Thirtytwo Families

check symmetry → petal fusion → stamen arrangement → leaf/stem, in that order
Rosaceae
Rose family
Rosa · Malus · Prunus
Flower: 5 free petals, radial, numerous stamens
often serrated leaf margins, stipules at leaf base

Common

  • RoseRosa sp.
  • AppleMalus domestica
  • CherryPrunus avium
  • StrawberryFragaria × ananassa
  • HawthornCrataegus monogyna

unusual

  • Lady's mantleAlchemilla mollis — no showy petals at all
  • Shrubby cinquefoilPotentilla fruticosa — easily mistaken for Ranunculaceae
  • Great burnetSanguisorba officinalis — grass-like flower spike
  • Water avensGeum rivale — nodding, unlike typical rose flower
  • Cherry laurelPrunus laurocerasus — evergreen, doesn't read as a "fruit tree"
Asteraceae
Daisy family
Aster · Chrysanthemum · Helianthus
Flower: composite head — outer ray florets + central disc florets
check base of head for overlapping bracts (involucre)

Common

  • DaisyBellis perennis
  • SunflowerHelianthus annuus
  • ChrysanthemumChrysanthemum sp.
  • DandelionTaraxacum officinale
  • MarigoldTagetes sp.

unusual

  • Globe artichokeCynara scolymus — looks like a thistle bud, not a daisy
  • TansyTanacetum vulgare — button heads, no ray florets visible
  • Cotton lavenderSantolina chamaecyparissus — same button-only look
  • Hemp agrimonyEupatorium cannabinum — fluffy heads hide the structure
  • RagweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia — inconspicuous green flowers
Brassicaceae
Cabbage family
Brassica · Lunaria
Flower: 4 free petals, cruciform (cross), 6 stamens (4 long + 2 short)
often a basal rosette; peppery/cabbage-family scent when crushed

Common

  • CabbageBrassica oleracea
  • WallflowerErysimum cheiri
  • HonestyLunaria annua
  • StockMatthiola incana
  • Sweet alyssumLobularia maritima

unusual

  • StockMatthiola incana — fragrant & showy, doesn't feel "cabbage-y"
  • HonestyLunaria annua — famous for papery pods, flower forgotten
  • AubrietaAubrieta × cultorum — mat-forming rockery plant
  • CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis — delicate, easy to overlook
  • HorseradishArmoracia rusticana — grown for root, flower rarely noticed
Fabaceae
Pea family
Lathyrus · Wisteria
Flower: bilateral — standard, 2 wings, fused keel; fruit = pod
often compound leaves, sometimes with tendrils

Common

  • Sweet peaLathyrus odoratus
  • WisteriaWisteria sinensis
  • Broad beanVicia faba
  • Runner beanPhaseolus coccineus
  • BroomCytisus scoparius

unusual

  • Judas treeCercis siliquastrum — flowers sprout straight from the trunk
  • False acaciaRobinia pseudoacacia — large tree, not "pea-like" at a glance
  • Bladder sennaColutea arborescens — inflated pods look unrelated
  • GorseUlex europaeus — spiny, easy to miss the pea flower
  • PeanutArachis hypogaea — pods bury themselves underground
Lamiaceae
Mint family
Lavandula · Salvia · Rosmarinus
Flower: bilateral, 2-lipped tubular corolla
square stems (roll between fingers), opposite leaves, aromatic

Common

  • LavenderLavandula angustifolia
  • MintMentha spicata
  • RosemarySalvia rosmarinus
  • SageSalvia officinalis
  • BasilOcimum basilicum

unusual

  • Lamb's earsStachys byzantina — grown for wool foliage, flower overlooked
  • BugleAjuga reptans — low creeping mat, easy to miss square stem
  • Russian sageSalvia yangii — feathery, doesn't look "minty"
  • Swedish ivyPlectranthus sp. — houseplant, not obviously Lamiaceae
  • Shrubby germanderTeucrium fruticans — shrub form, not herbaceous
Apiaceae
Carrot / umbellifer family
Foeniculum · Astrantia
Flower: umbel — tiny flowers radiate from one point, umbrella-shaped
often hollow stems, finely divided/feathery leaves

