28th September 2026
Herb Paris: A Welcome Resident on Balnagown
A strikingly attractive , but toxic, woodland plant recently found on Balnagown in the northern part of the estate that crosses over into Sutherland. Although found across many parts of Asia and Europe it is a rare find in Scotland and even more so in the Highlands.
Its Significance
The plant, however, holds a greater significance than just its beauty and rarity. This particular rhizomatous woodland perennial is a native of ancient woodlands and as such is an indicator that wherever it persists was once an old growth forest. Its presence can suggest a habitat with a long ecological memory, where the woodland floor has remained cool, damp, and relatively stable over time.
In the Scottish Highlands, ancient woodland often survives in fragments: damp gullies, sheltered slopes, riverbanks, and estate woods where shade and undisturbed soils have persisted for generations. Finding Herb Paris on the Balnagown is notable because its presence reminds us of the variety of very particular habitats that we are privileged to have on the estate. It informs us that parts of the estate still hold traces of much older woodland landscape and ensures that future management plans take their protection into consideration.
What is Herb Paris?
Known by a variety of different names, formally as Paris quadrifolia but more commonly as Lovers’ Knot, a reference to its symmetry, this plant has long been known to naturalists and herbalists. The Cheshire-born herbalist, John Gerard (1545–1612) included Herb Paris in his popular, illustrated gardening book‘Generall Historie of Plantes’, first published in 1597. He thought it a notable medicinal plant and later summaries say it appeared in Gerard’s Herbal as an antidote to dangerous poisons such as arsenic or mercury. That said later herbalists treat Herb Paris with caution because of its toxic nature.
its presence reminds us of the variety of very particular habitats that we are privileged to have on the estate.
Appearance and Growth
How to Identify It
Paris quadrifolia is a quiet, shade-loving perennial that usually grows to around 25–40 cm tall. Its most recognisable feature is a single whorl of four oval leaves arranged like a cross near the top of the stem. From the centre emerges one delicate, star-like flower with narrow greenish petals and golden-yellow stamens. Later in the season, the flower may develop into a single glossy blue-black berry, which as has been pointed out earlier, and as with every part of the plant, is toxic.
Growing Herb Paris
Over time, Herb Paris has gathered associations with love, protection, and woodland mystery. It should, however, be treat it with caution rather than curiosity. For those attracted to its unusual beauty it can be propagated by seed or division but grows slowly and is sensitive to disturbance, so wild populations should be admired in place rather than picked or moved. Please note that because all parts of the plant are poisonous gloves should be worn if handling the plant.
