Katharine and I decided to have a short day out today to try and relax a bit. We took a bus up to Thirsk, an attractive market town some 20 miles north-north-west of York. It is somewhere that frequently has yarnbombing displays, and that was what we went to take photos of, but we also had a short walk to the neighbouring village of Sowerby, and walked back beside Cod Beck, where there was an attractive display of Great Hairy Willowherb in flower.
Great Hairy Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) is a flowering plant belonging to the willowherb genus Epilobium in the family Onagraceae. It is commonly also known as the great willowherb or hairy willowherb.
The native range of the species includes North Africa, most of Europe up to southern Sweden, and parts of Asia. It is absent from much of Scandinavia and north-west Scotland. It has been introduced to North America and Australia. It typically grows in wet or damp habitats without dense tree-cover up to 2,500 metres above sea-level. Common habitats include marshland, ditches and the banks of rivers and streams. It flowers from June to September, with a peak in July and August. The flowers are visited by many types of insects, and a number of insects feed on the leaves including the elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor).
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
It was very pleasant to walk beside Cod Beck, noting the changes since our last visit, and seeing the early signs of the summer season moving towards autumn.
Ian
August 17th, 2021
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Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
It was very pleasant to walk beside Cod Beck, noting the changes since our last visit, and seeing the early signs of the summer season moving towards autumn.
Ian