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Great Willowherb

©Neil Wyatt

Great willowherb

A tall and hairy plant, Great willowherb displays pretty pink-and-cream flowers. It can be found in damp places, such as wet grasslands, ditches and riversides.

Enw gwyddonol

Epilobium hirsutum

Pryd i'w gweld

July to August

Species information

Category

Ystadegau

Height: up to 2m

Statws cadwraethol

Common.

Ynghylch

Great willowherb is a large herb that flourishes on damp ground, such as wet grasslands, ditches, riversides and woodland clearings. Deep pink flowers appear on the top of hairy stems from July to August and its fluffy seeds are dispersed by the wind.

Sut i'w hadnabod

Great willowherb is a tall plant that is covered in soft, downy hair. Its small, purple-pink flowers have creamy centres, and the lance-shaped leaves sit opposite each other on the stems.

Dosbarthiad

Found throughout the UK, but less common in Scotland.

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

Great willowherb is also sometimes known as 'Codlins-and-cream'. Codlins are actually cooking apples, so this name may well have arisen from the rosy pink flowers with their creamy centres. Other names, such as 'Apple-pie' and 'Cherry-pie', seem to follow the same idea.