Plants - Autumn

Rose Hip

Rose Hip, or Dog Rose as sometimes referred to in the vernacular, like most of the plants in this seasons pages, is a common site in hedgerows. The seeds of the plant are prominent red oval fruits about half an inch (13 millimetres) in length. Their simple small rose like flowers that can be seen in summer are off white to pink, and around one and a half inches (38 millmetres) in diameter. High in vitamin C, used for eons in herbal infusions (and recently identified as a potential treatment for osteoarthritis pain) these seeds have more on offer than the itching qualities we enjoyed inflicting on our class mates
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In the hedgerow between the field edge of the footpath from the Ely sailing club to Queen Adelaide, just after you’ve crossed the single track railway line - the first one you come to when walking from the sailing club (TL 556 811 or N+52 24’ 20.7” E+0 17’ 8.5”)

Sloe

The dusty purple fruit of the blackthorn can be seen offering a bitter hedgerow surprise to anyone who dares to try it. Remember where you see the white flowers of the sloe in the spring. Why? Ten years of personal R&D has proven that when mixed with a little sugar and a lot of gin, can bring spectacular result come Christmas. Key point here don’t leave your inexperienced friends with the bottle, it will be empty when you retrieve it and they will criticize you when experiencing their unavoidable hangover the next day
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In the hedgerow to the North side of the footpath from the Ely sailing club to Queen Adelaide, about 50 yards before the foot crossing over the Ely to Peterborough railway line (TL 561 813 or N+52 24’ 25.5” E+0 17’ 35”)

Hawthorn

Often gathered together in groups of ten or twenty the small red berries of the hawthorn are about a quarter of a inch (6 millimetres) in diameter. The relative in-penetrability of the Hawthorn is a boon for those trying to plant a stock-proof hedge, however the same features make it a favourite for birds, small mammals, and more interestingly moths and butterflies (including their larvae). Birds such a Thrush and Waxwing also frequent the plant in winter, eating the ‘Haws’, or berries, and then distributing the seeds free of charge, via aerial discharge
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Around the hedgerows of the fens, Hawthorn is a very frequent species. If you see something small red, and there are a lot of them as you speed by them in a car, get out and have a look. It’s fairly likely to be Hawthorn

Bryony

Black or White? That was the question we posed our selves when we saw this specimen on the right. Either way the berries of this plant are to be avoided, unlike others on this page, as they are poisonous. It twists itself around whatever else is about (natural or man made), as can be seen in the photo to the right, in what we think is Black Bryony due to its arrowhead like leaf. White Bryony has a leaf that is maple-like in shape. Both plants are single sexed and, therefore, cannot rely on proximity of the same plant’s flowers for pollination
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As it is poisonous, we won’t provide a geocache, just in case Ely is harbouring someone with a dark plan