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Though we typically associate wildflowers with spring and summer, some species thrive in the colder months. Here’s our list of our favourite native winter wildflowers to watch for on your winter adventures.
Although the days are getting longer, we are still in the depths of winter.
Some might assume that with bare branches and muddy footpaths, there’s not much to see in nature during winter, but nothing could be further from the truth. Even in its more restful state, nature is full of surprises, and there’s so much to discover!
While the season can seem uninviting, it’s well worth venturing out if you can. Frost dusts hardy winter plants in sparkling ice, and delicate wildflowers brave the freezing temperatures to bloom under the winter sun.
Though we typically associate wildflowers with spring and summer, some species thrive in the colder months.
Here’s our list of our favourite native and naturalised winter wildflowers to watch for on your winter adventures.
Mistletoe, Viscum album, had to top our list because it has become synonymous with the winter season. Look out for its white berries throughout the winter and flowers between February and April.
You’ll have to keep your eyes up to spot this parasitic plant as it grows hanging from broadleaf trees, orchard trees and others, especially lime and poplar.
Mistletoe colonies are vital for 6 species of insect that live nowhere else.
For more information head to our Mistletoe species page here.
Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis is a bright and glossy yellow perennial, which blooms between January and March.
While it’s not native to the UK, having been introduced in the 16th century, it is now naturalised and a common sight in our parks and woodlands.
It’s an easy one to spot due to it’s vibrant flowers. Keep your eyes on the ground as it’s a small plant, that grows up to 15cm.
Read more on our Winter Aconite species page here.
Snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, although not native to the UK, have become synonymous with our woodlands. They were introduced possibly as early as the 16th century, from mainland Europe.
The pretty white blooms can usually been seen from January to March, though they have been known to flower as early as October!
You’ll find them in areas with damp soil, such as moist woodland and riverbanks.
The species has long been associated with our cold winter months – the Latin name, Galanthus nivalis, translates as ‘milk flower of the snow.’
For more about this stunning species, visit our Snowdrop species page here – scroll down to watch our video uncovering the hidden secrets of Snowdrops, or head to our YouTube page here.
The pretty yellow Primrose, Primula vulgaris, is a favourite, and common sight all over the UK.
It’s name comes from the Latin, prima rosa, which means ‘first rose’ of the year. While Primroses are not part of the rose family, the name is still apt, as they are early bloomers.
You can see these pale yellow, green-veined flowers from December until May, the flowers are 3cm across, on single stalks.
Keep a look out for these wildflowers in woodland clearings, hedgebanks, waysides, railway banks and open grasslands.
Read more on our Primrose species page here.
Lesser Celandine, Ficaria verna, is an easy winter spot with bright yellow, star-shaped flower that can often blanket the ground.
They can be spotted between February and May. In fact February is so synonymous with the wildflower that the 21 February has been known as Celandine Day since 1795. It’s said that this was the day when the renowned naturalist Gilbert White noted that the first celandines usually appeared in his Hampshire village of Selborne.
Look out for these bright blooms in woodlands, hedge banks, damp meadows and stream-sides.
Read more about the Lesser Celandine on our species page here.
The native wildflower Stinking Hellebore, Helleborus foetidus, is one to look out for in the colder months. It has unique dropping cup-shaped pale green or yellowish flowers that stand out against dark green leaves.
The name Stinking Hellebore suggests that it’s one you might smell before you spot, but the scent is actually only released if the leaves are crushed.
Keep an eye out for Stinking Hellebore between February and April. It can be found in woodlands, on walls and roadside verges and is particularly fond of limestone-based soils.
While this plant is a beautiful one to watch out for, it is also one to be cautious around as every part of the plant is poisonous.
Read more about the Stinking Hellebore here.
While Daisies, Bellis perennis, might not really be a winter wildflower – National Daisy Day is actually on January 28, so we think they deserve to make the cut!
Daisies are a common sight in short grasslands and meadows, blooming between March and September. With spring officially starting on March 20, you can start to spot the first Daisies just as winter ends.
These pretty white and yellow flowers are not just one flower. They’re composite flowers, so each bloom is made up of over 100 flowers! Each petal is actually a flower and the yellow centre is hundreds of tiny little flowers too.
Read more about this unassuming but amazing wildflower here.
Winter Heliotrope, Petasites fragrans, is a winter wildflower you might have spotted before, but did you know its invasive?
It was originally introduced as a garden plant in 1806, for it’s pretty pink spikes of vanilla-scented flowers and large heart-shaped leaves. However the plant spreads underground and can spread quickly into carpet across the ground.
While it is an invasive plant, it does have some benefit as it provides both nectar and pollen to pollinators when not many other plants are yet in bloom.
It can be seen from December until March alongside streams, in verges, hedge banks and on waste land.
