Identification

[bobandbec]

Anybody help with identification of these 2 flowers. A field full next to my colonies sown by the farmer.

Thanks

Peter

 

[Haughton Honey]

The bottom one looks like 'volunteer' OSR (the remnants of lasts year's crop)

 

[Gaz Fella]

surely the bluey one is Phacelia ... a common and easily obtained "green manure":
http://www.greenmanure.co.uk/phacelia.htm

As a green manure, it is usually cut before flowering - which is a real shame as it is truly excellent for bees!

 

[bobandbec]

Thanks to both for the replies.

Cris I thought it was rape but the thing is the farm hasn't grown rape for some 15-20 years. It is something he's sown to help the soil. Next time I see him I'll ask what it is. Maybe it was an autumn rape?

Peter

 

[Gaz Fella]

ok- how about Mustard, for the yellow one. Also on that "green manure" web address I gave you, and quite likely that a "green manure mix" was sown.

 

[East Yorks New Bee]

I agree with gazfella about the yellow one, it looks like green manure mustard, especially when you say the farmer has planted it to help the soil

 

[RoofTops]

A farmer I know says the big problem with phacelia is not growing it but stopping it growing in subsequent years. I suspect this is both due to seeds set after early flowers and also due to seeds not germinating the first season and lying dormant. It is simliar for oil seed rape. The fields around here are ringed by yellow flowers long after the OSR has faded. I put this down to plants originating from OSR seed years earlier and which have now become established and are reverting back through successive generations towards the original plant.

 

[Finman]

.
In Finland the blue one is called "honey flower". Many beekeepers cultivate it for bees.