Common

  • CarrotDaucus carota
  • FennelFoeniculum vulgare
  • ParsleyPetroselinum crispum
  • CeleryApium graveolens
  • Cow parsleyAnthriscus sylvestris

unusual

  • Sea hollyEryngium giganteum — spiky, thistle-like, no obvious umbel
  • AstrantiaAstrantia major — papery bracts hide the umbel shape
  • Marsh pennywortHydrocotyle vulgaris — tiny, aquatic, easy to miss
  • Hare's earBupleurum fruticosum — yellow-green umbels blend in
  • Giant hogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum — huge scale disguises the umbel
Ranunculaceae
Buttercup family
Ranunculus · Clematis · Helleborus
Flower: many free stamens + free carpels in a spiral centre
petals often glossy; "primitive" open flower plan

Common

  • ButtercupRanunculus repens
  • ClematisClematis montana
  • HelleboreHelleborus niger
  • DelphiniumDelphinium elatum
  • Wood anemoneAnemone nemorosa

unusual

  • ClematisClematis montana — climber, doesn't look like a buttercup
  • MonkshoodAconitum napellus — hooded, bilateral-looking flower
  • Meadow rueThalictrum delavayi — fluffy stamens, barely any petals
  • Love-in-a-mistNigella damascena — feathery ruff obscures the flower
  • ColumbineAquilegia vulgaris — spurred, complex, unlike a simple buttercup
Liliaceae
Lily family
Lilium · Fritillaria
Flower: parts in 3s — 6 identical tepals, 6 stamens
parallel-veined leaves (monocot)

Common

  • LilyLilium sp.
  • TulipTulipa sp.
  • Snake's head fritillaryFritillaria meleagris
  • Dog's tooth violetErythronium dens-canis
  • Martagon lilyLilium martagon

unusual

  • Toad lilyTricyrtis hirta — spotted, doesn't look "lily-like"
  • Yellow star-of-BethlehemGagea lutea — tiny, easily mistaken for a buttercup
  • Giant Himalayan lilyCardiocrinum giganteum — huge scale vs typical Lilium
  • Dog's tooth violetErythronium dens-canis — reflexed petals, mottled leaves
  • Snake's head fritillaryFritillaria meleagris — unique checkered pattern
note: Aloe, Dracaena, Hosta & Solomon's seal have moved to other families
Amaryllidaceae
Daffodil / allium family
Narcissus · Allium · Galanthus
Flower: 6 tepals + papery spathe; central corona/trumpet (Narcissus)
strap-like or hollow leaves; bulbous

Common

  • DaffodilNarcissus sp.
  • OnionAllium cepa
  • SnowdropGalanthus nivalis
  • GarlicAllium sativum
  • AmaryllisHippeastrum sp.

unusual

  • Ornamental onionAllium giganteum — globe of tiny flowers, looks nothing like Narcissus
  • SnowdropGalanthus nivalis — simple nodding bell, no corona
  • NerineNerine bowdenii — spidery, reflexed petals
  • Blood lilyScadoxus multiflorus — firework-like flower head
  • Society garlicTulbaghia violacea — grass-like leaves, easy to misplace
Iridaceae
Iris family
Iris · Crocosmia · Crocus
Flower: parts in 3s but only 3 stamens (vs 6 above)
flat, sword-shaped leaves in a fan

