Botanicals

Angelica, cannabis & scarlet pimpernel

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Angelica sylvestris, wild angelica, found growing next to the central path at the far end of Lambrok Meadow, and photographed by Suzanne Humphries. It is a tall and robust plant that might even be taken for giant hogweed but unlike any of the heracleums, it is entirely hairless. Bright green candied angelica stem is still used to decorate cakes.

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Cannabis sativa, found by a neighbouring farmer in a next door field, photographed and removed by PCSO Mat Till, who thinks that its grower may have been accessing this little allotment through our park. According to Wikipedia, Cannabis sativa goes by more than a thousand common names, including pot, bhang and ganja; the latter seems to be derived from ancient Sanskrit, gañjikā.

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Anagallis arvensis or scarlet pimpernel found growing in the grass in the set-aside at the top of Kestrel Field, and photographed by Jenny Fleming. Scarlet pimpernel is a tiny annual plant, more usually found growing in bare ground under arable crops than among lush grasses. Anagallis arvensis also comes in a bright blue version.