These are the seeds of hemlock water dropwort (Oenanthe crocata), probably the UK’s most poisonous plant.
Continue reading “Hemlock water dropwort”Hemlock water dropwort
Woody nightshade
Woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) in the car park, heavy with berries, climbing through the roses.
Continue reading “Woody nightshade”Dog’s mercury
Dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis) is one of those mysterious, usually nameless, plants that is hardly ever noticed. It forms dense carpets on the woodland floor and beneath old hedgerows but appears to most passers-by as just background for the bluebells and primroses.
Continue reading “Dog’s mercury”Poisonous berries
The changing climate rushes our flowering season on and the reserve is already full of seeds, fruits and berries, food for our wildlife but not always for its human occupants. Some berries are poisonous.
Continue for details and pictures
Scarlet pimpernel
This is Anagallis arvensis or scarlet pimpernel discovered last week among the grass in the set-aside at the top of Kestrel Field and photographed by Ian Bushell. It is a tiny annual plant more usually found growing in bare ground under arable crops than among the reserve’s lush grasses and, like so many of our wildflowers species, it is now in serious decline due to modern intensive agricultural practices.
Continue readingDog’s mercury
Dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis) is one of those mysterious, usually nameless, plants that is hardly ever noticed. It forms dense carpets on the woodland floor and beneath old hedgerows but appears to most passers-by as just background for the bluebells and primroses.
Continue reading “Dog’s mercury”
Stinking iris
Clive Knight has sent us pictures of the beautiful scarlet seeds of Iris foetidissima growing in our woods.
Continue readingFlea circus part 2
Part Two
This is a water flea (Daphnia magna), not even a distant cousin to the fleas on your dog, but very close to the bottom of the freshwater food chain that is being disrupted by your dog’s flea treatment.
Continue reading “Flea circus part 2”Flea circus
Part One
Research has recently found that the highly toxic insecticides used on cats and dogs to kill fleas are poisoning England’s rivers. Scientists believe that significant environmental damage is being done to important water insect populations, down at the bottom of the freshwater food chain.
Continue reading “Flea circus”
Spindle berries
This year the park’s spindle trees have produced a bumper crop of poisonous, bright pink berries.
Woody nightshade
A woody nightshade flower, photographed this week, in the car park.
Continue readingHemlock water dropwort
This post was first published in June 2019 but the warning bears repeating.
This is hemlock water dropwort (Oenanthe crocata), by some accounts the UK’s most poisonous plant.
Continue reading “Hemlock water dropwort”Dog’s mercury
Dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis) is one of those mysterious, usually nameless, plants that is hardly ever noticed. It forms dense carpets on the woodland floor and beneath old hedgerows but appears to most passers-by as just background for the bluebells and primroses.
Continue reading “Dog’s mercury”Woody nightshade
Woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) in the car park, heavy with berries, climbing through the roses.
Continue reading “Woody nightshade”Hemlock water dropwort
This is hemlock water dropwort (Oenanthe crocata), by some accounts the UK’s most poisonous plant.
Continue reading “Hemlock water dropwort”Poisonous berries
The hot summer has rushed the flowering season on and the park is full of seeds, fruits and berries: food for the park’s wildlife but not always for its human occupants. Some berries are poisonous.
…
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 