Discover the variety and beauty of the wild flowers, trees, shrubs, orchids and other plants in Provence Verte, France. Around 2800 photos of nearly 700 wild plants.
This guide explains how to use the site to identify wild plants. (There is also a guide en français, which explains how to view the whole site in French.) There is an A-Z of English common names below.
The visual index of wild plants
The Wild plants home page is a visual index, showing flowers and leaves, botanical names and French and English common names. Browse the 29 pages of 24 plants to view nearly 700 plants.
You can choose to display the plants in alphabetical or random order. For all the plants listed you initially see the flowers, but if you touch or hover over the photos, you can see the leaves.
To identify a plant you have seen, you can filter the visual index by type (e.g. tree, shrub, annual, perennial), and by the flower colour and leaf shape. On a large screen, the filters are listed on the right side, under the heading ‘Find by‘. When viewing the visual index on smaller screens, touch ‘☰ Find by‘ on the top right of the screen to use the filters.
If you touch or click on a plant, you then go to its individual page to see additional larger photos and details of the plant.
There is also a search bar, a glossary and a full alphabetical index.
Individual plant pages
Each plant has its own page with up to 5 photos. The details include botanical family, flower colour and shape, flowering months, leaf type, plant height, fruit or seeds, whether edible, and whether it is believed to have medicinal value.
Click or touch the large image to see the large photos more clearly against a dark background. Use the arrows to scroll the photos.
Click or touch words with a dotted underline, like ovate leaf is egg-shaped, wider at base or antherupper fertile part of the stamen containing the pollen, to see the meaning of the word from the glossary.
There is a ‘Go back‘ button at the bottom of every individual plant page. This is useful to take you back to your filtered index or search page.
Searching wild plants
There’s also a helpful search bar at the top of every page, to search by a key word or part of a name. For example, searching ‘aga’ will first list all plants with ‘aga’ in their name, and then those with ‘aga’ somewhere in their description.
Note that less is more in a search. For example, searching ‘thorn’ will produce plants that include the words ‘thorny’ or ‘thorns’, whereas searching ‘thorns’ will only produce the latter. So if your search produces few results, consider shortening the search.
How to see the plant descriptions in another language
The site is in French and English, but to see the menus and the main descriptions in French or another language, you need to use Google Chrome. When viewing the site with Google Chrome, right-click in an empty space on a page, and select the option to Translate. Full instructions in French.
You can find this website at either:
www.WildFlowersProvence.fr or www.FleursSauvagesProvence.fr
About the Latin names for plants
As well as local names, every identified plant in the world has an international Latin name. It is written in italics, and is never translated. It consists of two words, first the genus (with a capital letter) and then the species (without a capital letter). When not being specific, you can use spp. after the genus to indicate several species. So on this site you will see, for example, Phyteuma charmelii to refer to one species, and Tilia spp. to indicate several species. Sometimes we use the abbreviation subsp. to mean a sub-species.
The next level up from genus is the family: a plant family is a group of related genera or genuses. Plant families have Latin names ending in ‘-aceae,’ which means ‘resembling’. If you are interested in knowing the meanings of recurring Latin words, here is an interesting list of botanical Latin names and their meanings.
Wild Plants in Provence – an A‑Z of the English common names
Common names for wild plants are often localised in regions, as well as in different languages. The main Wild plants visual index and the individual plant pages include both the French and English common names, as well as the botanical Latin names.
Below is a list of the 630 plants on the site which have English common names, each linked to its own page. There is a similar list for the 680+ French common names. There is also a separate index of the botanical Latin names.
Click or touch a name below to go to the individual plant page (use the ‘Go back‘ button to come back to this list).
