Wildflower

Wild Marjoram for a Wildflower or Butterfly Garden

about

Wild Marjoram or Oregano is an attractive aromatic herb, with clusters of purple/pink flowers that appear June to September. The leaves are oval shaped and in pairs on upright stems they can grow up to 40 cm high.

Wild Marjoram (Origarnum vulgare) may be found growing in meadows, along woodland rides, roadside verges and other sunny places mainly on dry calcareous soils in Southern Britain.

Planting Marjoram

Planting Wild Marjoram can make a great addition to any Wildflower or Butterfly Garden, the nectar rich blooms are attractive to many species of Butterfly, as well as Moths, Bees, Hoverflies and many other pollinating insects.

It is also a Caterpillar food plant for the rare British butterfly the Large Blue

Wild Marjoram Flower Head pink and white petals

Close-up of Wild Marjoram Flower Head

Wild Marjoram a wild flower with many small pink and white flowers in July

Wild Marjoram flowering in July

Plant Information

Name: Wild Marjoram (Origarnum vulgare)
Family: Lamiaceae, inc Mint, Deadnettle
Type: Perennial
Also Known As: Oregano, Pot Marjoram
Where: Common and widespread through-out Southern Britain.
Habitat: Often found in – Meadows, woodland rides, Roadside verges and Gardens.
When does it flower? June to September.
Height around: 40cm.
Nectar Plant: Small White (Pieris rapae), Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album), Brown Argus, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, and others, plus Moths and Bees
Caterpillar Food Plant: Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea arion), Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata)
Photographed: 1st July 2012

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

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Garden Weed or Wildflower

A bright orange or yellow flowering herbaceous perennial, the Dandelion is most often referred to as another garden weed, rather than a wildflower, due to its ability to turn up in lawns, borders, just about anywhere, able to tolerate most conditions and just about any type of soil.

When does it flower?

Flowering begins in March and runs through to October, each Dandelion plant often bears a number of singular flower heads, or florets, each with its own hollow stem from a central rosette of lobed leaves.

Being one of the earliest flowering nectar sources the Dandelion is an important plant for many early pollinating insects such as bees, as well as a several species of butterflies and moths. Butterflies like the Brimstone, Orange-Tip and Large White take advantage of this early nectar source (list will be updated).

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Seeds, also known as a “Clock”

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) in flower

Seeds

After flowering, the Dandelion flower dries and after a few days opens out into a spherical structure or “clock”. Each seed is attached to fine hairs which act as a type of parachute which help distribute the mature seeds via the wind.

Beneficial Weed

Despite the Dandelion being known as just a garden weed, it is also a very beneficial plant, besides having many medicinal properties, being edible the leaves can be boiled and eaten, and are rich in essential vitamins and the flower petals are used in making Dandelion wine.

Plant Information

Name: Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Group: Asteraceae
Type: Perennial
Similar appearance to: Cat’s Ear or false dandelion, Mouse-ear Hawkweed
Flowering: March to October.
Position: Full Sun.
Height: around 35cm
Larval food plant: Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa).
Nectar plant: Brimstone, Orange-Tip, Large White, Red Admiral
Photograph: 18th April

Shrubs and Plants for a Butterfly Garden

Creating a butterfly garden

Creating a butterfly garden, or a garden for wildlife, can be done by choosing nectar rich plants and shrubs. These will attract butterflies, moths, bees and other beneficial insects to visit even the smallest of gardens. Planted and placed in a warm sheltered spot, they can be grown in the ground, in Patio pots, troughs, old buckets or washing-up bowls.

Habitat Loss

The loss of wildflower meadows, hedgerows, woodlands and the over use of chemicals in the countryside by intensive farming, has seriously effected the numbers of our butterfly species, creating a butterfly garden can help reverse this decline for some of our butterflies.

Choosing Plants

When choosing a selection of plants, if possible choose a mixture of both native wildflowers and cultivated varieties. These types of plants are often referred to as herbaceous perennials, biennials or cottage garden flowers they are usually colourful easy to grow and require little maintenance. Shrubs like Buddleia are also easy maintenance and a magnet for summer garden butterflies.

Peacock Butterfly, April Blackthorn Blossom

Peacock Butterfly, on Blackthorn Blossom in early Spring

Orange-tip Butterfly on wildflowering violets in early Spring

Orange-tip Butterfly on Violet Flower

There are many species of Native plants some of which are generally considered by gardeners as common weeds such as dandelions, buttercups, and daises. These hardy wild perennials are probably some of the earliest wild flowering plants and play an important role in early spring and will often continue to flower late into autumn.

Will butterflies breed in my garden?

If Peacock, Comma, or Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are visitors to your garden you can encourage them to breed by planting some Nettles. The Nettles are best planted in a tub or trough then buried in the ground, this will stop them from spreading around the garden. Carefully choose a sunny position near nectar plants, female butterflies can be quite fussy where they lay their precious eggs.

Why Early Flowering Plants so important to wildlife?

Spring flowering plants and shrubs provide a welcome nectar source, for butterflies, moths, bees and other insects awakening from winter hibernation. Butterflies like the Peacock, Comma, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshells and Brimstone will all benefit from a selection of well chosen plants in a carefully planned butterfly garden.