That unusual plant!

[rich59]

In your exercise I hope you are using the wild places out there. When you are out there look for the unusual individual plant - due to genetics and not environment, not the garden/ commercial varieties. Take a photo and share.

Common things to see are
- variegation in the leaf colour - usually white or yellow periphery
- abnormal flower colour,
- double flowers
- abnormal leaf shape such as cut, or leaf size
- overall plant shape

If anyone happens to know of white flowered variants of many plants then I would be very interested. Ground ivy on my mind at the moment, and dandelion. Also, elderberry variants - flower, fruit, leaf, plant size and shape

 

[Broch]

We have white bluebells in the wood - these are British Bluebells - Hyacinthoides non-scripta, not a cultivated species. In nearly 15 acres we probably have 6 or 7 small clusters of 3 or 4 plants.

 

[rich59]

Around me the bluebells in the woods are a bit of a mixture with traits clearly of some cultivated as well as wild bluebells. So white and pink are not uncommon.

I did see some wild "pink bluebells" in a friend's woods a while back. Turned out to be orchids. Clearly I needed to put my glasses on.

 

[Broch]

Yep, there's early purple orchids amongst the bluebells in one area here

One of the things I realised early on in my plant ID studies was that with variations and hybridisation I really don't stand a chance!

 

[rich59]

I have found a number of white fruiting elderberries. Rare in most locations, although I think there is a pattern of seeing them around canals - suggesting they were selected by our ancestors working the canals.

 

[rich59]

On my allotment I have found a double wild rose. I suppose it could be a cross with a garden one, but seems like a wild rose in all other respects.