Skip to main content

The iconic orchid, Lady’s-slipper, was believed to have been driven to extinction in the UK by the early part of the 20th century as a result of over-collecting and habitat loss.

However, in 1930 a single plant was discovered growing in a remote part of the Yorkshire Dales. The location was kept secret for decades, during which time volunteers frequently checked on the plant to make sure it wasn’t dug up and stolen.

A reintroduction programme was planned with the ambition of reinstating self-sustaining populations of the orchid in the wild. Now, decades of work have finally paid off.

Last summer, the first new naturally occurring Lady’s-slipper Cypripedium calceolus plant was discovered in the wild for almost 100 years. The team who discovered the plant included Plantlife, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and Chester Zoo.

How did it Happen?

This incredible moment for plant conservation was decades in the making.

Some 2 years ago, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, in partnership with Plantlife, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, BSBI and the National Trust received a grant from Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme to continue and extend the work to recover Lady’s-slipper.

This work involved protecting the habitat of the remaining wild Lady’s-slipper plant, rearing lots of new orchid seedlings and planting out orchids into former haunts.

Then last June, the team were delighted to discover an entirely new plant at one of the reintroduction sites. This means the orchids that were planted out have managed to cross pollinate and set seed,, which then successfully germinated and established in the wild.

How did the Team Rescue Lady’s-slipper?

Lady’s-slipper, like other orchids, has tiny seeds and has long proven difficult to cultivate from seed. It took many years to refine the technique for hand pollination, discover the best time for seed capsule collection, germinate the hand-collected seeds and successfully grow-on mature individuals that were strong enough to be planted out in the wild.

Over the years, Kew has led the development of propagation techniques for the orchid. The young plants were then transferred to the hands of volunteer orchid-specialists, managed by the National Trust, who nurtured the plants for several years before they were ready to be planted out.

Trials have shown that larger plants – which are more rapidly able to get their roots down into rocky ground – grow better in the wild then smaller ones. This means, many of plants which were planted out in 2024 and 2025 were over 10 years old!

Together with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, BSBI, Natural England and Kew, we identified suitable sites for planting out orchids back into the wild.

Why did Lady’s-slipper Almost go Extinct?

The distribution of Lady’s-slipper used to once stretch from Cumbria to Derbyshire. But as a result of over-collecting and habitat loss, the plant was believed extinct in the UK by the early part of the 20th century.

During the Victorian era it fell victim to the orchid hunting craze known as ‘orchidelirium’. Explorers would be sent off by wealthy collectors with the mission of finding new species of the delicate and beautiful orchids. Sadly, this led to Lady’s-slipper’s decline.

Find out more about the Lady’s-slipper including how and where to spot it.

 

What’s Next?

Despite this wonderful step to success, there is still work to be done. The project team will continue their work to help the Lady’s-slipper and it’s hoped that if funding is secured more self-sustaining populations of the plant will be created.

If you would like the chance to see Lady’s-slipper, you can visit Kilnsey Park near Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales in late May and early June. More information here (www.kilnseypark.co.uk).

This year Plantlife has secured more funds from Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme to monitor previous reintroductions and explore the environmental and habitat factors which correlate with various measures of success. So that future reintroductions and reinforcements can be targeted to locations that are most likely to successfully support self-sustaining populations.

Photo credits: Kevin Walker and Dr Elizabeth Cooke

Read more

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

A journey to return one of the UK's rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.

Plants to Spot at the Seaside this Summer
Photo looks out over the cliffs to the sea and shows in the foreground, pink Sea Thrift and purple Heather clinging to the rocky cliffs.

Plants to Spot at the Seaside this Summer

Sun, sand, sea and wildflowers – why not add finding flowers to your list of beach time activities this summer.

How to ID plants through DNA barcoding
Sarah Shuttleworth at DNA barcoding course

How to ID plants through DNA barcoding

It’s not just animals that have DNA in their cells, plants and fungi do too – and understanding it can help us with hard to identify plants.

Why Did You Want to Start the No Mow Movement?

I have always been a big supporter of No Mow May and the No Mow Movement because I think it’s an incredible campaign for raising awareness of wildflowers and this is vital if we’re going to improve the available habitat for insects.

There had been an interest among staff in participating in the No Mow Movement, but really what spurred it on was the lockdown periods. During this time the contractors didn’t come in to mow the grass and displayed a little version of what could be.

Initially, we just wanted to see what was here naturally. The site had been manicured for many years, so the grass was incredibly short and flowers were not given the opportunity to bloom.

What Difference has it Made?

No Mow May area of longer grass next to mown path

To the Wildflowers and Grasses?

When we first left the site to grow in lockdown, we started to see wonderful flowers like Oxeye Daisy and Cuckooflower – things I know insects love.

Native wildflowers are most important to insects because these are the species that they have evolved alongside and they provide them with the exact food sources they need.

We have also done a little bit of enhancement and added Primroses and Cowslips to the grassland to provide an early supply of nectar and pollen for some of our spring pollinators. And then we’ve also added Yellow Rattle, which has probably had the biggest impact. The Yellow Rattle has spread throughout the 4 years that we’ve been doing this project, and it’s really made quite a difference.

I think my favourite flower is possibly the Common Knapweed because I love its bright pop of colour and seeing a bee really stuck face-first deep into the flower is really satisfying.

Cinnabar moth on some grass

To Insect Biodiversity?

One of my favourite things about us participating in the No Mow Movement has been the insects that we’re recording, including things that were not here before.

Everything from butterflies to moths to beetles and bees – and one of the biggest noticeable differences is the number of butterflies in recent years.

We’ve recorded 16 species of butterflies on our site during this period. They’re not all breeding here but that number is almost half of the butterflies recorded in Scotland, so that’s pretty good going! And because we’ve allowed our areas to grow, we found that we have a wonderful population now of Small Skipper butterflies.

The adult butterflies really need the floral resources to get the pollen and nectar. But their offspring need some breeding habitat, so the diversity of grasses we have are really important.

Common Wasp Queen on a Dandelion

And the People?

I’ve loved being able to work with my colleagues out on the grounds and interact in different ways than we usually would. It definitely has the mental health benefits to many of the staff and volunteers.

Also, the sounds of nature. Sitting near the meadow on your lunch break and hearing the grasshoppers and seeing the butterflies dance along the meadow – it’s a really nice experience.

There’s also a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that we’ve made these changes and they’ve been really positive.

