calcareous grassland

Black Medick (Medicago lupulina) Wildflower

A generally common wildflower, with many small yellow oval-round flowers, and trifoliate leaves, (3 leaflets) mostly found on fertile or calcareous soils, in sunny areas on short grazed or cut grassland like garden lawns and verges.

Flowering May-October, each Black Medic plant may have around 40-50 yellow flowers that emerge from the leaf axils of the short stems, which despite their small size, attract many pollinating insects, such as bees, moths and butterflies.

Despite the abundance of small yellow flowers Black Medic gets its name from the small black kidney shaped seeds which can be found late August – September.

Black Medic Wildflower seeds and yellow flowers September

A mixture of the Black Medick seeds and the small yellow flowers seen together around September.

Black Medic (Medicago lupulina) Wildflower with small yellow flowers

Black Medic (Medicago lupulina) small yellow flowers

Black Medic Information

Group: fabaceae (Pea Family)
Type: Annual – perennial
Similar appearance to: Clovers – Hop Trefoil (Trifolium campestre)
Flowering: May-October
Habitat: Meadows, Tracks, Roadside Verges, Garden Lawns
Height: around 35-50cm
Larval food plant: Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)
Nectar plant: Common Blue butterfly, Brown Argus butterfly, Gatekeeper butterfly, Meadow Brown butterfly, Wood White Butterfly (leptidea sinapis), Moths and Bees
Photograph: 5th September 2012- South Lincs

Cowslips (primula veris) a popular spring wild flower

An early Spring herbaceous perennial, with yolk yellow bell shaped short stalked flowers, on stems up to 30cm high seen from April to June. The leaves are in a Basal rosette, arranged around the base of the flower stem, long oval shaped wrinkled and hairy underneath.

Locally common, in central and southern areas of the UK, Cowslips are often found on open unimproved calcareous grassland, other places include Roadside verges, Embankments, Gardens and tracks.

Cowslips provide a welcome nectar source for Butterflies, Bees and many other insects in early spring, it is also an essential larval food plant for the Duke of Burgundy Butterfly.

Cowslip close-up of yellow flowers in spring

Cowslip (prumula veris) close-up of flowers

Cowslips (primula veris) growing in a Wild Flower Meadow

grow Cowslips from seed

Grow Cowslips (Primula veris) from seed, they are available from Thompson & Morgan, for more information Visit Thompson & Morgan Here

Plant Information

Name: Cowslip (primula veris)
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Also Known As: Herb Peter, Fairy Cups
Where: Found locally through-out Britain except far north of Scotland
Habitat: Often found on – Meadows, Roadside verges, Embankments, Gardens and tracks.
When does it flower? April to June.
Fruiting: n/a.
Height around: 30cm.
Larval Food Plant: Duke of Burgundy Butterfly (Hamearis lucina)

Common Rock-Rose (halianthemum nummularium)

A bright yellow wildflower found in calcareous (alkaline) soils on well drained grassland, fairly common and widespread where soil conditions are right in the south and East of England, but becoming less common further North.

The five petaled yellow flowers appear May-September, around 15-25mm in size often in clusters.

The Common Rock-rose, provides a good nectar source for Bees and other insects, it is also a primary larval food-plant for the Brown Argus, Green Hairstreak, Northern Brown Argus, and Silver Studded-Blue Butterflies.

Quick Information

Group: Cistaceae.
Family: Rock-rose
Type: Perennial.
Height around: 50mm.
Habitat: Dry Grassland, Rocky areas.
Flowering: May to September.
Photograph right : shows open Rock Rose flower, flower buds and leaves
Photographed : 23rd May 2010.
Location : Barnack Hills and Holes (NNR)

Rock-rose (halianthemum nummularium) Wildflower with yellow flowers

Common Rock-rose (halianthemum nummularium) flower buds and leaves

Rare Orchids – Barnack Hills and Holes

Photographs of some of the 8 rare wild orchids, growing amongst the many other species of wildflowers, birds butterflies and other wildlife at Barnack Hills and Holes Nature Reserve. The Reserve also known locally as Barnack Hills and Hollows, consists of 54 acres of nationally important undulating calcareous or limestone grassland, located in the village of Barnack near the town of Stamford in Lincolnshire.

Early-Purple Orchid
(Orchis mascula)

Early-Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula)

Height: up to 40cm.
Can be seen: April – June.
Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 23rd April 2011.

Fragrant Orchid
(Gymnadenia conopsea)

Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea)

Height:up to 40cm
Can be seen:June to July
PhotographedBarnack Hills and Holes, 13th June 2010.

Man Orchid
(Aceras anthropophorun)

Man Orchid (Aceras anthropophorun)

Height: up to 25cm
Can be seen: May to June
Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 13th June 2010.
Where: South-South East England

Frog Orchid
(Coeloglossum viride)

Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride)

Height : up to 20cm.
Can be seen : June – August.
Photographed : Barnack Hills and Holes, 30th June 2010.

Pyramidal Orchid
(Anacamptis pyramidalis)

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

Height: up to 30cm.
Can be seen: : June – August.
Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 6th July 2010.

Bee Orchid
(Ophrys apifera)

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)

Height: up to 30cm.
Can be seen: June – July.
Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 25th June 2012.

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)

A rare wild flowering perennial, the Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) has unmistakable violet-purple bell shaped flowers, with golden yellow anthers, that may be seen April-May.

The delicate low growing feathery leaves appear around the same time as the flower buds, growing around the base of the silky haired flower stems.

After the Pasque flowers blooms have faded, a fluffy seed head begins to form. The flower stem continues to grow upward from inside the faded bloom until the seeds ripen and dry. They are then distributed by the wind.

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) rare purple spring wildflower

close-up of bright coloured purple Pasque flower

Pasque flower Information

Name: Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)
Family: Ranunculaceae – (Buttercup family)
Type: Perennial
soil: well drained limestone or chalk
Flowering: April – May
Height: 15-30 cm
Photographed: 14th April 2011 : Right- 6th May
Location: Barnack Hills and Holes Nature Reserve

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) large rare purple and yellow wildflowers

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) unmistakable bright purple and yellow flowers

Pasque Flower Habitat

Only found naturally growing wild on a small number of sites throughout the UK, the Pasqueflower requires quite a specific habitat, mainly well drained limestone or chalk (calcareous) grassland, with help from sheep grazing during the winter months.

This type of calcareous grassland habitat has declined over the years due to rises in agriculture, leaving just a small number sites across the UK, most are located in the South and South East of England.

Pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) seed heads

Pasque flower seed heads