Common

  • IrisIris germanica
  • CrocusCrocus vernus
  • GladiolusGladiolus sp.
  • FreesiaFreesia sp.
  • MontbretiaCrocosmia × crocosmiiflora

unusual

  • CrocusCrocus vernus — cup-shaped, very different silhouette to bearded iris
  • Blue-eyed grassSisyrinchium striatum — grass-like leaves, easy to mistake for Poaceae
  • FreesiaFreesia sp. — funnel-shaped, looks more lily-like
  • GladiolusGladiolus sp. — tall spike obscures the individual 3-part flower
  • MontbretiaCrocosmia × crocosmiiflora — arching sprays, less obviously "iris"
Poaceae
Grass family
Miscanthus · Festuca
Flower: no petals — florets wrapped in bracts, arranged in spikelets
round hollow stems, swollen nodes

Common

  • WheatTriticum aestivum
  • Lawn ryegrassLolium perenne
  • BambooPhyllostachys sp.
  • SweetcornZea mays
  • BarleyHordeum vulgare

unusual

  • BambooPhyllostachys sp. — woody, tree-like, easy to forget it's a grass
  • MaizeZea mays — broad leaves don't look "grassy"
  • Pampas grassCortaderia selloana — huge plumes, unlike a lawn grass
  • Giant reedArundo donax — reed-like, very tall
  • look-alikes, not this familyCarex (sedge) & Juncus (rush) — often confused for grasses
Ericaceae
Heather family
Erica · Rhododendron
Flower: fused bell/urn shape; anthers open by pores, not slits
calcifuge — needs acidic soil, mycorrhizal association

Common

  • HeatherCalluna vulgaris
  • RhododendronRhododendron ponticum
  • BlueberryVaccinium corymbosum
  • AzaleaRhododendron simsii
  • Bell heatherErica cinerea

unusual

  • Strawberry treeArbutus unedo — tree form, not shrubby "heather" look
  • BlueberryVaccinium corymbosum — grown as a fruit crop, easy to forget the family
  • Mountain laurelKalmia latifolia — saucer flowers, not obviously urn-shaped
  • WintergreenGaultheria procumbens — tiny creeping groundcover
  • RhododendronRhododendron ponticum — huge trusses, unlike tiny heather bells
Caryophyllaceae
Pink / carnation family
Dianthus
Flower: petals notched/fringed at tip; tubular fused sepals
swollen leaf nodes, opposite leaves

Common

  • CarnationDianthus caryophyllus
  • PinkDianthus plumarius
  • Sweet WilliamDianthus barbatus
  • ChickweedStellaria media
  • Baby's breathGypsophila paniculata

unusual

  • Bladder campionSilene vulgaris — inflated balloon calyx is the standout feature
  • ChickweedStellaria media — tiny weed, easy to overlook notched petals
  • Baby's breathGypsophila paniculata — cloud of tiny flowers hides the structure
  • SoapwortSaponaria officinalis — historically used as soap, non-showy
  • Snow-in-summerCerastium tomentosum — grey woolly groundcover
Solanaceae
Nightshade family
Solanum · Petunia
Flower: flat, 5-lobed star/wheel corolla; stamens fused into a cone
often alkaloid-rich (poisonous) berries

Common

  • PotatoSolanum tuberosum
  • TomatoSolanum lycopersicum
  • PetuniaPetunia × hybrida
  • Chilli pepperCapsicum annuum
  • AubergineSolanum melongena

unusual

  • Deadly nightshadeAtropa belladonna — poisonous relative of tomato/potato
  • Angel's trumpetBrugmansia sp. — huge pendulous trumpet, not star-shaped
  • Chinese lanternPhysalis alkekengi — famous for its papery husk, not the flower
  • Thorn appleDatura stramonium — spiky seed pods, easy to miss the flower
  • Flowering tobaccoNicotiana sylvestris — tubular, less obviously star-shaped
Scrophulariaceae
Figwort family
Verbascum · Buddleja
Flower: often 2-lipped/tubular, bilateral, in tall spikes or panicles
flowers densely packed along a long central spike

