Tuesday 17 March 2009

Plant identification

Saw these flowering near Lemington Gut -

I've got as far as thinking they are Broomrape or Orobranche.
If I'm correct they are a parasitic plant which rely on adjacent plants for nutrients and water.
Would appreciate any comments on identification.
Also managed a pic of a few of the twenty strong flock of Curlew flying over.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hiya.
Your mystery plants are either Winter Heliotrope or Butterbur ( very similar species ). As they`re so far on, i would say the former, as Butterbur is only just starting to flower.
Hope this helps.

Citybirding said...

Thanks for that Dean

Phil said...

Looks like butterbur (Petasites fragrans), which has more flowers in each spike than winter heliotrope (Petasites hybridus). If it is the latter the flowers will have a distinct vanilla scent (although to me winter heliotrope smells more like marzipan). There are separate male and female plants in butterbur and the male flower spikes are shorter, more compact. I really enjoy your blog.

Anonymous said...

Not very often i`m right, but i`m wrong again.

Citybirding said...

Thanks Greenfingers for the input