Category: Plant identification

Japanese Rose / Summer / Autumn / Edible We’re going to look at Japanese Rose & Dog Rose together here, both produce delightful edible flowers and fruit. Common Names Dog Rose, Wild Rose, Dogberry.   Botanical Name Rosa Canina – Dog Rose Rosa Rugosa – Japanese Rose Physical Characteristics Root…

DOG’S MERCURY / SPRING / SUMMER / DEADLY COMMON NAMES Dog’s Mercury, Dog’s Cole BOTANICAL NAME Mercurialis Perennis PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Root –  Unknown. Stems – Single rounded stems with leaves growing in pairs at intervals up the stem. Leaves – Green, single leaves, lanceolate in shape which are serrated. Flowers…

WILD RASPBERRY / SUMMER / AUTUNM / EDIBLE COMMON NAMES Raspberry, hindberry. BOTANICAL NAME Rubus Idaeus PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Root –  Unknown. Stems – In their first year the stems or canes have just leaves but from then on this stem produces leaves and flowers. The canes have small reddish thorns…

COMMON LIME / SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN / EDIBLE COMMON NAMES Common lime, European Lime, Linden. BOTANICAL NAME Tilia x Europaea SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION Kingdom – Plantae Order – Malvales Family – Malvaceae Genus – Tilia PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS For Lime Trees Stems/Bark Young trees have grey/brown smooth bark which becomes…

GORSE / SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN / WINTER / EDIBLE / DEADLY COMMON NAMES Gorse, Prickly broom, furze BOTANICAL NAME Ulex Europaeus PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Root – Unknown. Stems/Bark – Green stems with the shoots and leaves modified into spikes. Leaves – It’s leaves are long, sharp and spiky. Flowers –…

FLOWERING CURRANT / SPRING / SUMMER / EDIBLE COMMON NAMES Flowering Currant BOTANICAL NAME Ribes sanguineum PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Root –  Not of interest. Stems/Bark – The bark is dark brown to grey with pale brown lenticels. Leaves – It has palmately lobed leaves that give off a sweet herbal aroma…

MAHONIA / SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN / WINTER / EDIBLE COMMON NAMES Oregon Grape, holly leaved barberry BOTANICAL NAME Mahonia Aquifolium PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Root –  Not of interest. Stems/Bark – Brown, grey, corky texture. Leaves – Pinnate leaves up to 30cm long, each leaf is made up of spiny…

HEMLOCK WATER DROPWORT / SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN / DEADLY COMMON NAMES Hemlock Water Dropwort BOTANICAL NAME Oenanthe Crocata PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Root –  Large carrot like tubers growing in bunches. Stems – Hairless but grooved like celery, they have a hollow centre.      Leaves – Green shiny leaves,…