Common

  • Great mulleinVerbascum thapsus
  • Butterfly bushBuddleja davidii
  • Common figwortScrophularia nodosa
  • NemesiaNemesia sp.
  • DiasciaDiascia barberae

unusual

  • Giant silver mulleinVerbascum bombyciferum — huge, felted leaves, unlike Buddleja
  • Butterfly bushBuddleja davidii — large shrub, doesn't feel "figwort"-like
  • Cape fuchsiaPhygelius capensis — tubular, fuchsia-like flowers
  • Tree fuchsiaHalleria lucida — full tree form
  • no longer hereDigitalis (foxglove) & Antirrhinum (snapdragon) — moved to Plantaginaceae
Boraginaceae
Borage family
Borago · Pulmonaria
Flower: scorpioid cyme — coiled in bud, uncoiling as it opens
rough, hairy leaves and stems

Common

  • BorageBorago officinalis
  • Forget-me-notMyosotis sylvatica
  • ComfreySymphytum officinale
  • LungwortPulmonaria officinalis
  • Viper's buglossEchium vulgare

unusual

  • ComfreySymphytum officinale — coarse leaves, bell flowers hide the coil
  • Viper's buglossEchium vulgare — tall spike, coil easy to miss at a glance
  • Chatham Is. forget-me-notMyosotidium hortensia — huge leaves, nothing like tiny Myosotis
  • HeliotropeHeliotropium arborescens — dense fragrant clusters
  • Hound's tongueCynoglossum officinale — maroon flowers, coarse leaves
Geraniaceae
Geranium family
Geranium · Pelargonium
Flower: 5 free petals (radial in Geranium, slightly irregular in Pelargonium)
long beak-like fruit capsule ("cranesbill")

Common

  • CranesbillGeranium sp.
  • Bedding geraniumPelargonium × hortorum
  • Herb RobertGeranium robertianum
  • Ivy-leaved geraniumPelargonium peltatum
  • Meadow cranesbillGeranium pratense

unusual

  • Bedding "geranium"Pelargonium × hortorum — sold as geranium but a different genus
  • Stork's billErodium cicutarium — similar beak, but fruit corkscrews when ripe
  • Mourning widowGeranium phaeum — unusually dark, dusky flowers
  • Scented-leaf pelargoniumPelargonium graveolens — grown for foliage, not flowers
  • MonsoniaMonsonia speciosa — unfamiliar genus, easy to forget it belongs here
Salicaceae
Willow family
Salix · Populus
Flower: catkin — no petals, wind-pollinated
dioecious — male & female catkins on separate plants

Common

  • White willowSalix alba
  • Weeping willowSalix babylonica
  • Black poplarPopulus nigra
  • Goat / pussy willowSalix caprea
  • AspenPopulus tremula

unusual

  • Pussy willowSalix caprea — fuzzy catkins are the famous feature, not "flower-like"
  • AspenPopulus tremula — known for trembling leaves, catkins overlooked
  • Black poplarPopulus nigra — tall timber tree, catkins high & inconspicuous
  • Corkscrew willowSalix babylonica 'Tortuosa' — grown for twisted stems, not flowers
  • Violet willowSalix daphnoides — grown for colourful winter stems
Betulaceae
Birch family
Betula · Alnus
Flower: catkins, but monoecious — both sexes on same plant
female catkins become small woody "cones" in Alnus

Common

  • Silver birchBetula pendula
  • Common alderAlnus glutinosa
  • HazelCorylus avellana
  • HornbeamCarpinus betulus
  • Himalayan birchBetula utilis var. jacquemontii

unusual

  • Common alderAlnus glutinosa — female catkins become woody "cones", look conifer-like
  • HazelCorylus avellana — tiny red female flowers often missed next to the catkins
  • HornbeamCarpinus betulus — often confused with beech due to similar leaves
  • Hop hornbeamOstrya carpinifolia — fruit clusters resemble hops, not birch-like
  • Monarch birchBetula maximowicziana — very different leaf/bark to familiar silver birch
Plantaginaceae
Plantain family
Digitalis · Antirrhinum · Veronica
Flower: usually 5 fused petals, often two-lipped, bilateral symmetry, 4 stamens
leaves simple, often opposite; flower shape frequently resembles former Scrophulariaceae members