What Does No Mow May Look Like at the Museum?

The management plan that we developed has totally rewritten what was happening here before and we have transformed the site during the course of the last 4 years.

Instead of the grass being cut every 2 weeks, we have just particular areas of the grass that are cut. Most of the grassland is left and we just have edges of the green spaces, the perimeter of the site and then designated pathways cut during the growing season. We also leave areas long all winter to create habitat for wildlife.

It’s been a delicate balance of trying to make sure that we’re enhancing the biodiversity but not disrupting any access.

No Mow May area of longer grass and wildflowers in front of large building

Where are you Doing No Mow May?

The National Museum’s collection centre is in the north of Edinburgh in an urban area. Our site is pretty unassuming – it’s an urban plot that is a series of buildings with green spaces laced between them.

But we have become a little bit of a green haven for the local wildlife.

As an institution, the No Mow Movement really nicely aligns with our aims as we research biodiversity, particularly Scottish insects, which is one of my focuses.

And of course, we’re very concerned about the environmental and biodiversity crisis right now. So doing something more with our own green space that we have was a natural way forward. I really hope that what we’ve done on our site can show other organisations what’s possible.

 

What Wildlife have you Seen?

If I had to list everything that we found, we would be here for a very, very long time. We’ve got countless moths, butterflies, bees and bugs including:

  • Moths – Cinnabar Moths, Burnet Moths and Poplar Hawk-moths
  • Butterflies – Small Skipper Butterly and Wall Brown
  • Bees – Red Mason bees and Cuckoo bees.
  • Wasps – Jewel Wasps and some different parasitic wasps (every year we record more of those)
  • Shield Bugs – Parent bugs and Hairy Shield bugs
  • Other bugs – Ladybirds and ground beetles

With insects being more plentiful, that’s also been great for the birdlife and we’ve had Blue Tits and Great Tits nesting on site and foraging, collecting caterpillars for their young.

We’ve also had a number of mammals, some of which can’t be recorded in the day. So, by setting up camera traps, we’ve been able to see some of the nocturnal wildlife, predominantly that’s our foxes.

Small Copper Butterfly on wildflowers

Why Does the No Mow Movement Matter?

The biodiversity loss that we’re facing and biodiversity declines that we’re seeing are a very real and quite scary issue.

Now more than ever, it’s so important that we use any little scrap of space that we can to make things a little bit wilder and support our biodiversity.

By participating in the No Mow Movement it’s given us this whole opportunity to look at the insect life and our biodiversity right on our doorstep at the Collections Centre in a totally different way.

It’s clear that by giving power to the flowers and encouraging those native grasses can have a huge impact on our insect biodiversity.

More about the No Mow Movement

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds
StoriesA close up of a pretty yellow flower against a background of blurred grass.There are five main flower heads in the shot and on the one closest to the camera is a bright green insects shining in the sun.

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds

What do you think of when you hear the word 'weed'? Join us as we uncover the myths #and delve into what it really means.

Let it Bloom June: No Mow May is Over, What’s Next?
How To

Let it Bloom June: No Mow May is Over, What’s Next?

Plantlife's Road Verges Advisor Mark Schofield reveals how to keep your thriving No Mow May flowering lawn blossoming into June.

The Museum Doing No Mow May
UK, Grassland, StoriesNorthern March Orchid

The Museum Doing No Mow May

The National Museum of Scotland has transformed its collections centre into a haven for insects and local wildlife by taking part in the No Mow Movement. Learn how.

No Mow May: Can your Garden be a Carbon Store?  

It’s not just trees that capture and store carbon, our meadows and grasslands play an important role too.

A close up look out across a lawn from amongst the grasses. The grass has dew drops on each blade. Hedges can be seen in the background and a small peak at a clear blue sky.

If you’re taking part in No Mow May this year, then your garden will be well on its way to becoming a beautiful, biodiverse haven for nature. But there is a bonus to helping the wildflowers grow – as you allow lawn to become meadow, your garden becomes your very own carbon store, helping to reduce your carbon footprint.

When carbon sequestration is mentioned, most minds turn to trees. As a society we are more aware than ever before of the role of woodlands in combatting climate change and creating a space for nature. Much less discussed is the remarkable and equally vital role our grasslands and meadows can play in increasing biodiversity and capturing and storing carbon from the atmosphere.  

Do Grasslands Store Carbon?

An early sunrise shines through long grasses, plants and wildflowers

When we create healthy grasslands and meadows by mowing or grazing livestock, we are simply replicating the activity of the herds of large wild herbivores that once moved across our hills and valleys. These habitats – if the grazing is gentle, infrequent and low intensity – recreate prehistoric landscapes and provide a home for our wild plants, insects, birds and fungi. Natural and semi-natural grasslands (meaning those that are farmed but in a traditional, less intensive manner) improve the quality of our water, prevent flooding and help increase the resilience of farming to summer droughts. 

This grassland – and the healthy soil beneath it – also has an incredible and little-known potential to lock away atmospheric carbon. Soil carbon is a particularly valuable store; it is far more stable and long lasting than the carbon in trees, which is vulnerable to forest fires, pests and disease.

As plants live and grow, carbon from the atmosphere is drawn down into the plants’ roots, where the myriad creatures in the soil make use of it, locking it away beneath the ground. As the diversity of plants on the surface increases, so does the diversity of microorganisms, fungi and invertebrates beneath it. The more diverse the soil life, the richer the entire ecosystem – and the more carbon the soil can store.

How Fungi Helps Store Carbon

The almost mystical role of mycorrhizal fungi is now well known. They connect roots to the nutrients in the soil, trading sugars that plants and trees create from sunlight with locked away minerals the fungi extract from the soil. We now know that plants and trees can communicate through these fungal networks, alerting them to pests and diseases and passing nutrients to others in need.

Mycorrhizal fungi have another important role – they are critical in the ability of plants to transfer carbon to the soil. In areas of farmland, meadow and garden where the soil is ploughed, fertilised or dominated by a small number of grass species, these mycorrhizal networks are much less effective – with fewer species and a lower carbon storage potential. When we look after our farmland and gardens with care, mowing and grazing infrequently and gently, avoiding ploughing and pesticides, we nurture our mycorrhizal fungi, helping the soil to become a more potent carbon store.

Does No Mow May Help Store Carbon?