Acute Leaved Spleenwort Agrimony Albizia Aleppo Pine Alexanders Algerian Iris Almond Tree Almond‑leaved Pear Alpine Buckthorn Alpine Evans Alpine Rock‑cress Annual Bastard Cabbage Annual Daisy Annual Scorpion Vetch Annual Spotted Rock‑rose Annual Wall Rocket Aphyllanthus Asperge Atlas Cedar Australian Nettle Tree Austrian Pine Autumn Crocus Autumn Hawkbit Autumn Squill Basket Willow Bastard Balm Bastard Luzerne Bay Tree Beaked Hawkbeard Bear’s Breeches Beautiful Flax Bee Orchid Beech Berry Catchfly Bertoloni’s Bee Orchid Biennial Hollyhock Bird’s‑foot Trefoil Bird’s‑nest Orchid Birthwort Bittersweet Black Bryony Black Bread Weed Black Garlic Black Nightshade Black Poplar Bladder Campion Bladder Senna Bloody Cranesbill Blue Houndstongue Blue Lettuce Blue Water Speedwell Borage Box Branched Asphodel Bristly Dog’s Tail Grass Bristly Oxtongue Broad‑leaved Dock Broad‑leaved Everlasting Pea Brookweed Broomrape Brown Knapweed Buck’s‑Horn Plantain Buckler Mustard Bugle Bulbous Meadow Grass Bulrush Bunias Bur Clover Burned‑tip Orchid Burnet Rose Bush Vetch Butcher’s Broom Canadian Fleabane Canary Spurge Laurel Canterberry Bells Cape Sorrel Caper Carline Thistle Carob Tree Cat’s‑ear Cemetery Iris Century Plant Charlock Chequer Tree Chinese Privet Christ’s Thorn Cineraria Clary Sage Cleavers Clustered Bellflower Clustered Carline Thistle Cogon Grass Coltsfoot Common Alder Common Brighteyes Common Centaury Common Columbine Common Cudweed Common Dodder Common Dog Violet Common Dogwood Common Evening Primrose Common Fig Common Fleabane Common Fumitory Common Grape Hyacinth Common Hibiscus Common Hollyhock Common Horsetail Common Ivy Common Juniper Common Lady Fern Common Mallow Common Myrtle Common Passion Flower Common Privet Common Reed Common Rock‑rose Common Sedge Common Snapdragon Common Stork’s Bill Common Thatching Grass Common Three‑toothed Orchid Common Twayblade Common Verbena Common Vetch Conehead Thyme Coris Cork Oak Corn Chamomile Corn Mignonette Cornelian Cherry Cotton Lavender Cow Basil Cowslip Crab Apple Creeping Bellflower Creeping Bent Grass Creeping Buttercup Creeping Globularia Creeping Thistle Crimean Iris Crimson Clover Crow Garlic Crown Vetch Crupina Cupid’s Dart Curly Dock Curry Plant Cut‑leaved Mallow Cut‑leaved Selfheal Cut‑leaved Viper’s‑Grass Cymbalaria‑leaved Speedwell Cypress Spurge Daisy Fleabane Dandelion Dark Red Helleborine Delforge’s Orchid Dense‑flowered Orchid Devil’s‑bit Scabious Diffuse Knapweed Dog Rose Dog’s Mercury Doronicum Dove’s‑foot Crane’s‑bill Downy Oak Downy Oat Grass Drumstick Allium Duke of Argyll’s Teaplant Dutch Clover Dwarf Elder Dwarf Fan Palm Dyer’s Chamomile Early Spider Orchid Elder‑flowered Orchid Elderberry Elm‑leaved Bramble English Rye‑grass Etruscan honeysuckle European Ash European Plumbago Evergreen Rose False Acacia False Barley False Oat‑grass False Rocket False Sainfoin False Spider Orchid Fat Hen Feather Grass Felty Germander Fennel Fern‑leaved Yarrow Feverfew Field Bindweed Field Elm Field Eryngo Field Gagea Field Garlic Field Gladiolus Field Maple Field Marigold Fine‑leaved Vetch Fodder Vetch Fool’s Watercress Four o’clock Foxglove Tree Fragrant Clematis