Thriving On Neglect... | Pioneer Bushcraft

By Sean Fagan

Wasteland site. Note abundance of gravel and stone on ground - a challenging wild plant habitat but as is apparent in above photo - there are plenty of plants that have successfully colonised this seemingly barren land (Photo: Sean Fagan).

The aim of this post is to provide a brief photographic sample on wild plants in urban areas.

I'm often surprised with the diverse expression of wild plants in urban areas - and there is a good chance you'll also be taken aback at what can be found in the concrete jungles of the world.

The rich, yellow petals of native plant, PERENNIAL SOW THISTLE (Sonchus arvensis). Traditionally, this plant had a wide range of culinary and medicinal uses. One of its more unusual uses was as a beauty aid. According to Roman philosopher, Pliny, the juice of sow thistle is 'wonderfully efficacious for women to wash their faces with to clear the skin and add lustre" (Photo: Sean Fagan).

A tenacious urban coloniser, GROUNDSEL (Senecio vulgaris). If you wet your hands with warm water - then vigorously rub some groundsel foliage between your hands, you'll get a mild, soothing soap that cleanses and moisturizes (Photo: Sean Fagan).

RED VALERIAN (Centranthus ruber). Sadly not the Valerian sold in health food stores as a natural remedy for sleeplessness etc. Still, this pretty plant hails from the Mediterranean and often persists in the more northerly European countries where the bright, well-drained micro-habitats of old stone walls and wastelands somewhat mimic the arid conditions of its native lands. According to herbalist, Mrs. Grieve - red Valerian is 'exceedingly good in salad, or cooked as a vegetable, and in France there is a sale for the roots for soups' (Photo: Sean Fagan).

COLTSFOOT (Tussilago farfara) - a traditional remedy for chest complaints. The leaf was often dried, crumbled into a powder, and then (ironically) smoked to provide relief from chest complaints (Photo: Sean Fagan).

ACTION MAN DVD & KIDNEY VETCH (Anthyllis vulneraria) - a wild member of the pea plant family (Photo: Sean Fagan).

The large, paddle-shaped leaves of a WHITEBEAM tree (Sorbus spp.) with abandoned election poster in background. Whitebeam trees are uncommon in Ireland and this particular whitebeam is most likely a planted, non-native - but will still have all the salient features of the whitebeams (so is excellent for learning key Identification features of all whitebeams), (Photo: Sean Fagan).

That's it, I hope you've enjoyed this small sample of wild urban plants from a wasteland site.

It bears repeating - urban wild plants are diverse, resilient and beautiful.

As a resource for sharpening plant identification skills they are fantastic.

I've used them quite a bit over the years - often when I've lived in, or was visiting, an urban area.

I still get a great kick out of occasionally visiting wastelands and other plant-rich urban sites.

They have a lot to offer.

(Don't forget - below is links to all plants featured in this article).

If you liked the above article you might also enjoy How Urban Botany will Improve your Bushcraft.

. Links to Plant species featured in article: