County flowers of the United Kingdom

Unofficial 2002 public survey

In 2002 Plantlife conducted a "County Flowers" public survey to assign flowers to each of the counties of the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.[1] The results of this campaign designated a single plant species to a "county or metropolitan area" in the UK and Isle of Man.[2] Some English counties already had flowers traditionally associated with them before 2002,[3] and which were different from those assigned to them by Plantlife, including the white rose for Yorkshire (assigned the harebell), the poppy for Norfolk (assigned the Alexanders), and the cowslip for Essex (assigned the poppy). Some flowers were assigned to multiple counties.

## England

[edit]

County | Image | Common name | Scientific name | County status | Shared

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Bedfordshire |  | bee orchid[4] | Ophrys apifera | native |
Berkshire |  | summer snowflake[5] | Leucojum aestivum | native |
Bristol |  | Maltese-cross[6] | Silene chalcedonica | casual |
Buckinghamshire |  | Chiltern gentian[7] | Gentianella germanica | native |
Cambridgeshire |  | pasqueflower[8][9] | Pulsatilla vulgaris | native | Hertfordshire
Cheshire |  | cuckooflower[10] | Cardamine pratensis | native | Brecknockshire
Cornwall |  | Cornish heath[11] | Erica vagans | native |
County Durham |  | spring gentian[12] | Gentiana verna | native |
Cumberland |  | grass-of-Parnassus[13] | Parnassia palustris | native | Sutherland
Derbyshire |  | Jacob's-ladder[14] | Polemonium caeruleum | native |
Devon |  | primrose[15] | Primula vulgaris | native |
Dorset |  | Dorset heath[16] | Erica ciliaris | native |
Essex |  | common poppy[17] | Papaver rhoeas | native | Norfolk
Gloucestershire |  | wild daffodil[18] | Narcissus pseudonarcissus | native |
Greater Manchester |  | common cotton-grass[19] | Eriophorum angustifolium | native |
Hampshire |  | dog-rose[20] | Rosa canina | native |
Herefordshire |  | mistletoe[21] | Viscum album | native |
Hertfordshire |  | pasqueflower[8][9] | Pulsatilla vulgaris | native | Cambridgeshire
Huntingdonshire |  | water-violet[22] | Hottonia palustris | native |
Isle of Wight |  | pyramidal orchid[23] | Anacamptis pyramidalis | native |
Isles of Scilly |  | thrift[24] | Armeria maritima | native | Bute & Pembrokeshire
Kent |  | hop[25] | Humulus lupulus | native |
Lancashire |  | red rose[26] | Rosa gallica officinalis | absent |
Leeds |  | bilberry[27] | Vaccinium myrtillus | native |
Leicestershire |  | foxglove[28] | Digitalis purpurea | native | Argyll, Monmouthshire & West Midlands
Lincolnshire |  | common dog-violet[29] | Viola riviniana | native |
London |  | rosebay willowherb[30] | Epilobium angustifolium | native |
Merseyside |  | sea-holly[31] | Eryngium maritimum | native |
Middlesex |  | wood anemone[32] | Anemone nemorosa | native |
Norfolk |  | common poppy[17][a] | Papaver rhoeas | native | Essex
Northamptonshire |  | cowslip[35] | Primula veris | native | Surrey & Worcestershire
Northumberland |  | bloody crane's-bill[36] | Geranium sanguineum | native |
Nottingham |  | Nottingham catchfly[37] | Silene nutans | native |
Nottinghamshire |  | autumn crocus[38] | Crocus nudiflorus | archaeophyte |
Oxfordshire |  | snake's-head fritillary[39] | Fritillaria meleagris | native |
Rutland |  | clustered bellflower[40] | Campanula glomerata | native |
Sheffield |  | wood crane's-bill[41] | Geranium sylvaticum | native |
Shropshire |  | round-leaved sundew[42] | Drosera rotundifolia | native |
Somerset |  | Cheddar pink[43] | Dianthus gratianopolitanus | native |
Staffordshire |  | heather[44] | Calluna vulgaris | native |
Suffolk |  | oxlip[45] | Primula elatior | native |
Surrey |  | cowslip[35] | Primula veris | native | Northamptonshire & Worcestershire
Sussex |  | round-headed rampion[46] | Phyteuma orbiculare | native |
Tyne and Wear |  | monkeyflower[47] | Mimulus guttatus | neophyte |
Warwickshire |  | honeysuckle[48] | Lonicera periclymenum | native |
West Midlands |  | foxglove[28] | Digitalis purpurea | native | Argyll, Leicestershire & Monmouthshire
Westmorland |  | alpine forget-me-not[49] | Myosotis alpestris | native |
Wiltshire |  | burnt-tip orchid[50] | Neotinea ustulata | native |
Worcestershire |  | cowslip[35] | Primula veris | native | Northamptonshire & Surrey
Yorkshire |  | harebell[51] | Campanula rotundifolia | native | Antrim & Dumfriesshire

## Isle of Man

[edit]

County | Image | Common name | Scientific name | County status | Shared

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Isle of Man[b] |  | fuchsia[53] | Fuchsia magellanica | neophyte |