By taking part in No Mow May, you will not only begin to create a home for wildflowers and insects, you will also create healthier soils that nourish your garden plants – and reduce your carbon footprint in the process.

England alone has around 640,000 hectares of private garden. If just a quarter of this area was transformed into wildflower rich meadow – by mowing just once or twice a year and collecting the cuttings – then these garden soils could potentially capture and store an additional amount of carbon equivalent to more than 3 million average cars’ annual emissions within a spade’s depth, and well over 10 million cars in soils as deep as one meter*.

A garden with long grass and mown paths with hammocks hanging from trees

Lawns and gardens are of course just one part of the puzzle – the UK’s farmed grassland landscape offers tremendous potential for us to sequester carbon, while also protecting agriculture and biodiversity.

Farmers and landowners have a fundamental role to play – combining food production with sustainable grasslands that lock away carbon in healthy, ecologically rich soils. Some 40% of the UK’s land area is grassland – but much of this is intensively farmed, limiting its potential for carbon storage.

Globally, studies have suggested that 2.3-7.3 billion tons of CO2 equivalents per year could be sequestered through grassland diversity restoration. Carbon sequestration doesn’t just mean more trees. Healthy grassland, with the more sensitive grazing and less intensive farming that nourishes it, also keeps carbon out of the atmosphere. 

No matter how large or small our garden, we all have a role to play, and we can all make a difference. It’s easy to get started – just put your lawnmower away this May!

More about #NoMowMay

Let it Bloom June: No Mow May is Over, What’s Next?

Let it Bloom June: No Mow May is Over, What’s Next?

Plantlife's Road Verges Advisor Mark Schofield reveals how to keep your thriving No Mow May flowering lawn blossoming into June.

The Museum Doing No Mow May
Northern March Orchid

The Museum Doing No Mow May

The National Museum of Scotland has transformed its collections centre into a haven for insects and local wildlife by taking part in the No Mow Movement. Learn how.

Wildlife to Spot in Your No Mow May Lawn 

Wildlife to Spot in Your No Mow May Lawn 

It’s not just wildflowers which benefit from not mowing our lawns this May. Pollinators and other wildlife bring our gardens to life!

The Rare Lichen that Travelled from Cornwall to Norfolk

An incredible story of returning one of England’s rarest lichens to its historic home – more than 350 miles away.

Let’s learn how expert Dave Lamacraft translocated the lichen across the country.

 

Dave Lamacraft translocating Scrambled Egg Lichen in Norfolk

The Scrambled Egg Lichen, a rare and endangered lichen, has been reintroduced to its historic home in East Anglia.

This yellow lichen with a white fungus on top really does look like an egg. But before you start imagining carrying it in a frying pan, let’s follow the amazing journey of transporting this lichen 350 miles.

Translocating Scrambled Egg Lichen

Taking a Lichen from Cornwall to Norfolk

The Breckland, in the east of England, has suffered more than other places with habitat loss. One of the casualties is the Scrambled Egg Lichen. It became extinct in the Breckland due to habitat loss resulting from changes in farming practices, an increase in tree cover and a loss of rabbits. The Scrambled Egg Lichen is 1 of 3 specialist lichens lost from the region, where they were once common, along with the Starry Breck and Scaly Breck Lichen.

Fortunately, we have found a way to reintroduce it back into the Breckland. Our Lichen and Bryophyte Senior Specialist Dave Lamacraft collected small patches of the lichen from Penhale in Cornwall and transported it using a process called translocation.

Scrambled Egg Lichen

What is the Scrambled Egg Lichen?

The rare Scrambled Egg Lichen Fulgensia fulgens is not just striking, but also a crucial part of the biological soil crust community which stabilises soils and facilitates the growth of other plants. It also hosts a globally rare fungus Lichenochora epifulgens which is even rarer than the Scrambled Egg lichen itself.

The UK is home to globally significant populations of rare lichen species, some of which are found nowhere else on earth. However, lichens face increasing threats from habitat loss, climate change and air pollution. Projects such as this are vital and will help us to reverse these declines.

What is Translocation?

Translocation is a process used in conservation which involves moving an organism to a new location, where it will hopefully survive and thrive. To translocate the Scrambled Egg Lichen, small patches of the lichen were carefully removed and reattached using a combination of water and bookbinding glue.

Some 200 small pieces of the lichen – about the size of a 20p piece – were removed from Cornwall and 160 transplanted into the Breckland chalky landscape. The site in Cornwall is managed by Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

About 160 lichens were translocated to a small area of about 100m at a site managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

Did it work?

Measuring long term success of this translocation will take a few years, but it is hoped that if successful, the lichen will show evidence of growing after one year and spread naturally afterwards.

None of this work would have been possible without the support from Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Norfolk Wildlife Trust, with funding from Natural England as part of the Species Recovery Programme.

More Nature Stories

10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

Did you know that the rainforest can glow in the dark? Or that it’s home to plants which were on the Earth before the dinosaurs? 

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds
A close up of a pretty yellow flower against a background of blurred grass.There are five main flower heads in the shot and on the one closest to the camera is a bright green insects shining in the sun.

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds

What do you think of when you hear the word 'weed'? Join us as we uncover the myths #and delve into what it really means.

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

A journey to return one of the UK's rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.

Global Strategy for Plant Conservation adopted at COP

Far too often, the world’s wild plants have been relegated to the green background for more charismatic wildlife…but no more.
We’re thrilled that the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation was adopted at COP16. Just returned from Cali, Colombia – our Global Advocacy Officer Claire Rumsey tells us more.

Global team at COP16 in Colombia

As the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) came to a close in the early hours on Sunday morning, we were thrilled to hear the news that the new Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) was officially adopted.

3 Successes for Plants at COP

Two Plantlife staff stand in front of a large sign which reads 'Global Strategy for Plant Conservation' at COP16

Adoption of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation

Far too often, the world’s wild plants have been forgotten and we’ve been calling to bring them to the forefront of global conservation efforts. 

The adoption of the GSPC (and its  21 complementary plant conservation actions) in Cali, Colombia is a big step forward. It means a commitment to align plant conservation efforts with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which is an international agreement made up of ambitious goals and targets to combat biodiversity decline. This includes updating the GSPC with specific indicators and a standardized reporting template, ensuring that progress in plant conservation is measurable and consistent with global biodiversity targets.  

