South Downs

These are the weeds/wild flowers/ plants which I've seen on the South Downs. I'm separating them out from seaside plants so at the moment I am updating this page.

Of course, identification can be quite difficult as the photos I take are from that moment in time and there is no watching them grow and develop or see flowers or going back and taking a close-up photo.

In alphabetical order, a few unknowns at the bottom.

Bristly Ox-tongue (Picris echioides renamed to Helminthotheca echioides??)

I don't know how wide-spread this is. I saw this on holiday in West Sussex - update - saw this in London (August 2017) so also see main Weed Guide

I noticed this small plant with those distinctive blistered leaves in Hampshire on the way to Hayling Island and thought it looked like a younger bristly ox-tongue.

Common Spotted Orchid

the leaves aren't that clear in the photo above but maybe the photo below will show them a bit but not all that clearly unfortunately

Dusky Cranesbill (Geranium phaeum)

I am pretty confident this is a geranium. I am going with dusky cranesbill for the moment because of the flower shape although other examples I've seen are darker. I saw this on the South Downs.

Dyer's Rocket (Reseda luteola)

seen on holiday in West Sussex, 2013

near the south coast August 2019

another example I saw in Hampshire - update - I think this is reseda lutea, looking at it more carefully

Wild Mignonette (Reseda lutea)

Elder ??

I saw an example recently nearby and the friend who was with me thought it was an elder. I'm not really sure.

Field Bindweed (also see Bindweed in the Weed Identification page)

smaller than the ordinary bindweed we tend to find in our gardens, I saw this at Lordington Lavender in West Sussex

underneath side has pink stripes

Goat's-Beard

the flower is not so clear in this photo but the stem and leaves are clearer

Greater Knapweed

I saw this on the South Downs yesterday (5-6-2018). Although I grow this in my garden, I'd never seen it in the wild before.

view from the top with new leaves, possibly buds emerging

Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica)

I saw this on the South Downs.

there were quite a number of them in this hedge

Hogweed

close-up of those distinctive leaves which were lower on the stem

Lesser Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)

I saw this on the South Downs 5-6-2018. Most of the lesser knapweed had finished flowering, like the spent brown flowerheads behind. This was one of the couple I saw still in bloom. I've grown this from seed in my garden - one of the easier wildflowers to grow from seed (greater knapweed being one of the most difficult). The bees and butterflies love it.

Old Man's Beard (Clematis vitalba)

I also saw this on the South Downs early June 2018.

Ploughman's-Spikenard (Inula conyza)

I saw this for the first time this summer (August 2019) on the edge of a field on the South Downs

view showing the entire plant

Ragwort

ragwort is everywhere but I saw this nice example with a red admiral butterfly in the churchyard in Binsted, West Sussex on holiday (I like visiting old churches)

Red Bartsia (Odontites vernus)

I saw this for the first time August 2019 on both the South Downs and on Hayling Island. I don't know its distribution but I never saw it in London.

Rose Campion (Silene coronaria)

Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis)

I saw this in Hampshire on the way to Hayling Island. I have not seen this in London but maybe it's there somewhere - I don't know. - update - 2019 I have seen it in London recent

Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)

the purple flowers left and right, ignore the stinging nettle in the middle, I don't know how wide-spread this is I saw this in Hampshire on the way to Hayling Island, I have not seen it in London. - update - I've seen it much more recently

close-up of a flower from above

White Bryony (Bryonia dioica)

I saw this on the South Downs June 2018.

close-up of a flower

another flower close-up, showing a leaf

Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

I also saw this on the South Downs. Initially it has a pink colour, close-up of the flowerhead. The stem is actually quite tall.

this shows the leaves although the flower is not very clear

Wild Parsnip

Field of Thistles

I am intrigued about this field of thistles we came across on the South Downs. It has at least 2 kinds of thistles, maybe 3? Definitely Spear Thistle in bud but no flowers yet. Musk Thistle in bloom now?

there were lots of bees on the thistles

this thistle looks nodding like a musk thistle, as does the one above

but this one is upright

close-up of some of the buds

spear thistle on the right not in bloom yet

views of the whole field, South Downs in the background, facing the south