## Northern Ireland

[edit]

County | Image | Common name | Scientific name | County status | Shared

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Antrim |  | harebell[51] | Campanula rotundifolia | native | Dumfriesshire & Yorkshire
Armagh |  | cowbane[54] | Cicuta virosa | native |
Belfast |  | gorse[55] | Ulex europaeus | native |
Londonderry |  | purple saxifrage[56] | Saxifraga oppositifolia | native |
Down |  | spring squill[57] | Scilla verna | native |
Fermanagh |  | globeflower[58] | Trollius europaeus | native |
Tyrone |  | bog-rosemary[59] | Andromeda polifolia | native | Ceredigion & Kirkcudbright

## Scotland

[edit]

County | Image | Common name | Scientific name | County status | Shared

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Aberdeenshire |  | bearberry[60] | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | native |
Angus |  | Alpine catchfly[61] | Silene suecica | native |
Argyll |  | foxglove[28] | Digitalis purpurea | native | Leicestershire, Monmouthshire & West Midlands
Ayrshire |  | green-winged orchid[62] | Anacamptis morio | native |
Banffshire |  | dark-red helleborine[63] | Epipactis atrorubens | native |
Berwickshire |  | rock-rose[64] | Helianthemum nummularium | native |
Bute |  | thrift[24] | Armeria maritima | native | Isles of Scilly & Pembrokeshire
Caithness |  | Scottish primrose[65] | Primula scotica | native |
Clackmannanshire |  | opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage[66] | Chrysosplenium oppositifolium | native |
Cromarty |  | spring cinquefoil[67] | Potentilla neumanniana | native |
Dumfriesshire |  | harebell[51] | Campanula rotundifolia | native | Antrim & Yorkshire
Dunbartonshire |  | lesser water-plantain[68] | Baldellia ranunculoides | native |
East Lothian |  | viper's-bugloss[69] | Echium vulgare | native |
Fife |  | coralroot orchid[70] | Corallorrhiza trifida | native |
Glasgow |  | broom[71] | Cytisus scoparius | native |
Inverness-shire |  | twinflower[72] | Linnaea borealis | native |
Kinross |  | holy-grass[73] | Hierochloe odorata | native |
Kirkcudbright |  | bog-rosemary[59] | Andromeda polifolia | native | Ceredigion & Tyrone
Lanarkshire |  | dune helleborine[74] | Epipactis leptochila | native |
Midlothian |  | sticky catchfly[75] | Silene viscaria | native |
Moray |  | one-flowered wintergreen[76] | Moneses uniflora | native |
Nairn |  | chickweed wintergreen[77] | Trientalis europaea | native |
Orkney |  | Alpine bearberry[78] | Arctostaphylos alpina | native |
Peeblesshire |  | cloudberry[79] | Rubus chamaemorus | native |
Perthshire |  | Alpine gentian[80] | Gentiana nivalis | native |
Renfrewshire |  | bogbean[81] | Menyanthes trifoliata | native |
Ross |  | bog asphodel[82] | Narthecium ossifragum | native |
Roxburghshire |  | maiden pink[83] | Dianthus deltoides | native |
Selkirkshire |  | mountain pansy[84] | Viola lutea | native |
Shetland |  | Shetland mouse-ear[85] | Cerastium nigrescens | native |
Stirlingshire |  | Scottish dock[86] | Rumex aquaticus | native |
Sutherland |  | grass-of-Parnassus[13] | Parnassia palustris | native | Cumbria
West Lothian |  | common spotted-orchid[87] | Dactylorhiza fuchsii | native |
Western Isles |  | Hebridean spotted-orchid[88] | Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. hebridensis | native |
Wigtownshire |  | yellow iris[89] | Iris pseudacorus | native |

## Wales

[edit]

County | Image | Common name | Scientific name | County status | Shared

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Anglesey |  | spotted rock-rose[90] | Tuberaria guttata | native |
Brecknockshire |  | cuckooflower[10] | Cardamine pratensis | native | Cheshire
Caernarfonshire |  | Snowdon lily[91] | Gagea serotina, syn. Lloydia serotina | native |
Cardiff |  | wild leek[92] | Allium ampeloprasum | native |
Carmarthenshire |  | whorled caraway[93] | Carum verticillatum | native |
Ceredigion |  | bog-rosemary[59] | Andromeda polifolia | native | Kirkcudbright & Tyrone
Denbighshire |  | limestone woundwort[94] | Stachys alpina | native |
Flintshire |  | bell heather[95] | Erica cinerea | native |
Glamorgan |  | yellow whitlow-grass[96] | Draba aizoides | native |
Merioneth |  | Welsh poppy[97] | Papaver cambricum | native |
Monmouthshire |  | foxglove[28] | Digitalis purpurea | native | Argyll, Leicestershire & West Midlands
Montgomeryshire |  | spiked speedwell[98] | Veronica spicata | native |
Pembrokeshire |  | thrift[24] | Armeria maritima | native | Bute & Isles of Scilly
Radnorshire |  | Radnor lily[99] | Gagea bohemica | native |

