Red, as well as lilac, are two colors that are relatively easily found in nature. And in addition, they are also one of those that we humans like the most, or at least, one of those that attract our attention the most. Apart from that, it must be said that They can be very useful for creating special areas of interest in the garden or on the terrace.because we can assume that when we have a plant with red or lilac flowers, the eyes will be directed towards them.
So if you want to achieve this effect, i will tell you what are the most beautiful red and lilac wildflowers. And it is that, although it is true that there are many ornamental plants that produce flowers of this color, I think it is worth growing some wild species, sometimes mistakenly called false grasses, to take care of the wildlife.
Contents
Poppy (papaver rhoeas)
We start with what is probably the best known of all: the poppy. It is an annual herb that reaches about 50 centimeters in height and develops pinnate green leaves. Its flowers grow from a terminal stem in late spring.. They are about 2-3 centimeters in diameter and have petals that fall quite easily.
Although its exact origin is not known, it is it is believed that it may be on the Eurasian continentas well as in North Africa. Unfortunately, we see it less and less, probably because of urban growth and all that entails (loss of green spaces, construction, pollution, etc.).
amaranth (Amaranth cruentus)
Image – Flickr/Dinesh Valke
Pigtail is an annual herb that reaches a maximum height of 1 meter, rarely 2 meters. Stems tend to straighten, and from them grow green leaves in the shape of a diamond or oval. The flowers grow in elongated reddish inflorescences.. It blooms in summer.
Its origin is in the Americas.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Nasturtium is an annual herb that usually grows as a creeping plant, or climbing a little on taller ones. The leaves are round in shape and about 5 centimeters in diameter. In spring-summer, it produces yellow, orange or red flowers..
It is native to America, but in Spain it is not only widely grown as an ornamental plant, but has even grown wild.
Thistle Borriquero (Onopordum acanthium)
The borriquero thistle is a herbaceous plant that can be annual or biennial depending on the climate (if the fall and winter are warm or mild, it is more likely to live two years instead of one). It can reach a height of up to 70 centimeters, developing an erect stem well protected by thorns. The leaves, also spiny, are bluish green. It flowers during the summer, producing an inflorescence technically called a chapter, which is rounded. The flowers themselves arise from the upper part of said inflorescence and are lilac in color.
It is found in the wild in almost all of Western Europe. In Spain, it will be seen a lot in the Mediterranean region, growing along roadsides and in rather dry terrain.
reed (Phragmites australis)
Image – Wikimedia/AnemoneProjectors
The reed is a perennial, rhizomatous herbaceous plant that reaches a height of up to 4 meters. Its stems are thin, and from them grow lanceolate bluish-green leaves. Yes in spring and summer an inflorescence grows with small dark red flowers.
It is a grass that grows near waterways, such as lagoons, rivers and others. It is native to temperate regions of the world.
Image – Wikimedia/Robert Flogaus-Faust
The purple pea is an annual herb that reaches a variable height, between 30 and 100 centimeters depending on the conditions in which it lives. You should also know that it has two types of leaves: the lower ones are simple, while the others consist of two lanceolate leaflets that measure up to 6 centimeters long. It develops very fine, branched tendrils, and its flowers grow on reddish and purple peduncles.
Its origin is both in the Mediterranean region and in the Canary Islands. It usually grows along roadsides and in waste places.
Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Image – Flickr/Tot en U Garden Center
The carnation is the national flower of Spain. It is a perennial plant that usually grows between 40 and 60 centimeters in height, with wild varieties being smaller than cultivated ones. The leaves are linear, bluish-green in color and have an entire margin. The flowers grow from a terminal stalk in spring and summer.and can be of very different colors: pink, white, orange and of course red.
It grows like a wild plant throughout the Mediterranean. And in Spain we find it in the Iberian Peninsula.
bee orchid (Ophrys apifera)
Image – Wikimedia/Hans Hillewaert
The bee orchid is a perennial plant about 30 centimeters high whose leaves grow from a tuber that grows underground. Towards the end of summer, these leaves grow in a rosette, and in spring it blooms, producing a flower stalk with lilac flowers.
It is native to the Mediterranean region, but it is also found further north, in the Caucasus.
insight (Persicaria amplexicaulis)
Image – Wikimedia/Salicyna
Persicaria is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches a height of about 30 centimeters. Its leaves are lanceolate, with a very marked main or central vein. Its flowers appear in mid-summer and continue through fall, and are pink or red panicles..
It is not a native species of Spain, but of the Himalayas, China and Pakistan. But despite that, given her beauty, I knew we had to tell you about her.
Quinoa (goosefoot quinoa)
Image – Wikimedia/Mohammed Shahid
Quinoa is an annual herbaceous plant that reaches a height of 3 meters, and develops variously shaped, green leaves. Its flowers are panicles up to 50 to 60 centimeters high. These are composed of numerous lilac-reddish flowers. It blooms towards summer. The seeds can be eaten without problem, once cooked, or ground, if you want to make bread.
It is a species native to America, more precisely the Andes. Being a plant with edible seeds, which also contain essential amino acids, and which, as if that were not enough, is considered suitable for people with gluten intolerance, it is currently also cultivated in Europe.
Do you dare to grow some of these red or lilac wildflowers?