Shaggy Inkcaps

A Moment for Fungi

A Fungi Pledge was also put forward, which we were absolutely thrilled about. The pledge, lunched at a side event by the UK and Chilean Governments proposed that the CBD introduce a ‘fungal conservation pledge’ to better prioritise fungi in global conservation strategies.  

This is great news for fungi. We are starting to see much more profile and attention given to the fungus kingdom and we will be seeking opportunities to work with the fungus community to build on this momentum.  

Recognition of Indigenous Peoples and local communities

In a truly historic decision, COP 16 delegates agreed to create a special advisory board for Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs).  

This means that the voices and knowledge of IPLCs will be an integral part of the future of biodiversity and nature conservation decision-making.   

Pre-COP there was general acknowledgement that this COP must strengthen the role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, who are “the world’s great guardians of biodiversity, luminaries of sustainable use”. And this decision, has done just that!  

A group of women sit in front of a desk on stage at COP16 the desk has a banner which reads 'Women for Biodiversity'

The Biggest Biodiversity COP yet

This COP had big shoes to fill, being the first one since the landmark KMGBF was adopted in Montreal in December 2022, hailed the Paris Agreement for Biodiversity. 

There was more interest than has ever been seen in a Biodiversity COP; we were among a whopping 23,000 other registered delegates, the High-level Segment was attended by six Heads of State, more than 130 Ministers and Vice Ministers, and over 70 leaders of international organisations.  

And, staying true to its title of ‘the people’s COP’, for the first time ever in a CBD COP there was a Green Zone (differing from the Blue Zone where the negotiations take place), located in the centre of Cali, constituting an open fair for biodiversity, and attracting around 40,000 people daily. This felt like the true COP, vibrant, full of energy and lots of public engagement with the stalls and activities. Check out our video here. 

What did we do at COP?

Our week was (as you’d expect) lots of non-stop talking about plants, fungi and biodiversity. At the conference itself, we shared a booth with Botanical Garden Conservation International (BGCI) creating a hub for discussions of all things plants (and fungi). 

We were there, to quite literally wave our (pink!) flags for plants and fungi, and the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation (GPPC). It was very busy and incredibly worthwhile.  

Another common thread of the COP was the implementation of a ‘whole of society’ approach to conservation, which we at Plantlife have been encouraging for years. This, for us specifically meant emphasis that it is not the sole responsibility of botanists and botanic gardens to speak up for plants (in the form of these new actions), but all different sectors – the farmers, the foresters, the businesses, IPLCs, national and global NGOs.  

Plantlife's Nicola Hutchinson giving a speech at COP16

We had fruitful and fascinating conversations with new and old friends including New York Botanic Garden, IUCN’s Reverse the Red, Key Biodiversity Areas, the Crop Trust and the IUCN’s Global Species Action Plan. And we connected with people from Mexico, Nepal, California, Switzerland, and Ruth Davies popped in to say hello as the new UK Nature Envoy (a former Plantlife employee and still a big Plantlife fan!).  

Our Director of Conservation, Nicola spoke at the GSPC side event about how these new plant conservation actions will contribute not only to the implementation of the KMGBF, but also multiple other UN frameworks and global policies. It was clear this is a moment for plants!  

What’s next for our Global Work?

Now that we’re back and the GSPC has been formally adopted, we can follow-up on the numerous connections we made, continuing to strengthen and grow our global network.

We will continue to advocate for the GSPC, particularly beyond the botanical garden world, so that we widen the understanding of the value and relevance of the plant actions and push for a broader societal to apply the actions within their own programmes and activities. Our aim is to make information more accessible and useful and to help bridge the gap from the science to conservation action on the ground.

Read more

Important Plant Areas – Slovakia
Forest of tree in the autumn behind a lake

Important Plant Areas – Slovakia

Important Plant Areas of New Guinea
Ground level rainforest

Important Plant Areas of New Guinea

Currently, a list of threatened and range-restricted plant species is being refined in New Guinea as part of the Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPA's) project (2022-2024).

Important Plant Areas of Mozambique
Mountainous region with forestry

Important Plant Areas of Mozambique

In Mozambique 57 IPA's have been identified, which is being used as focus for the Tropical Important Plant Areas team.

How many fungus species are there?

Recent studies have revealed that there’s so much fungi out there that we don’t know about.

But how do we know this? Plantlife’s Rachel Inhester, from our science team, tells us why.

 

Fly Agaric

“More than 90% of fungal species remain unknown to science”

This incredible fact from the Kew report, ‘State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023’, highlights just how much there is to learn when it comes to fungi. That was certainly my first thought when I read this statement. It’s exciting to think of all the discoveries we have yet to make, and it gives an indication as to the huge amount of work ahead of us, to find and classify such a large number of unknown species. The report goes on to estimate that there are between 2-3 million species of fungi in the world, and as of yet, only 155,000 of those species have been formally named!

Shaggy Inkcaps

Why are fungi hard to find and identify?

Fungi can be difficult to detect for a number of reasons:

  • Some species are very similar and can often be confused as being the same as one another.
  • Fungi spend a lot of their lifecycle hidden away under the soil. The mushrooms, that we are familiar with, are only one small part of the organism. They are known as the fruiting body and grow to release spores so that the fungus can reproduce, but for a large part of the year, fungi exist as a network of very fine threads underground, out of sight.
  • So many species have yet to be discovered and remain, for now, unknown to science. This means, that they have yet to be formally discovered and identified as new species.

 

As I was contemplating just how little we know about these extraordinary organisms; another thought came to mind. How can we estimate that 90% of fungal species are unknown to science? How did we come up with that number? In other words, how can we know what we don’t know?

What can be done?

Well, it turns out, that to arrive at such an estimate, you first need a team of fungal specialists, known as mycologists, and then you need the time and capacity to critically evaluate all the current knowledge on the topic so far. It was certainly no simple undertaking!

Photo shows a number of clear test tubes resting in a yellow tray. There is a plant in a vase behind the test tubes.

Past methods of calculating the number of fungal species, were not without issue, so the team of experts definitely had their work cut out for them. Previous estimates couldn’t be completely relied upon on their own. Sampling techniques varied and some fungal groups were not considered in certain studies. Some reports were simply outdated due to the discoveries that have been made since they were first published.

It’s important that we try to speed up this process so that we can understand the fascinating world of fungi around us. Fungi are interconnected with nearly all life on earth. They can improve nutrient uptake of plants, improve the immunity of their plant hosts against pathogens, they are biomass decomposers, and some species are used to make medicines [1].