Freesia French Broom French Figwort French Hawksbeard French Lavender Fringed Rue Fumewort Germander Speedwell Giant Cane Giant Orchid Gipsywort Globe Thistle Golden Rod Grainfield Spurge Grape Vine Grassleaf Buttercup Greater Burdock Greater Butterfly Orchid Greater Celandine Greater Periwinkle Greater Plantain Greater Stitchwort Grey‑leaved Cistus Groundsel Hairy Bittercress Hairy Broom Hairy Buttercup Hairy Finger‑grass Hairy Melick Hairy Potentilla Hairy Rock‑cress Hairy violet Hairy Willowherb Hairy Yellow Rattle Hairy Yellow Vetchling Halocnemum Hare’s Tail Hare’s‑Foot Clover Harebell Hawkweed Oxtongue Hawthorn Hazel Heart‑flowered Orchid Heather Hedge Bedstraw Hedge Mustard Hedge Nettle Heliotrope Hemp Agrimony Henbit Deadnettle Herb Bennet Herb Paris Herb Robert Hoary Cress Hoary Plantain Hoary Rock‑rose Hogweed Hollow‑leaved Asphodel Holly Holm Oak Honesty Honeysuckle Hop Clover Hops Horse Chestnut Horsemint Horseshoe Vetch Hottentot Fig Illyrican Scotch Thistle Indian Bead Tree Indian Bean Tree Intermediate Periwinkle Iranian Jerusalum Sage Italian Catchfly Italian Cypress Italian Hawksbeard Italian Maple Ivy‑leaved Speedwell Ivy‑leaved Toadflax Jack‑by‑the‑Hedge Japanese Loquat Jersey Buttercup Jersey Toadflax Joint Fir Jointed Charlock Judas Tree Jujube Jupiter’s Beard Kermes Oak Kundmannia Lady Orchid Lady’s Tresses Large Blue Alkanet Large Cuckoo Pint Large Mediterranean Spurge Large Quaking Grass Large Red Deadnettle Large Yellow Rest‑harrow Large‑flowered Calamint Large‑leaved Nettle Laserwort Laurustinus Lavender Lavender‑leaved Rock‑rose Lemon Lesser Butterfly Orchid Lesser Calamint Lesser Celandine Lesser Snapdragon Leuzia Lime Tree Liverwort Lizard Orchid Long‑lipped Serapias Love‑in‑a‑Mist Lucerne or Alfalfa Maidenhair Fern Maidenhair spleenwort Mallow‑leaved Stork’s‑Bill Maltese Cross Man Orchid Maritime Pine Marsh Hawksbeard Marsh Mallow Marsh Ragwort Martagon Lily Mastic Tree Meadow Sage Meadow Salsify Meadow Saxifrage Mediterranean Buckthorn Mediterranean Cat’s‑ear Mediterranean False Brome Mediterranean Kidney Vetch Mediterranean Medlar Mediterranean Salad Burnet Mediterranean Stonecrop Mediterranean Woundwort Melancholy Thistle Michaelmas Daisy Milk Thistle Milky Orchis Mimosa Mirabelle Mirror Orchid Mistletoe Montpellier Maple Montpellier Milk‑vetch Mountain Bluet Mountain Germander Mountain Kidney Vetch Mountain Rue Mournful Widow Mouse‑ear Hawkweed Mugwort Mulberry Mullein Naples Garlic Narrow‑leaved Ash Narrow‑leaved Cistus Narrow‑leaved Clover Narrow‑leaved Helleborine Narrow‑leaved Lupin Navelwort Nettle‑leaved Bellflower Nice Milkwort Norway Maple Nottingham Catchfly Oleander Oleaster/Russian Olive Olive Tree Orange Mullein Ornithogalum Orpine Osyris Ovate Goat Grass Ox‑eye Daisy Pale Bugloss Pale Flax Pale St. John’s Wort Pampas Grass Paspalum Pellitory of the Wall Pendulous Sedge Perennial Wall Rocket Perfoliate Penny‑cress Perfoliate Pennycress Persian Speedwell Persimmon Phillyrea Phillyrea Phoenician Juniper Pigweed Pitch Trefoil Pittosporum Plane Tree Plantain serpentant Pliant Lettuce Ploughman’s‑spikenard Poet’s Daffodil Poke Weed Pomegranate Poppy Portugal Broom Portuguese