Friday, 26 June 2020

Settle Wildflowers - Day 52 - Red 7 - Pink: Dog Rose and Rest Harrow

I have a backlog of pinks - but must show some up to date pictures too. 
Here are two favourites:  Dog Rose (Rosa canina) at the beginning of June and  Rest Harrow (Ononis repens) at the end of June

1. Dog Rose
comes out at the beginning of June:

Not before (and the same for garden roses)


Rosa canina has hairless leaves, and the spines on the stem curve backwards.



On Thursday 25 June after a hot day I parked at Booths and went out in the late afternoon to search for the leaves of the Rest Harrow that I had seen in May beside the Ribble in the fields south of Penny Bridge.  And I was really delighted to find it - somehow the cattle and sheep had not grazed it.


Whilst this plant is not particularly rare, the next nearest plants I remember seeing are near the Wharfe above Grassington - and then at Quarry Moor Ripon.

Its leaves smell of guava when crushed. You used to be able to buy tinned guava in the supermarket 20 years ago but I have not been able to find it recently.

It is called Rest Harrow because apparently it would block up the harrow.










Click here for  more flowers coming out around Settle




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