In the UK we have over 45 species of orchid – which might be more than you thought! Learn more about this wild and wonderful family of plants with Plantlife wildflower expert Sarah Shuttleworth.
Ever wondered how biodiverse meadows are made? Plantlife volunteers Andrew and Helen tell us about their own meadow story in Carmarthenshire.
Plantlife staff tested 10 plant identifying apps out on the field and picked 3 of the best for you to take out on your next wildflower hunt.
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.
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!
Fungi can be difficult to detect for a number of reasons:
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?
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?’.
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.
Fungi underpin the health of our environment and are key to resolving the climate, ecological and societal challenges we face. Your donation could help increase understanding of fungi and get them the support they need.
For a full dose of positivity take a look through our 2024 highlights. Let's revisit the amazing ways we have helped protect nature for the future this year.
Getting out and looking for fungi can be a great way to connect with nature and discover more about this amazing kingdom. Here our Specialist Botanical Advisor, Sarah Shuttleworth, gives her top tips for finding fungi!
Sun, sand, sea and wildflowers – why not add finding flowers to your list of beach time activities this summer.
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside – and as it turns out so do a variety of beautiful wild plants.
When we head to the coast, we often think of building sandcastles or rockpooling – delving into the shallow waters to see what ocean wonders have been deposited by the tide. It’s a favourite past time. But there are many other treasures to spot by the sea this summer, if we just turn our gaze up from the water.
The salty sea air and sandy soil might prove a problem for some plants, but others thrive in these conditions.
That being said, nature as a whole, in the UK is in decline. Since the 1970s, a total of 54% of flowering plants have been lost from areas where they used to thrive. This means beautiful plants such as Heather and Chamomile, both of which you can find on our coastlines, are becoming harder to find.
So, when you next head out with your bucket and spade, why not see if you can spot some of the stunning species that adore the seaside as much as we do! Lets take time to appreciate the wild plants that call the coast home and help to protect their future.
Keep on the lookout before you arrive at the beach as there are plenty of species to spot on the walk down to the sand. From coastal paths and cliffs to streams that lead to the sea and maritime heaths, there are multiple habitats for plants to call home.
Here are some of our favourites:
Gorse is a spiny plant with yellow flowers that smell of coconut
Thrfits have pretty spherical blooms which are usually pink, but can also be purple or white
Kidney Vetch usually has clusters of yellow fluffy looking flowers
Common Reeds are a tall perennial growing up to 3m
Biting Stonecrop with it’s pretty star shaped yellow flowers
Sheep’s-bit has rounded flower heads that are bright blue in colour and grow up to 35mm
Once you get down to the beach itself, a whole new habitat opens up. While the landscape might seem arid, there a number of interesting plants you can find living in the sand.
Sea Mayweed has flowers that look like large daisies with a mass of leaves that are quite thick and succulent
Rock Samphire has lots of branches with succulent type leaves that are rounded
Sea-holly is easy to spot with it’s spiny leaves and blue flowers
Sea Sandwort is a long creeping perennial that has fleshy succulent leaves
Common Restharrow has small pink flowers, similar to those of a pea
Sea Campions have five white petals with splits down the middle, which can make it look as though the flowers have ten petals each
The best thing about species spotting, is that you really don’t need any equipment that you wouldn’t already have, just appropriate clothing and footwear for exploring the coast.
If you did want to bring anything along, you could take a plant guide, so that you can name any species you find that we haven’t included. You could also bring a hand lens with a x10 or x20 magnification to get a close up look at the petals and leaves and a camera to capture memories from your adventure.
To help you ID some of the species you find, why not read our blog here, on three apps to help you identify wildflowers with your phone.
Remember to stay safe when you are by the sea. Stay well away from cliff edges and bases, pay attention to any warning signs such as those in areas where there may be rock falls and always make yourself aware of the tide times before heading to the beach.
Discover 4 new walk ideas and Scottish spring adventure inspiration from Plantlife Scotland’s Communications and Policy Officer, Erin Shott.
Spring is an exciting time to be on our nature reserves. This is the season when the meadows really burst into life, with lush growth and seasonal flowers.
The peat-rich Flow Country, which our Munsary Peatlands are part of, has been given the same standing as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
This marks a special moment for Scottish wild plants, fungi and the wildlife that call it home.
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.
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).
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.
Some species to look out for inlcude:
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.
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.
It’s not just humans and animals that have DNA in their cells, plants and fungi do too.
In fact, DNA barcoding can be used to identify plants, detect invasive species and help conservation work, as our Senior Ecological Advisor Sarah Shuttleworth explains.
Like all living organisms, plants and fungi have DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in their cells. DNA is the genetic code, which is the blueprint for genes, which gives an organism its specific characteristics. Different species will have a different DNA blueprint (with small variations within that as well) and these can help us tell species apart and see which ones are closely related.