The team of specialists decided to focus on 4 key academic areas to better estimate the number of expected species. These research areas were scaling laws, fungus to plant ratios, actual vs previously known species and DNA based studies.

  • 1. Scaling Laws

    Organisms are classified into 8 main levels or ‘taxa’. From highest to lowest, these taxa are: Domain – Kingdom – Phylum – Class – Order – Family – Genus – Species. This is a way of organising organisms into groups which become more inclusive with every level. Let’s use the Fly Agaric fungi as an example. At species level we simply have Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria). The Fly Agaric is an individual species, but individual species can belong to a larger group, or genus, in this case the genus Amanita. A genus is a grouping of similar species which all share a common ancestor. The groupings, or taxa, get progressively larger as you move up each level until you reach the levels of Kingdom and Domain. The Fly Agaric is part of the Fungi Kingdom which includes all other fungal species.

    Scaling law studies aim to predict species diversity by looking at patterns in the numbers of ‘higher taxa’ and the number of known species in each.

    In this case, information from the level of phylum (the third taxa) to genus (the seventh taxa) was used. Patterns in the numbers of these ‘higher taxa’ were compiled to predict fungal species diversity. Previous studies were assessed by the fungal experts, who adjusted the estimates to include recent discoveries and accurate numbers of known species.

  • 2. Fungus: Plant Ratios

    Fungus to plant ratios have been estimated in multiple studies over the years and for a variety of habitats. Therefore, if we know the number of plant species, we can make a pretty good estimate as to the number of fungal species.

    However, the fungal experts were still faced with challenges when examining previous research. Studies varied in how they calculated the ratios to begin with. Some only considered fungi with a known association to plants and other studies were much broader. Coupled with the fact that lots of fungi can be difficult to detect and may have no association with plants whatsoever, a lot of the predictions were considered an underestimate. On evaluating earlier research, the specialists felt that a ratio of 5:1, of fungi to plant species, in temperate areas and 4:1 in tropical locations, was more accurate than previous estimates.

  • 3. Actual vs previously known species

    Some species of fungi can be difficult to differentiate. This can cause an underestimation of species numbers as multiple species are occasionally classified as one and the same. The fungal experts examined a study which had investigated this in detail where they concluded that there were 11 times as many actual species compared with previously known species. Varying definitions of exactly what a species is, creates difficulty with this method of estimation.

  • 4. DNA Studies

    DNA based methods have been an incredibly powerful tool in documenting fungal diversity around the world. A single sample can allow scientists to sequence the DNA of whole communities of fungi. These samples can come from a variety of places, including soil and deadwood. The samples are then analysed and any DNA within the sample is extracted and sequenced.

    This DNA gives us a list of all the fungal species found in a sample, including species which we can’t even see, providing us with a more accurate representation of fungal species numbers.

    For Kew’s report, it provided the final piece of the puzzle in answering the question of ‘how many species of fungi do we think there are globally?’.

Scarlet Elfcup

What does this tell us?

Using all the information and research available to them, the fungal experts refined their predictions and came up with an estimate of 2.5 million species of fungi worldwide! [2]

So there really was a lot of work that went into this seemingly impossible estimation. As it stands, this estimate reveals how many species we have yet to discover.

At this time, around 2,500 new species of fungi are identified and described each year. And if the above estimate is accurate, that would mean waiting 750-1000 years for us to find and describe the rest. [2]

As we discover more species, we shall hopefully uncover more benefits of the fungi around us, as well as conserving as many species as possible before we potentially lose them forever.

  • References

    1. Niskanen, T., et al. (2023). Pushing the frontiers of biodiversity research: Unveiling the global diversity, distribution and conservation of fungi. Annual Review of Environment and Resources. DOI: https://doi.org//10.1146/annurev-environ-112621-090937 –  
    2. Antonelli, A., et al. (2023). State of the World’s Plants and Fungi 2023. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34885/wnwn-6s63 
10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

Did you know that the rainforest can glow in the dark? Or that it’s home to plants which were on the Earth before the dinosaurs? 

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds
A close up of a pretty yellow flower against a background of blurred grass.There are five main flower heads in the shot and on the one closest to the camera is a bright green insects shining in the sun.

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds

What do you think of when you hear the word 'weed'? Join us as we uncover the myths #and delve into what it really means.

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

A journey to return one of the UK's rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.

With the same standing as the Pyramids and the Great Barrier Reef, The Flow Country has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status – marking a magnificent moment for Scottish wildlife.

Deep within this historic landscape is our own Munsary Peatlands, which is an incredibly special place for plant life. One of the most extensive peatlands left in Europe, our Munsary Nature Reserve is key for tackling the ongoing climate crisis.

Alistair Whyte, Head of Plantlife Scotland said: “The Flow Country may be less well-known than the Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon and the Pyramids but it is cause for great celebration that it today has achieved the same standing as those rightly revered places on Earth. Recognition of the special significance of this wet and wild habitat in northern Scotland, where ancient peat can be as deep as a double-decker bus, demonstrates a growing recognition of the importance of peatlands to plants, people and planet.”

This historical moment also means the Flow Country has become the world’s first peatland World Heritage Site.

Why this Matters?

After years of hard work, we are thrilled that The Flow Country, in northern Scotland, has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a special moment for Scottish wild plants, fungi and the wealth of the wildlife they support.

UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of natural and cultural heritage around the globe considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. What makes the concept of World Heritage so special is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all people, irrespective of where they are located.

The list of World Heritage Sites is as varied as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia to the Pyramids of Egypt – and now that list includes the Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland, located near Lybster in Scotland (among just over 30 sites currently in the UK).

Why are the Munsary Peatlands so Special?

Munsary, a vast and undulating plain of blanket bog, is home to a huge variety of wildlife including some rare and threatened species.

This historic landscape is the most intact and extensive blanket bog system in the world. As well as being very important for biodiversity, it is also classed as an Important Plant Area (IPA). IPAs are key sites for exceptional botanical richness and identified as the best places for wild plants and their habitats.

So far, 147 species of vascular plants have been recorded at Munsary including the nationally-scarce Small Cranberry and a patch of Marsh Saxifrage, discovered in 2002, which is one of the largest colonies in Britain. The reserve in Caithness is also home to a Bog Orchid, a tiny yellow-green orchid which is so slight as to be almost invisible in the few bogs where it grows.