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Initially, Alexanders was selected for Norfolk, with poppy selected for Essex alone. Public pressure led to change,[33][34]
2. ^ The Isle of Man has a traditional national flower (it is not a county), the "Cushag" or ragwort.[52]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Fans pick the flowers that have grown on them". The Guardian. 5 May 2004. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
2. ^ Greer, Germaine (5 October 2002). "Country notebook: vote for the poppy". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2013-03-15.
3. ^ "The floral emblem of your county". The Daily Telegraph. 5 May 2004. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
4. ^ "Bee orchid". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
5. ^ "Summer snowflake". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
6. ^ "Maltese-cross". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
7. ^ "Chiltern gentian". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
8. ^ a b "East of England". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
9. ^ a b "Pasqueflower". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
10. ^ a b "Cuckooflower". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
11. ^ "Cornish heath". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
12. ^ "Spring gentian". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
13. ^ a b "Grass-of-Parnassus". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2017-01-02. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
14. ^ "Jacob's-ladder". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2022-12-12. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
15. ^ "Primrose". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
16. ^ "Dorset heath". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
17. ^ a b "Poppy (Common)". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
18. ^ "Daffodil (wild)". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
19. ^ "Cotton-grass (Common)". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
20. ^ "Dog-rose". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
21. ^ "Mistletoe". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
22. ^ "Water-violet". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
23. ^ "Pyramidal orchid". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
24. ^ a b c "Thrift". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
25. ^ "Hop". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
26. ^ "Red rose". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2019-07-14. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
27. ^ "Bilberry". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
28. ^ a b c d "Foxglove". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
29. ^ "Dog-violet (Common)". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
30. ^ "Rosebay willowherb". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
31. ^ "Sea-holly". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
32. ^ "Wood anemone". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
33. ^ "Norfolk's 'flower emblem' is a weed". Eastern Daily Press. 5 May 2004. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
34. ^ "On-line Search". Eastern Daily Press. 25 May 2004.[dead link]
35. ^ a b c "Cowslip". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
36. ^ "Bloody crane's-bill". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
37. ^ "Nottingham catchfly". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
38. ^ "Autumn crocus". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
39. ^ "Fritillary". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
40. ^ "Clustered bellflower". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
41. ^ "Wood crane's-bill". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
42. ^ "Round-leaved sundew". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
43. ^ "Cheddar pink". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
44. ^ "Heather". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
45. ^ "Oxlip". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
46. ^ "Round-headed rampion". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
47. ^ "Monkeyflower". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
48. ^ "Honeysuckle". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
49. ^ "Alpine Forget-me-not". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
50. ^ "Burnt-tip Orchid". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
51. ^ a b c "Harebell". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
52. ^ "National Flower". Island Facts. Isle of Man Government. Archived from the original on 2007-05-10.
53. ^ "Fuchsia". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
54. ^ "Cowbane". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
55. ^ "Gorse". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
56. ^ "Purple saxifrage". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
57. ^ "Spring squill". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
58. ^ "Globeflower". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
59. ^ a b c "Bog-rosemary". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
60. ^ "Bearberry". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
61. ^ "Alpine catchfly". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
62. ^ "Green-winged orchid". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
63. ^ "Dark-red helleborine". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
64. ^ "Rock-rose". Plantlife. Archived from the original on 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
65. ^ "Scottish primrose". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
66. ^ "Opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
67. ^ "Spring cinquefoil". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
68. ^ "Lesser water-plantain". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
69. ^ "Viper's-bugloss". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
70. ^ "Coralroot orchid". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
71. ^ "Broom". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
72. ^ "Twinflower". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
73. ^ "Holy-grass". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
74. ^ "Dune helleborine". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
75. ^ "Sticky catchfly". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
76. ^ "One-flowered wintergreen". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
77. ^ "Chickweed wintergreen". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
78. ^ "Alpine bearberry". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
79. ^ "Cloudberry". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
80. ^ "Alpine gentian". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
81. ^ "Bogbean". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
82. ^ "Bog asphodel". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
83. ^ "Maiden pink". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
84. ^ "Viola lutea". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.[permanent dead link]
85. ^ "Shetland mouse-ear". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
86. ^ "Scottish dock". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
87. ^ "Common spotted-orchid". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
88. ^ "Hebridean spotted-orchid". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
89. ^ "Yellow iris". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
90. ^ "Spotted rock-rose". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-05.
91. ^ "Snowdon lily". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
92. ^ "Wild leek". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
93. ^ "Whorled caraway". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
94. ^ "Limestone woundwort". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
95. ^ "Bell heather". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
96. ^ "Yellow whitlow grass". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
97. ^ "Welsh poppy". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
98. ^ "Spiked speedwell". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
99. ^ "Radnor lily". Plantlife. Retrieved 2018-07-06.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* The list of county flowers above is taken from the county flowers pages at Plantlife's website.
* County statuses are taken from:
* Stace, C. A., R. G. Ellis, D. H. Kent and D. J. McCosh (2003) Vice-county Census Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Great Britain Botanical Society of the British Isles (for British counties)
* Source to be determined for Northern Ireland