I was recently offered a place on an exciting course to learn all about DNA barcoding and how it can help my work as a botanist.
Put simply, we can compare different DNA blueprints by comparing just a small section of the DNA sequence. This small section is referred to as the DNA barcode. There is a reference library which contains information about many species with their corresponding barcode.
In order to compare DNA barcodes of different species, the shortened sequence (region) needs to be the same region of the comparison species. However, which region you select to shorten and use for comparison is different depending on which type of organism you have. For example, all organisms within the animal kingdom are identified using the same specific DNA region, whilst all plants are identified using a different region.
The DNA region used for barcoding differs between kingdoms:
DNA barcoding relies on a region of DNA that varies significantly between different species to allow the different species to be identified.
First, we need to collect a tiny bit of plant and/or fungi samples for our study. We don’t need much, just a small amount to get the DNA. To get the DNA out, we cut really tiny pieces from the samples. Then, we put these pieces in a tube with a special liquid solution and smush them with a small tool to break the cells apart and release the DNA.
Next, we need to make lots of copies of the DNA which we do by using a special mix of certain chemicals (there are different special mixes for plants and fungi).
To check if we’ve done it right, we use a method called gel electrophoresis. This method is used to separate mixtures of DNA, RNA, or proteins to molecular size (you will see a nice clear line in the gel if it has been successful.) This helps us see if the DNA we extracted is good and whether we can send it to the lab. The lab will then send us the DNA sequence so it can be compared it to other sequences in a big database.
Using these DNA barcoding skills can help us in many ways, including identifying single species or a community of species.
It is quite a technical process but as local groups (mainly fungi recording organisations) are starting to invest in the kit, more people should be able to get involved in DNA barcoding.
I hadn’t had a chance to do anything like this since my first year at university and I was surprised about how much came flooding back to me. The course was a great opportunity to learn and refresh my skills, as well as meet other people with an interest in species identification and conservation.
After more practicing, we hope to use these skills to add to the genomic database and assist our own species recording accuracy.
In the future, perhaps Plantlife can utilise these skill sets for looking at species assemblages on our reserves or places we are hoping to maximise conservation efforts.
Volunteer biological recording group RoAM (Recorders of the Avalon Marshes) at Somerset Wetlands NNR (National Nature Reserve) organised the DNA barcoding course with funding from Natural England through the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme. I was offered a spot on this exciting course due to my work and contacts in a voluntary capacity with the North Somerset and Bristol Fungi Group.
Natural England: EDNA (Environmental DNA) approaches to environmental monitoring are incredibly valuable to Natural England’s work, but recognise their limitations, not least that some groups of fungi, lichen and invertebrates are poorly represented in genomic databases. By helping to train our highly skilled taxonomic recorders with DNA barcoding means better records and more effective eDNA outputs.
The beautiful mountain plant, Rosy Saxifrage, has returned to the wild in Wales after becoming extinct in 1962.
This beautiful mountain plant, that once clung to the cliff edges in Eryri (Snowdonia) has successfully returned to the wild in Wales after becoming extinct in 1962.
The trial reintroduction of Rosy Saxifrage Saxifraga rosacea, led by us, marks a special moment for nature recovery. The plants, which have been maintained in cultivation, have direct lineage to the 1962 specimens.
It is now flowering at a location close to where it was last recorded in the wild – and there are plans in place to boost its numbers now the first trial has taken place.
The species was first recorded in Wales in 1796 by J.W.Griffith (Clark, 1900) and there are up to five records from the 19th century. In the 20th century, there are three records, all in Eryri.
But, it is thought that Rosy Saxifrage slipped into extinction in Wales, primarily as a result of plant enthusiasts over collecting the species, particularly in the Victorian era. Atmospheric pollution is also considered to have played a role. Rosy Saxifrage is not a great competitor with stronger growing plants, so it was impacted by the nutrient enrichment of its favoured mountain habitat.
Each and every native wild plant contributes to the diversity and health of ecosystems and putting Rosy saxifrage back where it belongs restores a lost balance.
The successful reintroduction has been led by our botanist Robbie Blackhall-Miles, Project Officer for the Tlysau Mynydd Eryri (Mountain Jewels of Eryri) conservation partnership project that aims to secure the futures of some of our rarest alpine plants and invertebrates in Wales.
The outplanting took place on land cared for by the National Trust and in future months botanists will conduct surveys to establish places where it will be best to reintroduce the species fully to the wild.
Read more about Rosy Saxifrage here.
Photographs by: Llyr Hughes
After a decade of research and partnership work on Fen Orchids we now believe that the orchid could finally be removed from the Red Lists for both England and Great Britain.
This programme began when Plantlife was invited, in 2007, to join the Fen Orchid partnership in England, led then by Norfolk Wildlife Trust under the Species Recovery Programme (funded by Natural England, then English Nature).