But, healthy peatlands – like Munsary – are more than just wildlife havens; they also have a vitally important role as we tackle the climate emergency. In fact, the vast expanse of pristine peat formed over many millennia at Munsary locks up a staggering two million tonnes of carbon.

What you Can Find at Munsary?

Some species to look out for inlcude:

  • Great Sundew Drosera anglica – June – August
  • Marsh Saxifrage Saxifraga hirculus – August – September
  • Bog Orchid Hammarbya paludosa – June – September

 

Munsary

A special feature at Munsary is an unusual-looking area of dark-watered pools, high on a dome of peat, called dubh lochans. This area is particularly diverse, with pools of different shapes, sizes and depths, vegetated pools, and open water, ridges, and hummocks.

Even a visitor who has never studied mosses can spot differences between those forming the peat. Some form neat, rounded mounds, others are brownish or reddish tufts, while others make a deceptive green lawn, floating over water of an uncertain depth.

The drier areas of bog moss are home to many characteristic bog plants: Bog Asphodel, with spikes of yellow flowers, Common Cottongrass, with many white cottony heads in summer, and hare’s-tail cottongrass with just a single, fluffier head. Three species of heather grow here and plenty of sedges too, including such hard-to-find species as few-flowered sedge, flea sedge and bog-sedge.

Insect-eating plants lurk beside streams and wet pools: butterwort, with a basal rosette of broad, yellow-green leaves on which small insects stick, and round leaved and great sundew, with long red hairs on their leaves curving over to entrap their prey.

Yellow flowers of Bog Asphodel among grass and other bog plants.

Why is Peat Important?

Peatlands are home to some of the UK’s most distinctive plant communities – they have evolved in response to the low-nutrient conditions. This has led to some remarkable adaptations such as the insect-eating sundews and butterworts, and the spongy blankets of colourful spagnum mosses.

They are also one of our most important terrestrial carbon sinks. But when bogs are drained or the peat is exploited, the peat gets exposed to the air and begins to break down, releasing carbon dioxide. This turns a huge carbon store into a vast emitter, contributing to climate change. Read more here.

10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

Did you know that the rainforest can glow in the dark? Or that it’s home to plants which were on the Earth before the dinosaurs? 

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds
A close up of a pretty yellow flower against a background of blurred grass.There are five main flower heads in the shot and on the one closest to the camera is a bright green insects shining in the sun.

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds

What do you think of when you hear the word 'weed'? Join us as we uncover the myths #and delve into what it really means.

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

A journey to return one of the UK's rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.

What the government does in its first 100 days can pave the way for five years of new policy. By acting now to protect and restore nature, the government could transform the fortunes of wild plants and fungi.

We’ve sent a letter to the Secretary of State calling on the government to commit to a Grassland Action plan, establish a National Rainforest Fund, legislate to end peat sales and show global leadership in species recovery.

With 2 in 5 plant species at risk of extinction, biodiversity loss is now the fastest it’s ever been. This means our work has never been more vital.

We would like the new government to:

Wildflower meadow landscape with a variety of species near Cardiff, Wales

1. Commit to a Grassland Action Plan

The ultimate multi-taskers, grasslands rich in wild plants and fungi can sequester and store carbon, clean our air and water, and produce sustainable food.

From farmland pastures to urban road verges – grasslands cover more than 40% of England’s land. Unlocking their economic and environmental benefits, as part of a circular economy, will support communities, local authorities and national agencies.

But the majority of our wildlife-rich grasslands have been destroyed and the losses are continuing.

We need  the government to take a strategic approach, starting with the establishment of a Defra-led Grassland Taskforce to understand the social, economic & environmental potential of this national asset for people, the economy, nature and climate.

branches and tree covered with lichens

2. Establish a National Rainforest Fund

England’s temperate rainforests are of global importance, with the greatest concentration of oceanic lichens and mosses in Europe. These lower plants are ancient and pre-date humans, flowers and even dinosaurs.

But these habitats are rare, highly fragmented and facing multiple threats.

Whereas previous government plans to recover England’s temperate rainforests lacked ambition and commitment, we need a more far-reaching and detailed approach to help these precious habitats thrive.

Creating a National Rainforest Fund, to attract both private and public investment, will support long-term landscape-scale restoration, reduce external pressures and engage landowner and local communities in practical action.

Yellow flowers of Bog Asphodel among grass and other bog plants.

3. Legislate to End Sales of Peat

Despite repeated commitments by the previous government, legislation to end peat sales is still not in place. Meanwhile, the harvesting of peat continues to destroy peatlands and their wildlife – releasing carbon and increasing flood risk.

There have been great strides in reducing peat use. Yet two-thirds of bagged compost sold in 2022 still contained some peat and total peat use for the year was 950,000m3.

With a fair, well-managed and supported transition, there is a bright, successful future ahead for a peat-free, sustainable horticultural industry. But legislation is required if this future is to be realised. To end the uncertainty that has plagued British horticulture for well over a decade and to protect our peatlands, we need to see this as a priority for the government’s legislative programme.

Inside COP28

4. Show Global Leadership in Species Recovery

Fast forward to October when governments from across the world will gather at the UN CBD COP16 in Columbia, with the aim of driving global action for biodiversity forward.

This includes leading by example. We are calling on the UK government to set out its national plan, by October, for how it will meet the legally-binding targets in the Environment Act 2021 and the global biodiversity targets to 2030.

At COP 16, we need senior ministers attending and actively engaging in international collaboration for nature. By offering to host COP17 in the UK, the government will have an unmissable opportunity to show true global leadership on species recovery.

These are the critical first steps to building a healthy and prosperous society underpinned by a thriving and resilient natural environment. And as time begins to run out, we are using our position to bring lasting and positive change to our natural world – for everyone’s sake.

We hope the government will commit to protecting and restoring nature, which will help the future of wild plants and fungi, in England and across the world.

As environment policy is a devolved matter, UK government action relating to grasslands, rainforest and peat sales applies to England only.

10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

10 Fun, Fascinating and Fantastical Facts About Temperate Rainforests

Did you know that the rainforest can glow in the dark? Or that it’s home to plants which were on the Earth before the dinosaurs? 

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds
A close up of a pretty yellow flower against a background of blurred grass.There are five main flower heads in the shot and on the one closest to the camera is a bright green insects shining in the sun.

