This section features wildflowers commonly found during our walks around Bath and the surrounding countryside. Each entry includes identification tips, best viewing times, and typical habitats where you might spot these beautiful plants.
From spring bluebells carpeting the woodlands to summer meadow flowers and autumn berries, the Bath area offers a rich variety of wildflowers throughout the walking season.
Buttercups
Ranunculus - ‘buttercup’
- Growing in abundance in the fields around Chipping Sodbury - end of May 2015
- Buttercups are poisonous to cows which is why they are left uneaten
- The Latin name for Buttercups ‘Ranunculus’ means ’little frog’
Butterbur
Petasites - ‘Butterbur’
- Spotted in the woods near Kingscote Mid April
- Also known as Sweet Coltsfoot, butter dock, dog rhubarb and exwort
- Butterbur has been used historically to treat many ailments however it contains toxins and is not recommended to be taken internally
Red Campion
Silene dioica - ‘Red Campion’
- Growing abundantly around hedgerows and in woods near Chipping Sodbury end of May
- Some unusual traditional names for Red Campion are Batchelors’ buttons, Johnny Woods, Ragged Jack and Scalded Apples
- Female red campion flowers produce a froth that helps catch pollen from visiting insects
Purple Borage
Borago officinalis - ‘Borage/Starflower’
- Borage seeds are used to make starflower oil which is the highest known plant-based source of GLA
- Borage can be dried and used as a herb, the flowers are sweet and edible and can be used to decorate desserts
White Borage
White Borage
- Growing alongside the purple version on the riverbank
- White borage is cultivated and less dominant than the blue version
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum - ‘Old Maid’s Nightcap’
- Flowering in abundance in the meadows in June
- The Mesquakie Indians used to brew the roots as a tea for alleviating toothache
Pyramidal Orchid
Anacamptis pyramidalis - ‘Pyramidal Orchid’
- Flowering in abundance by the roadside near Avoncliff in July
- The pyramidal orchid was chosen as the County Flower of the Isle of Wight in 2008
Meadow Vetchling
Lathyrus pratensis – ‘Meadow vetchling’
- Spotted growing in the meadows around Castle Combe in August
- Meadow Vetchling is a member of the wild pea family and is classed as a legume
Field Bindweed
Convolvulus arvensis - ‘Field Bindweed’
- Spotted growing in the meadows around Castle Combe in August
- The insect in the flower on the right is the gloriously named ‘hogweed bonking beetle’
- Although pretty, bindweeds can be very invasive due to their deep roots, fast growth and long lasting seeds
Ragwort
Jacobaea vulgaris - ‘Ragwort’
- Spotted growing in the meadows around Castle Combe in August
- Ragwort has many common names, two of the best are mare’s fart and stinking willy!
- In the UK ragwort provides a home and food source to at least 77 insect species
Himalayan Balsam
Impatiens glandulifera - ‘Policeman’s Helmet’
- Growing along the brook in Midford in August
- The green seed pods, seeds, young leaves and shoots of Himalayan Balsam are all edible. The flowers can be made into jam
- It is the largest annual plant in Britain, growing up to 2.5m high from seed in a single season
Woolly Thistle
Cirsium eriophorum -‘Woolly Thistle’
- Growing in a gravel driveway in Midford in August
- The woolly thistle can grow to 1.5m tall
Wild Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla - ‘Wild Chamomile’
- Growing in a gravel driveway in Midford in August
- The word chamomile comes from the Greek and means ’earth-apple’
- Chamomile is used for many medicinal purposes including the well know chamomile tea
Woody Nightshade
Solanum dulcamara - ‘Woody Nightshade’
- Growing in the woods near Kingscote in August
- A relative of the infamous ‘deadly nightshade’ the woody nightshade is less potent but the berries can still be fatal if ingested
Great Willowherb
Epilobium hirsutum - ‘Great Willowherb’
- Growing in the fields around Kingscote in August
- Also known as hairy willowherb due to it’s hairy leaves and stems
Rosebay Willowherb
Chamerion angustifolium - ‘Rosebay Willowherb’
- Growing in the rugby pitch on the Bath Skyline walk in August
- A good example of a ‘pioneer species’ it was synonymous with the revival of London after the Second World War, growing on barren bomb sites
- Also known as ‘bomb-weed’ or ‘fire-weed’ as it thrives on damaged wasteland
Field Scabious
Knautia arvensis - ‘Field Scabious’
- Growing in the fields on the Bath Skyline walk in August
- Used in medieval times to treat scabies which is where it’s name comes from
- Popular food source for many butterflies and other insects
Common Daisy
Bellis perennis - ‘Common Daisy’
- Growing pretty much everywhere throughout the summer
- Bellis is Latin for “pretty” and perennis is Latin for “everlasting”
- Daisies can be found everywhere on earth apart from Antarctica
Wild Cyclamen
Cyclamen persicum - Wild Cyclamen
- Flowering along the roadsides around Rode in September
- Cyclamen are sometimes known as ‘sowbread’ as pigs love to eat the tubers
- Cyclamen are native to the Mediterranean as far south as North Africa
Wild Primrose
Primula vulgaris - Wild Primrose
- Flowering in abundance around Monkton Farleigh in March
- Picking wild primroses is illegal in the UK
- 19th April is ‘Primrose Day’
Water Forget-Me-Not
Myosotis scorpioides - Water Forget-Me-Not
- Flowering in the woods along Nunney Brook in March
- Also known as scorpion grass
- The Greek word Myosotis means ‘mouse ear’
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium - Yarrow
- Flowering on the high meadows around Ebbor Gorge in July
- Also known as Old Man’s Pepper or Devil’s Nettle
- Yarrow oil can be used as a mosquito repellant
Violet
Viola odorata - Violet
- Flowering in the woods around Ebbor Gorge in April
Cowslip
Primula Veris - Cowslip
- Flowering on the meadows around Ebbor Gorge in April
- Cowslips may be so named because they often grow around cowpats
Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta - Bluebell
- Flowering in the woods around Ebbor Gorge in April
Knapweed
Centaurea nigra - Knapweed
- Flowering in the meadows around Bath in June
- Also known as ‘Hardheads’
Wild Rose
Rosa canina - Dog Rose
- Flowering on Primrose Hill in June
- The hairs inside the rose hips are an irritant and are used to make itching powder
- Dog rose flowers are popular with insects for the nectar
Red Dead Nettle
Lamium purpureum - Red Dead Nettle
- Flowering in the meadows around Swainswick in March
- Bees love the red pollen and because they flower early they are an important food source for early queens
- Related to the stinging nettle but has no sting
Check back regularly as we add new wildflower identification guides based on flowers spotted during our rambles.