Old brickworks

A walk around the old brickworks at Stobswood on Saturday saw this excellent brownfield site at its colourful best. Every few visits seems to pop up a surprise and growing on one of the old stony heaps was Dark Mullein (Verbascum nigrum) a species new to me and  according to BSBI maps there are less than half a dozen records from the county.  

Monkshood

Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) makes an occasional appearance in the woods around Morpeth and these pictures are from the woodland edge at High House Lane. It is believed to be the most poisonous plant in the UK and the toxins can be absorbed through the skin. A likely garden cast off around here but I don't believe it is the hybrid Monkshood species Aconitum x stoerkianum as the top cowl is more rounded and smooth but I could be mistaken.

Rubus spectabilis

This is Rubus spectabilis also known as Salmonberry. It can be found in a handful of places in Northumberland but it is well established at Shadfen Bank at Bothal on the steep bank just above the bridge near the sawmill. There are hundreds of fruits out presently and the picture of the flowering plant was taken in May.