What is a Weed? And Why Wildflowers Aren’t Weeds

What do you think of when you hear the word 'weed'? Join us as we uncover the myths #and delve into what it really means.

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

Orchid on the Brink of Extinction Returns to the Wild

A journey to return one of the UK's rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.

What are problem plants?

While most plants have some value to wildlife, species such as Common Nettle Urtica dioica, thistles Cirsium sp and docks Rumex sp can spread rapidly in meadows or lawns with sub-optimal management and crowd out wildflowers. Small amounts of these species are natural in any grassland, especially along boundaries or corners, large amounts of them can indicate a problem.

However, large swathes of thistles or nettles will result in less space for a diversity of other flowering plants, which could result in a meadow being less valuable for wildlife. Also be aware that an area that has alot of these problem plants already, is usually best avoided altogether if attempting to make a new meadow area.

Preventing problem plants establishing in large numbers is better than a cure . It is best to:

  • Maintain well-managed meadows/grassland vegetation with few gaps
  • Avoid heavy use of the ground during wet weather that could leave areas bare, and avoid scalping by using a low mowing blade on sodden grass
  • Not add nutrients through fertilisers or manure as these problem plants thrive in nutrient-high conditions

 

Problem plant species

Broad-leaved Dock

Dock


Broad-leaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius can grow up to 120cm tall and has wide lower leaves that are slightly wavy-edged. The upper leaves on the flowering stem are narrower. The leaves may be slightly red tinged.

Curled Dock Rumex crispus is like Broad-leaved Dock but has narrower leaves tapered into the stem with strongly crisped edges. Docks are an important plant for a range of insects such as capsids, weevils, beetles, spiders and many other insects.

Thistle


Spear Thistle Cirsium vulgare is a biennial plant, forming a rosette of spiny and sharply toothed leaves in the first year and producing large purple flowering heads in the second year.

Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense is perennial with wavy-toothed leaves that have slender spines and smaller purple flower heads.

 

Common-ragwort

Common Ragwort


Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris is a biennial member of the Daisy family. Its seed germinates in the autumn producing a rosette of leaves. During the second year, the plant sends up flowering shoots which have multiple yellow flowers.

Common Ragwort is known to support more than 129 other species of invertebrates and has enormous value for wildlife. It acts as a nectar source for pollinators as well as some larvae of flies and beetles which feed on the inside of the flower head. The caterpillars of the cinnabar moth eat Common Ragwort acting as a natural biological control agent. In addition, 14 species of fungi use ragwort as their host.

Common nettle

Common Nettle


Common Nettle Urtica dioica is a coarsely hairy plant with stinging hairs that have a histamine-containing juice. Plants are dioecious – male or female. It has far-creeping underground rhizomes which can spread creating large clumps of common nettle.

It is an important plant for a range of insects such as ladybirds, damselflies, capsids, weevils, beetles, and spiders. Young nettles are the food plant of many moth larvae such as the snout, dot, burnished brass and younger mother-of-pearl and butterflies such as the peacock, small tortoiseshell and comma.

Why are these plants a problem?

Many of them have seeds that are very fertile and spread on the wind, usually dropping far away from the parent plant. A single Common Ragwort plant can produce up to 200,000 seeds, and these can lie dormant in the soil for as long as 20 years. Common Ragwort is also a problem in particular for livestock as the plant contains toxic alkaloids which act as a cumulative poison eventually destroying an animal’s liver.

Some species also have rhizomatous roots that are spreading meaning that they form dense clumps in grassland. Accidently breaking up the roots when removing certain species creates larger clumps as even small bits of root can grow into plants and can remain dormant in the soil for years. For example, Creeping Thistle can create a 20- metre patch in just two years from a small bit of root left in the ground.

 

Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Broad-leaved Dock, Curled Dock and Common Ragwort are classified under the Weeds Act 1959, under which orders can be made requiring their control to help prevent their spread. So, controlling populations of these two species should be undertaken to manage the extent of clumps as total elimination is unlikely to be achievable or desirable.

ragwort

How to manage problem plants

All methods of managing problem plants need patience above all else. Most often it can take years before problem plants are brought back under control.

Essentially pulling by hand is going to be the simplest and least invasive way of managing most of them, or simply cutting the heads off the plants before they flower or set seed for others. However, if you have large numbers of plants and are unable to physically remove them, then spot-spraying can be used. We would always recommend consulting an expert for suitable and available herbicides that will affect the specified problem plants and how to apply the chemicals safely. Spraying is usually most effective early in the season (May or June) before the plants’ flowers are developed. When found along the edge of watercourses, there are additional concerns about using herbicides.

It is important to take care when digging to remove some species, as Creeping Thistle for example can spread further if fragments of roots are left in the soil, whereas digging and removing Spear Thistle is not a problem.

In a well-managed sward, Common Ragwort seldom gets the chance to establish. Pulling and digging is often the most effective control method. Hand tools can be used to make the job easier such as a ‘lazy dog tool’ and a ‘rag-fork’. Gloves must be worn! This method should be done early in the summer before the flower heads mature with best results when the soil is wet. This enables the whole plant to be removed as small bits of root left in the soil can grow becoming new plants. Roots are more likely to break in dry ground potentially creating a larger problem with a halo of new plants around the removed parent plant. Cutting can be used as a method, however it is essential to cut before seed heads are mature and this must be followed with another control technique. Cutting may stimulate the growth of side shoots and vigorous growth in the following year.

Common Nettle is usually best managed through cutting by mechanical means such as a tractor-mounted cutter, strimmer or by hand, using a scythe. This method is best used where infestations of Common Nettle are small, bird nesting is not an issue, equipment and labour are available and where total control is neither desirable nor necessary. Repeated cutting combined with close mowing of the area will weaken Common Nettles and allow the grass to successfully compete over a period of years.

