AARON'S ROD

The bright yellow spikes of Agrimony or Aaron's Rod  (Agrimonia eupatoria) Are appearing now among the tall grasses and beside the paths.

It can be overlooked as in dull weather you might mistake it for a sort of grass.

The five-petalled flowers open at the base of the spike first and slowly spread upwards.  

It is one of those species that produce seeds with little hooks to catch in animal fur or your socks.  This is how it spreads.

Photo: wikimedia commons

Notice the saw-toothed leaves below the flower spikes.  They are food for the caterpillars of the Grizzled Skipper butterfly and the Snout moth.

In pre-Christion times it was known as Fairy's Wand or Fairy's Rod but the early Christians popped Aaron in to replace the fairies.

It is used in herbal medicine and can produce a bright yellow dye.

When gifted in a bunch of flowers it represents gratitude.