Common

  • FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
  • SnapdragonAntirrhinum majus
  • SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
  • BeardtonguePenstemon sp.
  • ToadflaxLinaria vulgaris

unusual

  • Greater plantainPlantago major — gives the family its name but looks nothing like foxglove
  • Sea plantainPlantago maritima — grass-like leaves hide the relationship
  • HebeVeronica sp. — older books often keep Hebe separate
  • FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea — traditionally taught as Scrophulariaceae
  • SnapdragonAntirrhinum majus — another classic former Scrophulariaceae member
Hydrangeaceae
Hydrangea family
Hydrangea · Philadelphus · Deutzia
Flower: usually 4–5 petals; many species have showy sterile florets
opposite leaves, often serrated margins

Common

  • HydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla
  • Mock orangePhiladelphus coronarius
  • DeutziaDeutzia scabra
  • Climbing hydrangeaHydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris
  • HydrangeaHydrangea paniculata

unusual

  • Mock orangePhiladelphus coronarius — often mistaken for Rosaceae
  • DeutziaDeutzia scabra — flowers resemble many shrub families
  • Climbing hydrangeaHydrangea anomala — growth habit disguises relationship
  • Peegee hydrangeaHydrangea paniculata — cone-shaped rather than mophead
  • Oakleaf hydrangeaHydrangea quercifolia — leaf shape distracts from family traits
Saxifragaceae
Saxifrage family
Saxifraga · Heuchera · Bergenia
Flower: usually 5 petals and 5 sepals, often borne above a basal clump
many form rosettes with rounded or leathery leaves

Common

  • Coral bellsHeuchera sp.
  • Elephant's earsBergenia cordifolia
  • SaxifrageSaxifraga × urbium
  • Foam flowerTiarella cordifolia
  • MitrewortMitella diphylla

unusual

  • BergeniaBergenia cordifolia — recognised more by leaves than flowers
  • HeucheraHeuchera sp. — cultivated mainly for foliage colours
  • London prideSaxifraga × urbium — tiny flowers hide family characters
  • TiarellaTiarella cordifolia — airy flower spikes unlike typical saxifrages
  • AstilbeAstilbe sp. — often cited with Saxifragaceae in older texts
Rutaceae
Rue family
Choisya · Skimmia · Citrus
Flower: usually 4 or 5 petals with conspicuous stamens
aromatic leaves containing oil glands; crush and smell

Common

  • Mexican orange blossomChoisya ternata
  • SkimmiaSkimmia japonica
  • RueRuta graveolens
  • LemonCitrus limon
  • OrangeCitrus sinensis

unusual

  • ChoisyaChoisya ternata — flowers resemble Philadelphus
  • SkimmiaSkimmia japonica — often grouped mentally with Ericaceae shrubs
  • RueRuta graveolens — blue-grey foliage unlike citrus
  • LemonCitrus limon — glasshouse plant not often studied as Rutaceae
  • OrangeCitrus sinensis — fragrant oils are the key clue
Asparagaceae
Asparagus family
Hosta · Agapanthus · Hyacinthus
Flower: monocot; usually 6 tepals and 6 stamens, often in clusters or racemes
parallel-veined leaves; many species bulbous, rhizomatous or forming basal clumps

