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Alphington's wild flora

Wild flowers in and around Alphington's lanes

By Rowena Jay

Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber)

The roots of this plant bury themselves in holes and crevices of old walls. It was originally introduced as a garden plant in the 16th Century but it escaped and is now found growing wild in many parts of Britain. Although it is called "Red" and "Ruber" is the Latin for red it can also have white flowers. It flowers between June and August.

Common fumitory (Fumaria officinalis)

Fumitory comes from the Latin word meaning "smoke of the earth". The South American name is "Fume Root" because if you pull up this plant the roots give off an acrid smell like the fumes of nitric acid. This plant flowers between May and September and can be found on roadsides; it sometimes climbs but generally its stems become quite tangled.

Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)

This is a common plant in shady spots in hedgerows, rocks and walls also in woods. In Autumn, and also if the plant is growing in a dry spot, the leaves and stems turn fiery red. It is thought that here are two reasons why the plant was given the name "Robert"; it could have come from the Latin word "ruber" meaning red or from the actual name "Robert" who was an early Duke of Normandy.

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

This tall plant grows in woods and on heaths and banks. It can have between twenty and eighty flowers on one stem and these can be seen from June until August.

Ivy-leaved Toad Flax (Cymbalaria muralis)

This plant that grows in old walls was introduced into London from the Mediterranean in 1640. It became a favourite in garden rockeries and from there escaped into the wild. When the flowers have been fertilised the stems curl round so that the capusles containing the seeds are pushed into the cracks and crevices of the stone wall. It obtained its names "Ivy-leaved" because of the Ivy shaped leaves and "Cymbalaria" because the leaves are depressed in the middle just like a cymbal. The plant flowers from May until September.

Back to widlife and flora in Alphinton's lanes and around the Exeter Canal.