Liverleaf - hepatica nobilis

Hepatica nobilis - Liverleaf The hepaticas are among the earliest of our spring flowers, blossoming about March and frequently sooner. They grow only about 4 to 6 inches in height, with leaves produced from the rootstocks on soft, hairy stalks spreading on the ground. The thick and leathery evergreen leaves are roundish or kidney-shaped. New leaves appear later than the flowers. The bluish to purple or white flowers are about half an inch in diameter and are borne singly on slender, hairy stalks arising from the root.

Persian speedwell (veronica persica)

Veronica persica (common names: Persian speedwell, large field speedwell, bird'seye, or winter speedwell ). The seed leaves are broadly triangular cotyledons, with truncated base. The short-stalked leaves are broadly ovate (1-2 cm), having coarsely serrated margins. V. persica has weak stems that form a dense, prostrate ground cover. Tips of stems are often ascending. Leaves on the lower stems are paired, but are alternate on the upper portion of the stem. The short-petioled leaves are longer than they are broad and coarsely toothed. The flowers (8-11 mm wide) are sky-blue with dark stripes and a white center. They are solitary on long, slender, hairy stalks in the leaf axils, the lowest petal often white.

Viennese Squill (scilla vindobonenesis)

Scilla vindobonenesis - Viennese Squill Previously, the species is not distinguished from Scilla bifolia. A perennial plant reaching a height of 5-20 cm. The bulbs grow always only one stem. Leaves are usually two, exceptionally three. Scilla (squill) is a genus of bulb-forming perennial herbs in the Hyacinthaceae family. The 90-odd species are found in woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores across the Old World. Their flowers are usually blue, but white, pink, and purple types are known; most flower in early spring, but a few are autumn-flowering.

Unspotted Lungwort (pulmonaria obscura)

Pulmonaria obscura - Unspotted Lungwort Flowers appear in April, as soon as the snow leaves, and last blossoming plants can be found in June. The colouring of flowers is unusual: just revealed flowers are pink, then they becomes violet and at last dark blue. It is possible to find a flowers with different colour in the same inflorescence simultaneously, that makes a plant very beautiful and attractive. The flowers of lungwort are very rich in nectar. The nectar is located deep inside the extended tubular flower and only insects with a long proboscis can to reach it. The nectar is located deep inside the extended tubular flower and only insects with a long proboscis can to reach it. The rigid bristly covering of all plant is distinctive for Borage Family at all, and for a lungwort in particular. In the spring pubescent, dark green, oblong-oviform, sharped leaves sit on a same rough stalk of a lungwort. But in the summer, on opening of leaves on trees, appearance of plant varies strongly: stalk disappear and large root-side leaves grow on long petioles. These leaves are kept up to the snow, and till spring in southern areas .

Lungwort (pulmonaria officinalis)

Pulmonaria officinalis - Lungwort An evergreen perennial species of lungwort, native to locations throughout Europe. P. officinalis is a rhizomatous plant in the Borage family. In spring, it produces small bunches of trumpet shaped pink flowers which turn to blue-purple. The plant has been cultivated for centuries as a medicinal herb, the ovate spotted leaves held to be representative of diseased lungs. Lungworts are perennial herbs that form clumps or rosettes. They are covered in hairs of varied length and stiffness, and sometimes also bear glands. The underground parts consist of a slowly creeping rhizome with adventitious roots. Flowering stems are unbranched, rough, covered with bristly hairs, usually not exceeding 2530cm. The stems are usually upright, or slightly spreading.

Early dog-violet (viola reichenbachiana)

Viola reichenbachiana - Early dog-violet The early dog-violet is a low growing plant similar to the common dog-violet, but flowering slightly earlier, from March to May. The pale purple flowers have a spur that is darker than the petals. The shiny green, oval leaves are slightly narrower than those of the common dog-violet and those on the upper stem have furled bases. This tiny plant likes dry woodland edge habitats, especially on chalk or limestone.