Common

  • HostaHosta sp.
  • African lilyAgapanthus praecox
  • HyacinthHyacinthus orientalis
  • Grape hyacinthMuscari armeniacum
  • Lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria majalis

unusual

  • Butcher's broomRuscus aculeatus — shrub-like appearance hides its monocot origins
  • YuccaYucca filamentosa — architectural form unlike most garden monocots
  • Lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria majalis — formerly placed in Liliaceae
  • AgapanthusAgapanthus praecox — often assumed to be Amaryllidaceae
  • HostaHosta sp. — grown mainly for foliage, family traits easily overlooked
Fagaceae
Beech / oak family
Quercus · Fagus · Castanea
Flower: wind-pollinated catkins (male); female flowers small, becoming a nut in a cupule (acorn, beech mast, chestnut husk)
alternate leaves, often lobed or toothed; a keystone family for UK native woodland

Common

  • English oakQuercus robur
  • BeechFagus sylvatica
  • Sweet chestnutCastanea sativa
  • Sessile oakQuercus petraea
  • Turkey oakQuercus cerris

unusual

  • Cork oakQuercus suber — thick corky bark, evergreen
  • Holm oakQuercus ilex — evergreen, holly-like leaves, doesn't "read" as oak
  • Southern beechNothofagus sp. — separate genus, similar mast/cupule structure
  • Golden chestnutChrysolepis chrysophylla — evergreen North American relative
  • TanoakNotholithocarpus densiflorus — acorn-like fruit, oak-like but distinct genus
Sapindaceae
Maple / horse chestnut family
Acer · Aesculus · Koelreuteria
Flower: small, greenish-yellow, often in clusters; fruit is a winged samara (Acer) or spiky capsule (Aesculus)
palmate or pinnate leaves; field maple is a classic native hedgerow tree

Common

  • Field mapleAcer campestre
  • SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus
  • Horse chestnutAesculus hippocastanum
  • Japanese mapleAcer palmatum
  • Norway mapleAcer platanoides

unusual

  • Horse chestnutAesculus hippocastanum — showy candle flowers look nothing like a maple
  • Golden rain treeKoelreuteria paniculata — yellow flower panicles, unfamiliar genus
  • LitchiLitchi chinensis — tropical fruit tree, same family as UK maples
  • Balloon vineCardiospermum halicacabum — climbing herb, inflated papery pods
  • Box elderAcer negundo — compound leaves, doesn't look "maple-like"
Oleaceae
Olive / ash family
Fraxinus · Ligustrum · Syringa
Flower: often 4 fused petals (or petal-less in ash); opposite leaves are the giveaway
opposite leaf arrangement; ash and privet are core UK hedgerow species

Common

  • AshFraxinus excelsior
  • Wild privetLigustrum vulgare
  • LilacSyringa vulgaris
  • JasmineJasminum officinale
  • OliveOlea europaea

unusual

  • AshFraxinus excelsior — flowers have no petals at all, easy to miss
  • ForsythiaForsythia × intermedia — bright yellow, doesn't suggest "olive family"
  • Winter jasmineJasminum nudiflorum — flowers before leaves appear
  • Manna ashFraxinus ornus — has showy white petals, unlike common ash
  • PhillyreaPhillyrea angustifolia — evergreen, privet-like but unfamiliar genus
Cornaceae
Dogwood family
Cornus · Aucuba
Flower: small, 4-petaled, often clustered; some species (e.g. Cornus kousa) surround the true flowers with 4 showy white bracts
opposite leaves with characteristic curved veins; dogwood stems are prized for winter colour

Common

  • Common dogwoodCornus sanguinea
  • Dogwood (winter stems)Cornus alba
  • Kousa dogwoodCornus kousa
  • Flowering dogwoodCornus florida
  • Spotted laurelAucuba japonica

unusual

  • Kousa dogwoodCornus kousa — the "petals" are actually bracts, not the true flower
  • DogwoodCornus sanguinea — true flowers are tiny, easy to overlook amid the bracts
  • Cornelian cherryCornus mas — yellow flowers appear before leaves in late winter
  • Spotted laurelAucuba japonica — evergreen shrub, doesn't look dogwood-like at all
  • BunchberryCornus canadensis — creeping woodland groundcover, not shrub-like
Rhamnaceae
Buckthorn family
Rhamnus · Frangula
Flower: small, greenish, 4–5 petals, inconspicuous; followed by black or red berries
alternate leaves with prominent curved veins; alder buckthorn is the sole foodplant of the brimstone butterfly

