What wildflower is it? 

There are hundreds of different species of wild flowers in the UK. Identifying them can be a very tricky, so here is a photo ID guide to some of the more common species you may find in your school, park or garden. For ease the flowers are separated by colour, but some flower colours var and pinks may look more like purple or vice versa.

Take a photo of the flower or whole plant and see if it matches any of these. Click on photos to enlarge.

Yellow

Dandelion. In flower from March to October, once pollinated the golden flowers change to seedhead clocks. Explore change over time with Wonder Study resources here

Celandine. Often confused with buttercup, but flowers much earlier ( February to April) and has 8-12 petals. Low ground level plant with heart shaped leaves.

Meadow Buttercup. Flowers April- September. Taller flower stems than Celandine and has 5 petals.

Primrose Flowers very early in the year – January – March 

Cowslip  Leaves look similar to Primrose, but flowers are much smaller and on taller stem than primrose

Bird’s Foot Trefoil

Marsh Marigold  Grows in damp areas on the edge of ponds, rivers or streams 

Goats Beard  Taller than dandelion, the seed head is much bigger too

Yellow Corydalis Grows out of rocks, brick walls etc

Yellow Flag Iris   Grows in ponds, boggy areas or the edge of water.

Ragwort Flowers from mid-summer its the food plant of the stripy Cinnabar moth caterpillars.

Sow Thistle

Herb Bennett

Pineapple Mayweed

Gorse

Silverweed

Tansy

Groundsel  (photo to come)

Pink

Red Campion

Red Dead Nettle

Red Clover

Knapweed

Red Valerian

Herb Robert

Ragged Robin

Foxglove  Much loved by bees but Foxglove is poisonous  – so do not touch.

Hedge Woundwort

Purple Loosestrife

Rosebay Willowherb (photo to come)

ORANGE / RED

Fox & Cubs

Scarlet Pimpernel – Flowers are about 1cm across

Poppy. On tall hairy stems, the flowers don’t last very long

Blue/Purple

Forget Me Not  Flowers from March 10-30cm high

Alkanet  Flowers look similar to Forget Me Not, but are darker blue and the plant is much bigger (80-100 cm tall)

Speedwell 

Ivy Leaved Toadflax  A tiny plant normally found growing in cracks in walls or pavement

Grape Hyacinth   Flowers March-April , 15-20cm, tall

Periwinkle

Bluebell

Teasel

Dog Violet

Meadow Cranesbill.

Scabious

Self-Heal

Ground Ivy (photo to come)

White Or Mostly White

Cow Parsley

Wild Carrot

White Clover

Bramble (Blackberry)

Dog Rose

Snowdrop

Wood Anemone

White Dead Nettle

Daisy. A familiar flower on school playing fields, parks and garden lawns. But have you noticed the pink edges of its petals

Oxeye Daisy  A giant daisy, oxeye daisy flowers  are 5-10cm across and 30 – 60cm high

Ribwort Plantain

Great Bindweed