Laurel Potato Vine Prickly Juniper Prickly Lettuce Prickly Pear Prickly Saltwort Prickly Scorpion’s‑tail Prostrate Canary Clover Prostrate Spurge Provence Orchid Provence Rose Purple Deadnettle Purple Gromwell Purple Knautia Purple Loosestrife Purple Milk Thistle Purslane Pussy Willow Pycnocomon Pyramidal Orchid Quince Ragwort Ramping Fumitory Rampion Bellflower Red Bartsia Red Brome Red Clover Red Helleborine Red Hottentot Fig Red Pea Red River Gum Red Star Thistle Redleg Ribwort Plaintain Rigid Flax Rock Candy Tuft Rock Samphire Rock Soapwort Rocket Romulea Rosemary Rosy Garlic Rough Bindweed Rough Chervil Rough Cocklebur Rough Star‑Thistle Round‑headed Club‑rush Round‑leaved Birthwort Round‑leaved Mint Rush‑like Scorpion Vetch Russian Vine Rustyback Sage‑leaved Cistus Sainfoin Salsify Salt Bush Saw‑leaved Speedwell Scarce serapias Scarlet Pimpernel Scorpion Senna Scorpion Vetch Scots Pine Sea Lavender Sea Lily Selfheal Selfheal Serrate Spurge Sharp Rush Sheep’s Sorrel Shepard’s Needle Shepherd’s Purse Shrubby Globularia Shrubby Hare’s‑ear Silver Leaf Poplar Slender Birdsfoot Trefoil Slender Salsify Sloe Small Alison Small Yellow Foxglove Small‑flowered Catchfly Small‑flowered Gorse Smaller Cat’s Tail Smoke Tree Smooth Arizona Cypress Smooth Sow‑thistle Snapdragon Snowy Mispel Soapwort Soft Shield Fern Solomon’s Seal Sorrel Southern Daisy Southern Polypodium Spanish Broom Spanish Gorse Spear Thistle Spike Lavender Spindle Tree Spiny Golden Star Spiny Plumeless Thistle Spiny Restharrow Spiny Sow‑thistle Spotless Dense‑flowered Orchid Spotted Deadnettle Spring Cinquefoil Spurge Laurel Squirting Cucumber St. Bernard’s Lily St. John’s Wort Staehelina Star Clover Star of Bethlehem Star‑flower Sticky Fleabane Stiff Hedge Nettle Stinging Nettle Stinking Hellebore Stinking Iris Storax Stork’s Bill Strawberry Tree Sumach Sun Spurge Swallow Wort Sweet Allison Sweet Chestnut Sweet Nancy Sweet Vernal Grass Sweet violet Tall Bearded Iris Tall Flatsedge Tall Melilot Tansy Tassel Hyacinth Thick‑leaved Stonecrop Thorny Broom Three‑cornered Leek Thyme Thyme Broomrape Toadflax Tolpis Tongue Orchid Tordylium Tower Cress Traveller’s Joy Tree Heath Tree Medick True Service Tree Tuberous Comfrey Tuberous Valerian Turpentine Tree Two‑mooned orchid Tyrimnus Umbrella Pine Urospermum Valerian Violet Bird’s Nest Orchid Viper’s Bugloss Wall Germander Wall Hawkweed Wall Lettuce Wallflower Wallflower Cabbage Wallpepper Walnut Water Mint Water Pepper Weedy Dogfennel White Bryony White Campion White Flax White Helleborine White Horehound White Melilot White Mignonette White Rock‑rose White Stonecrop White‑lace Flower Whitebeam Wild Anemone Wild Asperge Wild Basil Wild Carrot Wild Chicory Wild Clary Wild Leek Wild Madder Wild Marjoram Wild Mignonette Wild Plum Wild Teasel Wild Tulip Winter Daffodil Winter Heliotrope Winter Savory Winter Wild Oats Woad Wood Melick Wood Pink Woodcock Orchid Woodland Pink Woodland Strawberry Woolly Bindweed Woolly Distaff Thistle Woolly Yarrow Yarrow Yellow Bedstraw Yellow Centaury Yellow Flag Yellow Germander Yellow Horned Poppy Yellow Medick Yellow Ophrys Yellow Star‑Thistle Yellow Wort Yew Yucca/Spanish Dagger