A seletion of the fabulous range of abundent wildflowers that the Burren is famous for. While we have categorised these flowers according to season, many cross seasons. Indeed many flower from May to October. Join us on a walk to learn more!
Spring Burren Wildflowers
Spring Gentians
This alpine flower has become an icon for the Burren. Normally only found in high Alpine meadows in Europe. A rare gem, the stand out because of their ‘electric blue’ colour.
Cowslips
This spring flower appears from March in grasslands and on the fringe of woodland.
Lords & Ladies
Also known as the Cuckoo Pint, it produces poisonous orange berries in July/August. A woodland flower.
Early Purple Orchid
Flowers April/May. Pictured her with a Spring Gentian and an early Mountain Aven.
Primroses
An early spring flower, they are found primarily in hedgerows, woodland on on the fringes.
Wild Garlic
Ramsoms. You can find carpets of wild garlic on the woodland floors in May, with the heady scent of garlic filling the air.
Wild Garlic
A carpet of Wild Garlic on the fringes of hazel woodland in the Burren.
False Oxlips
A member of the Primrose family, this hybrid flower is a cross pollination of the Primrose and the Cowslip.
False Oxlips
A close-up of the False Oxlips. The shape and colour varies, according to how cross-pollination of the Primrose/Cowslip occurs.
Blackthorn
The first flower in Ireland’s native hedgerows, the Blackthorn will fruit in the autumn with very bitter berries called sloes. The famous Irish walking stick, the Shillelagh, is made from the wood of the Blachthorn.
Common Dog Violet
This violet is unscented and is a woodland flower, so it flowers early. Common folklore associates the flower with modesty, as it’s head is drooped.
Wood Anemone
As the name suggest, a early flowering woodland flower. Also known as Wind Flowers (because of the way they wave in wind) and Smell Fox (because of the musky smell of their leaves.
Summer Burren Wildflowers
Bloody Cranesbill
One of the stellar flowers of the Burren in early summer, the cranesbill is a member of the geranium family
Bee Orchid
The stunning Bee Orchid mimics a bee to attract other bees to it in order to pollinate
Mountain Avens
One of the Burren’s artic flowers, more commonly found growing in the Artic tundra.
Ragworth
Buchaillán Buí (Yellow Boy in Irish) this plant is the food of the Cinnabar Moth’s catapillar.
Carline Thistle
From mid-July this wole flower and plant turns from green to brown and beautiful golden hues.
Ox-eye Daisy
A native Irish meadow flower, they can be found throughout the Burren on grassy patches.
Autumn Burren Wildflowers
Harebells
A wonder sigh in autumn, to see their heads bopping the breeze with delicate petals like Japanese Washi paper.
Grass of Parnassus
A beautiful delicate and symmetrical flower, only found in wetter spots in the Burren
Devil’s Bit Scabious
So-called because of the root bulb shape. Pictured here with two Cinnabar Moths feeding from it.