen

Amanita muscaria – December 30th 2024 – Fly agaric

What links Santa to this poisonous toadstool?

Ambrosia artemisiifolia – 29th September – Common ragweed

A fast-growing plant recently appeared beneath our peanut feeder. We didn’t recognise it, and in the spirit of botanical inquiry we let it grow rather than putting it on the compost heap.

Anacamptis morio – May 13th 2024- (Green-winged Orchid)

Some people spend hours spotting orchids, and even travelling great distances up and down the country to see the flowers. I am not one of...

Anemone nemorosa – 18th April 2022 – Wood Anemone

A native species, flowering now in deciduous woodlands. Why is it called ‘wind-flower’?

Anemone nemorosa – May 3rd 2021 – Wood Anemone

Its leaves aren’t really leaves, and its petals aren’t really petals; and it is the only common British flower to bear a single whitish flower with more than five petals.

Angelica sylvestris – 17th August – Wild Angelica

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Angelica is one of the most beautiful members of the Apiaceae. But take care, the family has many poisonous relatives including Hemlock and Hemlock Water Dropwort.

Arabidopsis thaliana – June 8th, 2020 – Thale Cress

Thale Cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) by Maria Chamberlain For plant biologists Arabidopsis thaliana is an iconic species – it’s the Drosophila of the plant world. This...

Arctium minus – 8th August 2022 – Lesser Burdock

Here is a common and very useful native plant which has just started flowering (July). It is highly rated by the website ‘Plants for the Future’.

Arctostaphylos alpinus – 28th March 2022 – Arctic Bearberry

There are two Bearberry species in the British Isles. This is the rarer one, found in the Highland region of north Scotland.

Armeria maritima – 11th July 2022 – Thrift

A coastal plant capable of growing on toxic waste and perhaps useful in design of ‘green roof systems’.

Armoracia rusticana – June 3rd 2024- (Horse-radish)

Introduced to British gardens hundreds of years ago, and escaped to the wild by the 16th Century. Makes a lovely hot sauce.

Artemisia vulgaris – 11th September 2023 – Mugwort

The name mugwort comes from the Old English mucgwyrt, mucg meaning ‘midge,’ referring to its use in repelling flying insects including midges.

Arum maculatum and A. italicum – 7th September – Cuckoo Pints

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These plants of shady places are self incompatible and rely on female owl-midges carrying pollen between plants for their fertilisation. The midges are attracted to the flowers by heat and smell and a trapping mechanism prevents the flies escaping until pollination has occurred.

Asplenium ceterach – October 27th 2025 – Rustyback