Wonderful wildflowers of Yorkshire
By seaburngirl
11 comments
Today I went to a couple of Yorkshire Wildlife trust reserves looking at wild flowers, in particular native orchids and a rare Broomrape.
There were lots of common spotted orchids, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, in a range of purples through to almost white.
Anacamptis pyramidalis.
One of my personal favourites is the bee orchid, Ophrys apifera.
Another member of the orchid group is Twayblades. A greenish yellow flower with 2 large leaves.
At one site we found a few thistle broomrape plants. This is a parasitic plant and has no chlorophyll so has to attach to the roots of its preferred host plant to gain nutrients. In this case it is thistle. Hard to spot but once you get your eye in they stick out like a sore thumb.
There were many more pretty wildflowers such as thyme, birdsfoot trefoil, lady’s bedstraw and buttercups. We will be going back every couple of weeks to see how the flowers change with the seasons.
Told today that there was a colony of Ivy broomrape in a local carpark. We went down after tea and it is an amazing colony.
close up of the flower.
23 Jun, 2021
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Comments
Oh I've wanted to see all these in the photos (especially broomrape and the bee orchid)and never seen any of them. Just investigated and found some sites for various varieties of Broomrape in our county so who knows...
What a lovely day out you had - no wonder you want to go back for another visit!
23 Jun, 2021
Toria found broomrape on plants on the sand dunes over Port Talbot way but I cant remember which plant was the host.
Plenty of bee orchids and Twayblades at Parc Slip, Tondu when she was there in 2018/19
24 Jun, 2021
apparently there is Ivy broomrape in a car park behind a supermarket in the next village/town along. off there this afternoon with my camera.
24 Jun, 2021
If you only saw it out of the corner of your eye you might think it was navelwort and not bother looking more closely!
We have become real stay at homes and never venture that far east! Thank you for the info though - you never know!
Lots of ivy and nettlesround here though so you never know your luck...
24 Jun, 2021
I have added the photo of the ivy broomrape.
24 Jun, 2021
I agree, you are very lucky to be close to a lovely place like this!
25 Jun, 2021
just noticed wild orchids on the verge next to the main roundabout into/out of the village. Strange how once you get your 'eye in' they are everywhere.
25 Jun, 2021
Lovely pics, Eileen. Beautiful natives indeed! Love the colour on the first one,
I imagine you thoroughly enjoyed your visit.
26 Jun, 2021
I agree, such nice clear photos. I have never seen a Bee- orchid, but have seen the others inc, the Broomrapes. I saw a Yellow Birds-nest on Sandwich golf course, Kent, but that's the only time. All interesting plants. Thank you for sharing your visit, I like all the wild plants.
27 Jun, 2021
It's nice to see a variety of wild flowers, and interesting to soo those broomrapes, I've never seen them growing here.
I miss seeing wild flowers now.
28 Jun, 2021
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How delightful to have these areas close to you.
23 Jun, 2021