September Wildflowers

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A familiar evergreen rampant woody climber carpeting the ground or climbing up trees and walls to 30m. The flowers are green with yellow anthers.

In ancient times ivy was considered to be the enemy of the vine and thus able to prevent intoxication, which is why Bacchus, god of the vine, is always depicted wearing an ivy wreath. Ivy was also considered to be a symbol of fidelity and Greek priests presented a wreath of it to newly-weds. It has been prescribed for numerous ailments. E.g. the berries steeped in wine for treatment of the plague, poultices for treating wounds, sores and corns. It has also been used as a hair dye and as a colour restorer to faded black fabric. Strong doses taken internally are poisonous.

Flowers September to November. This specimen was seen in the hedgerows down Church Road.

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Creeping Cinquefoil is a part of the Tormentil complex of prostrate, creeping yellow flowered perennials with 4 – 5 petals and 3 – 5 leaflets which prolifically hybridise.

Creeping Cinquefoil is distinguished by its flowers that are solitary on long slender stalks with five petals (and never four). The leaves are palmate with 3 – 5 (and usually 5) toothed, lanceolate leaflets on long stalks. It grows in bare and sparsely grassy places, waysides and hedgerows.

This a late flowering species and at its peak in September. This specimen was found growing in the hedgerow at the high point of Gongar Lane.