A fleshy herb of the wet margins of brooks, streams and ditches, Brooklime can be seen all year-round and provides shelter for tadpoles and sticklebacks.
As its name suggests, Brooklime is a fleshy, succulent herb that grows in the wet margins of brooks, streams and ditches, and also in very damp soil. It is in bloom between May and September, producing spikes of bright blue flowers, but its leaves can persist all year-round. It is an ideal plant for wildlife pond margins as it is easy to control and provides cover for tadpoles and sticklebacks.
How to identify
Brooklime has large, rounded leaves, and thick, juicy stems that are both creeping and upright. Its blue (sometimes pink) flowers are borne on the stems in pairs and are very small.
Distribution
Widespread.
Did you know?
The fleshy leaves of Brooklime are edible, but very bitter. Like Water-cress, it was traditionally used in salads across northern Europe, and was thought to prevent scurvy.
