Frogbit

On the Vascular Native Plant Red list for the UK and classified as vulnerable, so we are fortunate to have a thriving stand in the pond.

The free-floating plant has leaves which are akin to those of a small water lily and provide useful surface cover and shelter for early stages of aquatic life such as dragonfly larvae and newt tadpoles.

White flowers with a yellow centre are usually on show in July and August. The plants die back and become dormant in winter; the buds, which drop to the bottom, give rise to new leaves the next spring and float back up.

More information and images

Sussex Wildlife Trust - a closer look at Frogbit

Common Knapweed

 

A native perennial that goes by a confusion of folk names, amongst others:

bell weed, black centaury, black knapweed, bowl weed, bull weed, button weed, churl's head, club weed, crop weed, hard weed, hardhead, hardheads, horse knops, horse knots, iron hard, iron heads, iron weed, knob weed, knot weed, lesser knapweed, loggerheads, nob weed, Spanish buttons, sweeps, tassel.

The thistle-like purple flower heads bloom from June to September and are rated amongst the top 5 wild flowers for nectar production. Not surprisingly then they are a favourite of bees, butterflies (you are likely to see common blues, marbled whites and gatekeepers) and moths (eg six-spotted burnett).

Currently though the few knapweed plants by the pond are just showing their dry, brown seedheads, probably as a consequence of the prolonged drought.

for more information and images

First Nature - Common Knapweed