Cowslip

The Cowslip has nodding clusters of deep yellow, sweetly fragrant flowers with orange markings, on tall green stalks. It has a rosette of green, crinkly, oval leaves, relatively similar to the Primrose, but narrowing more abruptly into the stalk.

The Cowslip is related to the Primrose and is also an early spring flower. You can see them from April to May in open woodland, meadows, pastures and roadsides.

It was once a common plant of traditional hay meadows, ancient woodlands and hedgerows. The loss of habitat has caused a serious decline and fields rarely show the abundance of bright yellow nodding heads they once did.

The name Cowslip actually means ‘cow-slop’, as in ‘cowpat’, in reference to it growing where cows had been.

It is widespread in England and Wales, but has severely declined. Where it does grow it can be quite abundant.