Some other species not considered problem plants

  • Thistles

    There are other species of thistles that are not considered problem plants, such as:

    • Marsh Thistle Cirsium palustre often found in damper grassland
    • Dwarf Thistle Cirsium acaule and Woolly Thistle Cirsium eriophorum often found in calcareous grassland and
    • Melancholy Thistle Cirsium heterophyllum which is present in the north of England, northern Wales and Scotland in grasslands and along roads and footpaths
  • Dock

    There are other Dock species that are present in grassland and are not considered problem plants in the legislation. These include:

    • Common Sorrel Rumex acetosa
    • Sheep’s Sorrel Rumex acetosella (both of which are identified as positive indicators of grassland condition)
  • Ragwort

    There are other Ragwort species that are present in grassland and are not considered problem plants in the legislation. For example:

    • Marsh Ragwort Jacobaea aquatica
    • Hoary Ragwort Jacobaea erucifolia
    • Oxford Ragwort Senecio squalidus

More Meadow Making tips

How to control Problem Plants like Thistles and Nettles
Common nettle

How to control Problem Plants like Thistles and Nettles

Managing or making meadows, whether in a lawn or larger site, can sometimes lead to prickly problem plants like docks or nettles. Follow our expert advice for managing problem plants.

Yellow Rattle: The Meadow Maker
Yellow Rattle in a hay meadow

Yellow Rattle: The Meadow Maker

Yellow Rattle, is the single most important plant you need when creating a wildflower meadow. Here’s everything you need to know.

How to Start a Community Meadow?

How to Start a Community Meadow?

Want to start a community meadow, but not sure where to begin? Read our guide to creating a flower-filled haven for your local community.

Yellow rattle, commonly known as the meadow maker, is one of the most important plants you need for a meadow. Without it, vigorous grasses can grow unchecked and smother flowers you want to encourage.

As Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus minor grows in a meadow the grass will become thinner, making room for plants like Oxeye Daisy, Knapweeds and Vetches to appear. And if you’re lucky, maybe even an orchid will pop up.

Yellow rattle close up

The Life Cycle (a year) of Yellow Rattle:

  • The seeds germinate in early spring and grow quickly
  • As the roots develop, it seeks out the roots of plants growing nearby, especially grasses
  • Once it makes contact, Yellow Rattle draws water and nutrients from the nearby plants
  • This leaves space for flowers to grow

Then large bees, especially bumblebees, move in and pollinate the flowers of yellow rattle and it’s large seed pods dry and ripen. This leaves the seeds rattling around inside. Farmers used to use the sound of the rattling seeds as their cue to cut the hay – hence the name.

How to grow Yellow Rattle?

Yellow Rattle is a very useful starting plant when making a wildflower meadow, but it can be a little tricky to establish. Here are some top tips to get you started:

1. Getting some seed

  • Yellow Rattle seeds are very short lived so they must be sown as fresh as possible and ideally will have been harvested in the most recent summer
  • You can pop over to the Plantlife shop to buy some
  • Or even better, if you know somewhere locally with Yellow Rattle, then ask if you can collect some seed
  • Seeds are collected by picking the stems (on a dry day) and shaking them into a paper bag
  • The seeds must be collected between June and August – once ripe they will begin to fall to the ground so there’s only a short window of opportunity! Ripeness is dependent on the summer weather and is likely to be soonest in the warmest parts of the country such as the south east.

     

2. Planting the seed

  • Firstly, you must prepare the area – cut the grass as short as you can between July and September and remove the clippings
  • There may be a layer of dead grass, which should be removed by raking through the area with a soil rake, to expose some bare soil throughout – this is crucial so the seed can reach the surface of the soil, and won’t be choked as a seedling
  • The seeds can then be sown by hand by scattering
  • This needs to be done by November at the latest, because the seeds need about 4 months below 5C to germinate in the spring

3. Watch it grow

  • Seedlings will start to appear in the spring, from as early as late February. But there is no need to worry if only a few plants germinate in the first year as they will shed seed and numbers should rapidly increase
  • The wildflower meadow should be cut once the Yellow Rattle has shed its seed – between July and August. Cutting times will vary depending on where you live and the seasons
  • In a garden, cutting the grass and removing the clippings once or twice before December ensures Yellow Rattle has the space to germinate and grow by February

If you have very fertile soil, it might be trickier to grow Yellow Rattle. Poor and infertile soils are best and following the steps above will help reduce the fertility of your soil over time.

FAQ

  • 1. When should I sow Yellow Rattle?

    Late summer (August-September) is the best time to sow Yellow Rattle. It will not grow successfully if sown in the spring. The seeds can be sown no later than November because they need about 4 months below 5C to germinate in the spring.

  • 2. How do I collect my own Yellow Rattle seed?

    Yellow Rattle is easy to collect by hand. Simply hold a paper bag under the ripe seed pod and shake it gently with your fingers. Collecting larger quantities can easily be done using a vacuum or leaf blower.

    WATCH: Plantlife’s Sarah Shuttleworth collects Yellow Rattle with a vacuum. 

  • 3. Why has Yellow Rattle disappeared from my meadow?

    There are a number of reasons why Yellow Rattle may disappear from a meadow, including:

    • Cutting before the rattle has set seed
    • Leaving the cuttings on the meadow
    • Grazing in early spring when the seedlings are out and vulnerable
    • The meadow is too fertile
    • Grass is out-competing the Yellow Rattle
  • 4. How much Yellow Rattle should I sow?

    For meadows, we recommend 0.5-2.5kg per hectare/10-20g per m2 if you are collecting your own seed.

  • 5. Why hasn’t my Yellow Rattle geminated?

    There are several possible reasons:

    • The seeds were more than a year old (we advise buying from a reputable supplier).
    • Not enough bare ground was created before sowing. It is best to create at least 50% bare ground.
    • The meadow was too fertile and the grasses out competed the rattle.
    • Rattle was sown at the wrong time of year (sowing in the late summer is best). If sown in the spring it should have been stored damp mixed with sand at 4C for 6 –12 weeks.
    • The grass was too long in the early spring, when the rattle germinates. Cutting the meadow in February and removing the clippings can help. This gives the rattle seedlings a better head-start when competing for light with the surrounding grasses.

     

More meadow making tips

How to control Problem Plants like Thistles and Nettles
Common nettle

How to control Problem Plants like Thistles and Nettles

Managing or making meadows, whether in a lawn or larger site, can sometimes lead to prickly problem plants like docks or nettles. Follow our expert advice for managing problem plants.

Yellow Rattle: The Meadow Maker
Yellow Rattle in a hay meadow

Yellow Rattle: The Meadow Maker

Yellow Rattle, is the single most important plant you need when creating a wildflower meadow. Here’s everything you need to know.

How to Start a Community Meadow?

How to Start a Community Meadow?

Want to start a community meadow, but not sure where to begin? Read our guide to creating a flower-filled haven for your local community.