Small pasque flower (pulsatilla pratensis)

Pulsatilla pratensis - Small Pasque Flower A species of the genus Pulsatilla, native to central and eastern Europe, from southeast Norway and western Denmark south and east to Bulgaria. It grows from near sea level in the north of the range, up to 2,100 m in the south of its range. It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 8-30 cm tall. The leaves are finely divided and threadlike, and densely covered with silvery hairs. The flowers are 2-3 cm long, pendulous, bell-like, the tepals with reflexed tips; flower colour varies from purple in the north of the species' range to greenish-violet in the south. The flowers are hermaphrodite, and are pollinated by bees; flowering is from early to mid spring.

Dog Tooth Violet (erythronium dens-canis)

Erythronium dens-canis (common name Dog's tooth violet or Dogtooth violet) is a small herbaceous flowering plant in the Liliaceae, native to Europe, where it is the only naturally occurring species. It produces a solitary white, pink or lilac flower at the beginning of spring. The petals (growing to approx. 3 cm) are reflexed at the top and are yellow tinted at the base. The brown spotted leaves are ovate to lanceolate and grow in pairs. The cormous white rootstocks are oblong and resemble a dog's tooth in appearance; hence the name. It can be found growing in shady and humid undergrowth of mountane southern Europe.

Bird-in-a-bush (corydalis solida)

Corydalis solida - Bird-in-a-bush, Fumewort A tuberous perennial from Europe. This species grows to 10" tall and features clusters (up to 20 flowers per cluster) of tube-shaped, purplish red flowers (1" long) which bloom in spring. Reddish to purple, rarely white petals four, two of which partly united and one elaborated into a long, straight or curved spur. Sepals two, free, soon withering. Stamens 2 (both actually consisting of one complete stamen and two halves, stamens thus originally four). Pistil formed from two fused carpels. Leaves: Alternate. Scale leave at the base. Stem leaves (usu. 13) stalked. Secondary leaflets usu. lobed, lobes oval to oblong, with rounded tip. Attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds. The whole plant vanish soon after the seeds are ripen (in late spring/very early summer).

Spring vetchling (lathyrus vernus)

Lathyrus vernus - Spring Vetchling From northern Europe and Siberia comes this uncommon, non-climbing hardy sweet pea. Bushy and compact, bearing purple or lavender sometimes pink or blue flowers and shiny pinnately-compound leaves, L. vernus is more sensitive to summer heat than winter's cold. This is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with upright, angular stems, mid- to dark-green leaves, with two to four pairs of sharp, pointed, pinnate leaflets, up to 8cm long. The flowers are produced in short racemes of up to six flowers, 2cm in length, reddish-purple in colour and becoming shaded greenish-blue with age. The plant may cause mild stomach upset if ingested.

Common chickweed (stellaria media)

Stellaria media (common chickweed), is a cool-season annual plant native to Europe, which is often eaten by chickens. The plant germinates in fall or late winter, then forms large mats of foliage. Flowers are small and white, followed quickly by the seed pods. This plant flowers and sets seed at the same time. It's at its best in the spring and fall, as it greatly prefers cool and damp conditions, and will not survive where it's dry and hot. If you look very closely at the stems, you'll see a single line of hairs running up the side, and you'll notice that the line changes sides at each leaf junction. The leaves are opposite, smooth, and oval (with a point at the tip), and the older leaves are stalked, while the new leaves are not. Stellaria media is edible and nutritious, and is used as a leaf vegetable, often raw in salads. Chickweed is a fairly safe food, however, as almost everything is somehow toxic if you use enough of it, over-consumption of this plant may give you diarrhea. Externally, chickweed relieves itching and inflammation and is generally soothing and moisturizing.

Wood anemone (anemone nemorosa)

Anemone nemorosa - Wood anemone It is a perennial herbaceous plant, growing in early spring from 5 to 15 cm tall. The plants start blooming soon after the foliage emerges from the ground. The leaves are divided into three segments and the flowers, produced on short stems, are held above the foliage with one flower per stem. They grow from underground root-like stems called rhizomes and the foliage dies back down by mid summer (summer dormant). The rhizomes spread just below the soil surface, forming long spreading clumps that grow quickly, contributing to its rapid spread in woodland conditions, where they often carpet large areas. The flower is 2 cm diameter, with six or seven petal-like segments (actually tepals) with many stamens. In the wild the flowers are usually white, but may be pinkish, lilac, blue or yellow and often have a darker tint to the back of the 'petals'. The flowers lack both fragrance.

