20 Common Urban Plants in Ireland - BSBI
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20 Common Urban Plants in Ireland
Leaflet produced by Phoebe O'Brien based on species seen during a Heritage Week walk in August 2017
Annual Meadow-grass Bramble (Rubus fruticosus)
(Poa annua) There are in fact many different species of
bramble growing in Ireland but they are very
The small Annual Meadow-grass has white hard to tell apart. If you look into the centre
looking flowers, with folded hairless leaves of the flower you can see the female
which are sometimes wrinkled. This grass reproductive organs, looking like a small
can be found in flower all through the year. brush. Each will swell and make a fruit so
It has small roots. there will be a cluster of fruits in the
blackberry.
Bittersweet Butterfly-bush (Buddleia
(Solanum dulcamara) davidii)
Bittersweet has purple or white flowers Butterfly-bush, has tube-like flowers which
with protruding yellow anthers. This plant attract insects. It can spread quickly, and be
looks a lot like a potato plant. It is very invasive. Its woody roots can penetrate
poisonous and will produce fruits which old stone walls.
turn red in late summer.
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Creeping buttercup Dandelion (Taraxacum spp.)
(Ranunculus repens) Similar to the Daisy there are lots of small
flowers in the Dandelion, but each is tongue-
There are two very common buttercups like rather than star-like. Take one apart and
found in towns. Look at the leaves and the look for the pappus, the hairs which will
flower stalk to be sure which one you have. make the dandelion clock. The leaves are all
The flower stalk of Creeping buttercup is low to the ground in a rosette.
ridged but that of the Meadow buttercup is
smooth.
Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa)
Daisy (Bellis perennis) Figwort has really square stems
and has regularly arranged
Everyone knows daisies, but did you know small red flowers. Break a leaf
that they are lots of tiny flowers held in one and sniff quickly and you might
head? Look closely and you can see the star- catch a funny smell.
like top of each floret in the yellow centre.
2
Greater plantain (Plantago major) Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)
Greater plantain is one of two Groundsel is another flower in the Daisy
very common plantains which family, whose tiny florets have no
have strong parallel veins tongues. It flowers year round. It also has
through their leaves. Its a pappus so it makes small clocks. The
relative Ribwort Plantain has bracts around the flower head have little
narrower lance-shaped leaves. black dots.
Both have many tiny flowers.
Great willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum)
Great willowherb is hairy and
Herb-Robert (Geranium robertianum)
tall. Like all willowherbs its Flowers in the Geranium family all have a
flower parts are in fours, but strong smell and this is no exception. The
this one has a four-lobed five pink-petalled flowers will make a long
stigma too. It could be confused beak to catapult the seeds when they are
with Rosebay whose bright ripe. To distinguish it from other
pink flowers are held in a dense geraniums look at the leaves. Herb-Robert
arrangement at the top of the has three main sections to its leaf, each of
stem, rather than singly. which is lobed.
3
Ivy-leaved toadflax Pellitory-of-the-wall
(Cymbalaria muralis) (Parietaria judaica)
Look closely at the small flowers; they have This plant has such insignificant flowers
a yellow and white furry throat and a spur. that it is almost unnoticed but it grows
When they make a seed they will sense and prolifically on walls around towns. Once
turn away from the light so that they plant you recognise its leaves you will see it
the seed back into the wall. everywhere. It is a relative of nettles and
the common garden escape Mind-your-
own-business.
Nettle (Urtica dioica) Red Valerian (Centranthus
Nettles have separate male and female
ruber)
plants. If you are brave look closely with a Red Valerian is a non-native plant which
hand lens to see the tiny flowers, seeds on like Butterfly-bush likes to grow into old
female plants and stinging hairs which are stone work, and sometimes breaks it! Take
nearly bigger than the flowers. off one individual flower and you will see a
tiny spur or pouch which can fill with
nectar.
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Shepherd's-purse (Capsella Smooth Sow-thistle
bursa-pastoris) (Sonchus oleraceus)
Shephard’s-purse is one of many small Unlike the dandelion Sow-thistles have
annual and biennial members of the several flower heads and leaves up their
Cabbage family commonly found in cracks stalks. The stalks are tall and hollow but
in the pavement or in flowerbeds. They all have latex if you break them. Their florets
have four white petals but this one is easy are quite pale yellow and sometimes their
to recognise because it has heart-shaped leaves become purple. The Smooth Sow-
seedpods. thistle has no hairs or spikes.
Silverweed (Potentilla anserina)
White clover (Trifolium repens)
Silverweed leaves look like
feathers, but hunt around and Did you know that White clover
you may find a flower which is in the pea family? So too are
looks like a buttercup. Turn it plants like Gorse/Furze. Their
over and you will see that they flowers have a big upper petal
have twice the number of sepals called the standard, two small
as petals, a feature often seen in petals to each side called the
the Rose family. wings and a fused boat like keel
that contains the reproductive
parts.
Photographs: P. O’Brien and C. Seale Supported by the Heritage Council
To learn more visit www.bsbi.org/ireland @BSBIbotany
.
BSBI Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland - Irish section
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