Who would imagine anything evil in this colourful little weed, with its pink flowers and delicate, feathery leaves?
This pollinator-friendly plant has a long flowering season and many gardeners welcome it as a pretty wildflower. But look a little closer. The long seed pods emerging from the cluster of leaflets resemble the heads of herons – except they are dark and bristle with hair, like little devils.
There are other clues to a supposed malevolence. Its stalks, and sometimes the leaves, are blood-red. When pressed, they have a nasty smell, hence one of the plant’s folk names, ‘stinking Bob’.
Some say that this Bob is none other than Robin Goodfellow, a fairy prankster from English folklore, also known as Puck. He roams at night, poisoning ale, terrorising old ladies and twitching bedclothes. He is the original hobgoblin, and this is his namesake flower. Be warned: don’t pick it, for Robin may be watching!
Top image: the tiny pink flower of Herb Robert. Credit: Trudie Davidson/Getty Images
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