Weeds in my Street 2013

Like in 2012 (plus overview) I will try to record all species of wild plants that I find growing in my street (excluding grasses and mosses). I will also attempt to be slightly more methodological this year by only including plants when they are in flower and I will sort them by month. Also: I now have a new camera and it find that it is better in doing close-ups but worse in landscape pics so expect more of the former.

FEBRUARY

The common snowdrop growing on a street compost heap. 

APRIL

The weather has been unusual so far. It hasn't been insanely cold but It has been freezing well into April and there was little plant growth to report until the weather changed last week and a number of plants rose to the occasion. As you can see, apart from the dandelion, they are all white, small and fragile in appearance. Less then two weeks later however these plants are already vanishing from view, remaining like the last eruptions of a flu-virus. Other plants, ones that need a little more time and sun are now starting to show itself. 

Sheperd's purse.

Hairy bittercress hidden behind the leaves of some other plant, but you can see the small, round cress leaves .

Spring draba.

The spiky ones are thale cress.

Dandelion, the opportunist that out-opportunes all other opportunists.

 Chickweed.

Common groundsel, a nice, introverted plant, a shy dandelion.

Spotted deadnettle, found in the same place as last year when I thought It was a Purple DN. Thnx Claude.

A young stinging nettle. A plant that belongs to civilization. Richard Mabey writes about dead nettles still living on changed soil conditions from 1600 years ago. Will try to find one in full bloom later.

A thistle, probably a common one. I am breaking here my intention to only include plants when they are in flower, but I am guessing that it won't reach maturity. Last year I did not see any thistles in my street but I did see them in the neighbourhood. A welcome addition though it strikes me that where most people will take the nettle for granted they will react with less graciousness to the prickliness of the thistle. (And I was right: two weeks later these were removed.)

The first garden escape of the year is the Grape Hyacinth. I know this plant from my grandmother's garden and I never noticed it going native before. I don't think this one travelled very far as you can see from the inserted picture. Only a black merc between the two prevented me from giving you a landscape frame. According to Dutch wikipedia this plant is indeed found wild throughout the country.

MAY

We have seen this bit of street above for the dead nettle but there is also the narcissus/daffodil almost hidden away. Now this is a tricky inclusion because these are planted in parks and road bends all over town and you can never be totally sure but they are known to spread on their own and I think that is an example.  

A male fern in a shadowy, moist alley below street level just at they like it in 'natural' conditions. 

Wall-rue, a fern, mortar eating and eternal.

It took me a while to notice that the prickly poppy goes from yellow to orange and so I identify this one as a specimen of this ever more common plant.

Clover, what can I say, I like them drawn into my Guinness. I think of them more as grass than as plants.

The greater celandine is found at many places around my street, there are even more than last year, but this is the first one to flower. Elsewhere, where sun conditions are better they flower weeks earlier and grow to remarkable size.

The yellow corydalis originates in the Alps and has just come into flower as you can see.  

With it's dark leaves this species is suitable gloomy species to plant on your dog's garden grave, but what's it name? Most likely: wood violet.

JUNE

The ever pretty Wood sorrel.

Red Valerian.

The only serious plant spotter I know, Claude,  identified this as a Spiked rampion. It's on the red list of endangered species. Too bad then it has been weeded.

A cleaver. Was expecting this plant last year but didn't see it.

Serbian bellflower, nasty plant.

Wikipedia gives many vernacular names for it, Sonchus arvensis.

Common knotgrass, nice plant will try to take a pic when in flower.

Canadian Horseweed.

The bane of my life: Hollyhock. They grow between the pavement and the wall.

The Greater plantain.

A fascinating understatement of a plant: square-stemmed willowherb. 

Wall lettuce.

Wild Chamomile,  I think.

Hedge Mustard.

Smooth Hawkbeard.
 

Ground elder. Great for pesto people keep telling me.

One of the vernacular names for this is Death come Quickly. Why?

JULY

Oh I am so excited: the fat-hen is a staple of the forager's diet and I was hoping to find it last year but no. It was around in other streets but not mine. Now at the utmost corner, I have found one. I am going to login in Selborne and maybe we can follow its spread over the years.

Galinsoga, friend from America, it is polite here but will stay deep in autumn and grow and grow.

Red Shank, or Peach Herb in proper Dutch.

The only occurrence of this plant. A reader suggested common chicory last year. I tend to agree.

Sow thistle. Above is another plant from the same family.

The nettle-leaved bellflower. Last year there was only one and it now they have spread from that source in both directions maybe for 10 meters.

Completely forgot I had taken this picture, but it is in my street and I didn't know what it was, happily a reader suggested Colewort.. 

AUGUST  / SEPTEMBER

Ohlala! A blackberry (or bramble if you are from the UK). It has cold feet but knowing the species it won't last long. 

Sun spurge or according to wikipedia 'madwoman's milk': poisonous.

Autumn witch herb: deadly nightshade

Common in herb garden and grassy field: tansy.

A discovery that had me shaking in my shoes. It's already past flowering, anyone knows a name?

First found in the Netherlands in Tilburg in 1939, now it is everywhere: Senecio_inaequidens.

I think Dark mullein but I need convincing.