Even in the deepest midwinter, you can still spot wildflowers growing all over the UK in a range of different habitats, including woodlands. These beautiful drops of colour are hardier than they look and know how to survive the winter. Native wildflowers provide support systems for a great biodiversity of native insects, having evolved simultaneously.
Take a look at the ground on your winter walk and you may see some lovely wildflowers growing up through all the squelchy mud and leaves!
Here are some to try and spot:
Wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella
A widespread wildflower often found on the woodland floor growing on moss on decaying branches, wood sorrel has delicate white petals marked with tiny pink or purple veins. The flowers and their heart-shaped leaves fold up at night.
Lesser celandine Ficaria verna
A member of the buttercup family which at its peak can carpet a woodland floor with golden star-like flowers. Lesser celandine will happily grow on the banks of streams and in ditches, and is a valuable source of early nectar for insects such as queen bumblebees and other pollinators emerging from hibernation.
Herb Robert Geranium robertianum
Herb Robert is a low-growing plant with small, bright pink flowers and fern-like leaves. Its stems and leaf stalks are covered in hairs. It is happy in shady areas and can often be spotted growing in the cracks of walls and pavements.
Primrose Primula vulgaris
If the winter has been mild, primrose can bloom as early as December. You may spot this pretty yellow flower, tougher than it looks, in woodland clearings or under a tree in your garden. Primrose is an important source of nectar for pollinators such as the small tortoiseshell butterfly.
Spear thistle Cirsium vulgare
A hardy plant flowering primarily from July to October, but often still spotted in midwinter. The iconic purple flower sits on top of a stem that can grow to almost six feet tall. Considered a nuisance by many, spear thistle is in fact a fantastic plant for wildlife, being a rich nectar source for many pollinating insects and a food source for birds such as goldfinches and greenfinches that feast on its seeds.
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis
Possibly the most cheering wildflower in the UK as its appearance tells us that the worst of the winter is over. Snowdrops favour damp soil and light shade and can be spotted in woodlands, parks and gardens. The delicate white petals of their drooping heads are unmistakable and always a welcome sight!
Help us conserve, restore and create wildflower meadows with The Future Forest Company today through our Nature Restoration Sponsorships. Your sponsorship will contribute to the conservation and management of our wildflower meadows. Support wildflower meadow sowing, planting and management to help the recovery of our bee and other vital pollinator populations.
