WILD ARUM

The earliest plant to green up on the woodland floor, a rosette of wild arum leaves caught in a sunbeam.

The leaves have a distinctive arrowhead shape.

 

THE EARLY CROCUS

The third of my naturalised woodland flowers, the early crocus (Crocus tomasinianus) is native to the wooded hills of Bulgaria, Hungary, Albania and other Balkan countries.

Daintier than the later crocuses it only opens in the sun, when you can see the orange anthers in the centre.

It is a welcome sight for insects searching for pollen at this time of year.  I've seen honey bees and bumbles foraging here.  In return the plants are fertilised, and spread easily from seed.

 

WINTER ACONITE

Another European plant naturalised in Britain.  The yellow aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is native to France, Italy and the Balkans.  

It appears early in January and February but as the flowers fade the little ruff of leaves drinks in the spring sunshine to build up strength for next winter and then the plant disappears underground for nine months.  This is a typical strategy for woodland plants, which make the most of the available light when the leaves are off the trees.

Although it is a cheery yellow I think I prefer the subtler shades of primroses.

Like all aconites it is poisonous in all its parts.

The flowers are mostly over now and the seeds are developing.

   

 

SPRING CYCLAMEN

Next to the snowdrops in my garden is a cluster of spring cyclamen (Cyclamen coum).  

They are native to two areas: 

(a) near the Black Sea through Bulgaria, northern Turkey and Crimea

 (b) from southern Turkey to Lebanon and Israel.

Obviously they like living dangerously.  

I hope they bring some pleasure to people in those stricken areas.

Although they are not native to Britain they naturalise here and add a welcome magenta splash to the springtime ground flora.  So I hope you won't mind me adding them into this blog.

 

OLD MAN'S BEARD

At this time of year with no leaves on the trees, 

the feathery seed heads of Old Man's Beard show up well.

Especially when the sun back-lights them.

 

SNOWDROPS

 The common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) is native from the Pyrenees to Turkey and from Italy to Poland.  Whether it is native to Britain or was introduced in the sixteenth century, it is happily at home here and spreads easily through woodlands.  It is a popular plant for naturalising in lawns and parks.

Each tiny bulb produces just two leaves and one flower.  The flower has three outer and three smaller inner 'tepals'.  [Botanists use the term tepals when it is difficult to say whether they are petals or sepals.]  The inner tepals only show when the outer ones spread open and then you can see the green chevron marked on each one.

Someone with a sharp beak helpfully removed an outer tepal so you could see inside.

WINTER TREES 7 : SILVER BIRCH

 Birches are famous for their bark.  The Silver Birch (Betula pendula) gets dark diamond-shaped marks on the bark when it matures.  These can coalesce at the bottom of very mature trees into a black, crusty surface.

It also, as the Latin name suggests, has very drooping, pendulous twigs giving a sweet sadness to the tree.  There is actually a variant 'Tristis' (meaning sad) which is as droopy as the best wild trees.

The Downy Birch (Betula pubescens) is non weeping and does not have black diamonds on the bark.  It prefers damper soil.  Unfortunately all birches love to hybridise if they get the chance so you can get intermediate forms.

Here is another birch recognition feature in winter: the male catkins, which will open in April and May, are already showing on the slender twigs - many of them in pairs

Other birches which you will find in gardens are the Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis var.jacquemontii ) with startlingly white bark, 

  

and the weeping birch (Betula pendula 'Youngii'), which I find is usually an apology for a tree.

There are 60 species of birch worldwide.

WINTER TREES 6 : CHERRY

On all but the youngest cherry trees the horizontal lines on the trunk distinguish the numerous cherry species.  They are joined up rows of breathing holes known as lenticels.

Another feature of cherry trees in winter are the multiple buds on the twigs, where the flowers will later appear.  They are in there, waiting for the right time to burst open.

 

PENNIES ON THE WALL

Nice, juicy, green leaves of Wall Pennywort provide another promise of spring.  The leaves are round like pennies and the plant usually grows on walls, cliffs or steep banks.

The leaves are unusual because the stalks go to the middle of the leaf, where there is a sort of dimple.  Its possible resemblance to your tummy button gives it the other name of Navelwort or in Latin Umbilicus rupestris .  I prefer Wall Pennywort.

At this time of year you may still find the dead flower stalks from last summer.

 

SIGNS OF SPRING: DUNNOCK SINGING

Hooray !  Today I heard a dunnock singing, not just its single note contact call.  Most song birds are quiet in winter, except for robins and wrens, so hearing the dunnock launching into its 'squeaky wheelbarrow wheel' song is a sure sign that spring is on its way.

Dunnocks are small and brown and secretive.  They creep about under bushes looking for invertebrates and also seeds in winter.  They are not keen on bird tables and feeders but will hop about underneath, collecting what they can.

Find this video on youtube

Dunnock Song - (Hedge Sparrow)

YouTube · Maurice Baker

1 minute, 28 seconds

 · 21 Apr 2014