Common

  • Purging buckthornRhamnus cathartica
  • Alder buckthornFrangula alnus
  • Sea buckthornHippophae rhamnoides
  • Californian lilacCeanothus sp.
  • JujubeZiziphus jujuba

unusual

  • Alder buckthornFrangula alnus — inconspicuous flowers, ecologically vital for brimstones
  • Sea buckthornHippophae rhamnoides — silvery leaves, doesn't look related to buckthorn
  • Californian lilacCeanothus sp. — showy blue flowers, easy to assume a different family
  • Purging buckthornRhamnus cathartica — spine-tipped twigs, historically used as a laxative
  • JujubeZiziphus jujuba — edible fruiting tree, unfamiliar genus for UK gardeners
Aquifoliaceae
Holly family
Ilex
Flower: small, white, 4-petaled; dioecious — male and female flowers on separate plants, only female plants bear berries
often spiny, glossy evergreen leaves — though upper-canopy leaves can be spineless

Common

  • Common hollyIlex aquifolium
  • Variegated hollyIlex aquifolium 'Argentea Marginata'
  • Japanese hollyIlex crenata
  • Highclere hollyIlex × altaclerensis
  • Blue hollyIlex × meserveae

unusual

  • Common hollyIlex aquifolium — dioecious habit means many plants never berry
  • Japanese hollyIlex crenata — small box-like leaves, no spines, easy to mistake for Buxus
  • WinterberryIlex verticillata — deciduous, loses leaves but keeps bright berries
  • Yaupon hollyIlex vomitoria — leaves historically used for a caffeinated tea
  • Highclere hollyIlex × altaclerensis — often spineless upper leaves, confusing for ID
Adoxaceae
Viburnum family
Viburnum · Sambucus
Flower: small flowers in flat-topped clusters (corymbs); some species ring the cluster with larger sterile "petal" flowers, lacecap-style
opposite leaves; guelder rose and wayfaring tree are classic UK hedgerow shrubs

Common

  • Guelder roseViburnum opulus
  • Wayfaring treeViburnum lantana
  • ElderSambucus nigra
  • LaurustinusViburnum tinus
  • Snowball bushViburnum opulus 'Roseum'

unusual

  • Guelder roseViburnum opulus — outer sterile flowers mimic a lacecap hydrangea
  • ElderSambucus nigra — was formerly classified in Caprifoliaceae
  • Wayfaring treeViburnum lantana — felted grey leaves, easy to mistake for something else
  • Chinese snowballViburnum macrocephalum — entirely sterile flower balls, no true flowers visible
  • MoschatelAdoxa moschatellina — tiny woodland "town hall clock" flower, type genus of the family
Caprifoliaceae
Honeysuckle family
Lonicera · Weigela · Kolkwitzia
Flower: tubular, often 2-lipped and fragrant, frequently on a twining or climbing habit
opposite leaves; honeysuckle is a classic constituent of a mixed native hedge

Common

  • Common honeysuckleLonicera periclymenum
  • WeigelaWeigela florida
  • Beauty bushKolkwitzia amabilis
  • Japanese honeysuckleLonicera japonica
  • SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus

unusual

  • SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus — white berries, doesn't look like a typical honeysuckle
  • Fly honeysuckleLonicera xylosteum — upright shrub, not climbing like most Lonicera
  • Beauty bushKolkwitzia amabilis — pink bell flowers, unfamiliar genus
  • WeigelaWeigela florida — often mistaken for Scrophulariaceae relatives
  • TwinflowerLinnaea borealis — tiny paired nodding flowers, easy to overlook
herbarium-style reference · symmetry — petal fusion — stamen count — leaf/stem trait, in that checking order