Photographs: Garinish Island, Co. Cork

Fairy Foxglove Erinus alpinus Méirín sí Family: Scrophulariaceae Flowering: May-August. Short-lived perennial. Introduced. Clusters of small pink to purple flowers, the 5 notched petals fused into a tube. Many-seeded ovoid fruiting capsules. Semi-evergreen basal rosettes of hairy, stalked, spoon-shaped to oblong, toothed leaves, the stem leaves smaller and without stalks. Height 5-20cm. Full sun on rocks, walls, stony ground, often on limestone and lime mortar. A widespread but local, naturalised garden escape that can be persistent

Fairy Foxglove, Erinus alpinus, Méirín sí