Rosebay willow-herb, Porton
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Rosebay willow-herb, Porton by Maigheach-gheal as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
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Image: © Maigheach-gheal Taken: 21 Jun 2011
Beside the Winterslow Road there is a double hedge where many wildflowers grow in profusion including Rosebay willow-herb. Named after its long, narrow, willow like leaves, the willow-herb grows as an upright spike covered with pink flowers. Rosebay willow-herb, or fireweed, was a rare native species which suddenly began to spread in about 1860, perhaps as a result of genetic change; it is now everywhere, except the far west of Ireland, and is abundant on waste land round towns, in cleared woodland and road side verges.