Colts Foot (tussilago farfara)

Tussilago farfara - Colt's Foot This early-flowering perennial forms clumps of scaly, purplish, leafless floweringstems, 5-15cm tall, with leaves growing later. The leaves, which resemble a colt's foot in cross section, do not appear usually until after the seeds are set. Thus, the flowers appear on stems with no apparent leaves, and the later appearing leaves then wither and die during the season without seeming to set flowers. Leaves 100-300mm, rounded or angular with felt-like hairs beneath; the heart-shaped base has a long grooved stalk. Flowers March-April. Bright yellow, solitary, daisy-like heads, 1535mm wide, consist of a few tiny male flowers (florets) surrounded by many strapshaped female florets, all bordered by bracts; sepals are hair-like; 5 petals form a tube; with 5 stamens and 1 stigma. The smooth, nut-like fruit, 5-10mm long, has a parachute of long hairs. Grows on grassy banks and river shingle.

Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (gagea lutea)

Gagea lutea - Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem Yellow Star of Bethlehems length is about 4". The distinguishing characteristic of the pretty yellow star-of-Bethlehem is the long, glossy green sepals that extend the full length of the flower petals. The flowers are star-shaped and the petals bright yellow and slightly in-rolled. It is a bulb plant, with a solitary basal leaf, a bit like that of the bluebell, with a hooded tip and ridged back. The bulbs are edible. The plant grows on moist soil in woods, often in places seasonally flooded by streams and rivers, and accompanied by other spring flowers, like wood anemone, water forget-me-not and lesser celandine. However, unlike those species, it is rather scarce in the wild and one of those plants that may not always flower.

Yellow wood anemone (anemone ranunculoides)

Anemone ranunculoides - Yellow wood anemone A species of herbaceous perennial plant that grows in forests across most of Continental Europe, and less frequently in the Mediterranean region. It flowers between March and May. Growing to 5-15 cm tall, the plant is herbaceous, dying back down to its root-like rhizomes by mid summer. The rhizomes spread just below the earth surface and multiply quickly, contributing to its rapid spread in woodland conditions. The flower is about 1.5 cm diameter, with from five to eight petal-like segments (actually tepals) of rich yellow colouring.

Lesser celandine (ranunculus ficaria)

Ranunculus ficaria - Lesser celandine A low-growing, hairless perennial plant, with fleshy dark green, heart-shaped leaves. The plant is found throughout Europe and west Asia and is now introduced in North America. It prefers bare, damp ground. Carpeting the spring woodland floor with gold, this perennial is 5-25cm tall, with stems angled upwards. Leaves to-40mm, from base or spirally arranged on stem, heart-shaped, toothed, with notch in base of leaf; lower leaves have longer stalks than upper leaves. Flowers March-May. Rich yellow flowers 20-30mm, hermaphrodite, singly on long stalks; 3 sepals oval; 0-12 petals oval; many stamens and stigmas. Fruit up to 2.5mm, broadly egg-shaped, beaked, does not open to release seed. Many fruits together in rounded heads. Grows in woods, hedges or grassy banks. The plant is widely used in Russia and is sold in most pharmacies as a dried herb. The Russian name for it is "chistotel" (which means "clean body") and it is brewed and used in baths to help cure dermatatis and other skin irritations. is effective against rosacea.

Cinquefoil (potentilla reptans)

Potentilla reptans - Cinquefoil The plant called the cinquefoil has a creeping habit. The stem runners of this perennial herb can often reach up to five feet in length. The cinquefoil bears leaves that have serrated or toothed margins on the lamina. The leaves are marked off by hairy veins. Leaves are borne on long stalks and each individual is divided into five or seven smaller leaflets. The cinquefoil bears bright yellow colored flowers from May to August in the fall. Each leaf is borne singly on individual leafless stalks on the plant. The cinquefoil is quite easy to recognize in the wild. The herb is a rather pretty and dainty species of plant. The name of the cinquefoil is after an Old French word that means "five-leaf." Cinquefoil has a stem that creeps on the ground similar to the way in which the stem of the strawberry plant creep's using runners. The creeping stem produces roots, and then sends up stalks which either bears a solitary yellow flower or a leaf that is divided into five or seven distinct serrated leaflets.