The Trust were Lead Partners for fen orchid in England under the English Biodiversity Action Planning structures then in force.
In 2008, the Trust asked if Plantlife could take over as lead partner. At that point, fen orchid had only been known in 3 sites in England since 1975 and the population had never been known to reach 1000 plants.
We accepted that invitation and set about reviewing and revising the conservation programme, following five main threads:
As with with most of Plantlife’s work and conservation programmes, the fen orchid programme always has been a partnership effort, with different organisations fulfilling different roles.
We acknowledge the excellent habitat management work undertaken by
The programme would not function without the financial, technical and moral support provided by organisations like
We also appreciate the technical expertise and resources contribution to the reintroduction programme provided by:
Since 2008, Plantlife’s role has been, under the English Species Recovery Programme, to:
The record of the partnership speaks for itself: since 2009, the population of fen orchids in England has climbed year on year.
From fewer than 1000 plants at three sites to an estimated 17,000 plants (in 2023) at seven sites.
The aim of the conservation programme has always been to reduce the Threat Status (as assessed by the English Vascular Plant Red List group) of fen orchid, and, if possible, to reduce the Threat level to Least Concern.
This is a challenging ambition but a recent re-assessment has shown that we are very close to our goal.
This is essentially due to the increase in the number of known English sites combined with consistent population expansion over the last 15 years.
This re-assessment applies also at Great Britain level, although recovery in Wales has been less rapid. Work there by Bridgend Council and Natural Resources Wales has produced very favourable results and Plantlife are proud that we contributed to a partnership that found funding for large scale dune restoration work there.
Natur Am Byth!
Discover the twisted, gnarled woodlands at the highest, wildest peaks in Wales, as Robbie Blackhall-Miles reveals the secrets of Eryri’s miniature but magical Juniper and Dwarf Willow woodlands.
On the high peaks of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and on the Glyderau there grows a forest that is little more than a foot high. A forest of Juniper Juniperus communis subsp. nana nestled among the rocks in the crags and crevices. They are everywhere, if you look in the right places, creeping through the thin turf and sprawling over rocks.
If you scramble over the jagged ridges of Crib Goch and Crib Y Ddisgl you will find them. On Esgair Felen they tumble down the cliffs and on the upper reaches of the Watkin Path you will be walking through the middle of this ‘coedwig fach’ (little forest). Y Lliwedd, one of the satellite peaks of Yr Wyddfa, holds the largest of these forests and here you can’t fail to notice them, although you may not realise they are trees.
Their twisted and gnarled trunks keep close to the ground, bonsaied by the cold and the wind in the exposed locations in which they grow. These small trees are glacial relics from a time between the ice ages, like many of our Arctic – Alpine species.
They are clinging on literally for dear life in the least accessible locations in our mountains where they find refuge from the goats and the sheep and the deep time history of clearance of our mountain woodlands.
These Juniper plants, alongside Dwarf Willown Salix repens, are the fragmented upper reaches of a special type of woodland that has almost disappeared from the mountains of Eryri.
A woodland of low growing scrubby willows, junipers and other ‘Krummholz’ trees and shrubs. ‘Krummholz’ is a German word that is used to describe dwarfed gnarled trees that push high into the mountains to eke out their existence in a tangled and contorted state.
This scrubby, fairy woodland would have once spread from about 450 metres in altitude, the natural treeline, almost to the summits of Eryri. Elsewhere in Britain it is found in the Scottish Highlands and there are fragments of it in the Lake District. It still just about exists here in Wales on the edges and ledges where people and grazers have never ventured.
The trees of Eryri are under recorded, with limited records of trees in the high mountains, so there is still so much more to understand about these sky-high forests.
Recently, whilst out climbing, I discovered a tree species I was not expecting on a ledge, a Bird Cherry Prunus padus. The discovery of this cherry links our mountain woodlands even more directly to those of Scotland where Bird Cherry is a common feature.
Read more about the work Natur am Byth! is doing through the Tlysau Mynydd Eryri project to better understand these tiny but fascinating forests, alongside Bangor University.
Juniper growing on the steep cliffs of Eryri
Restoration of this mosaic of alpine woodland comes with great benefits. This habitat is ecologically vital, for invertebrates’ montane trees and shrubs are particularly important and many of these woody species support high diversity of endemic ectomycorrhizal fungi. Additionally, mountain woodland habitat and willow scrub can provide protection against extreme weather for rare tall herb and alpine plant communities which would otherwise be exposed and struggle to persist in alpine environments.
The increasing diversity enabled by these wooded upland communities has positive impacts for small mammals and birds such as Ring Ouzel. Succession in these wooded habitats builds soil organic matter through their leaf litter. These woodlands reduce erosion by building these soils and halt water runoff which reduces the impacts of flooding.
So, if you are planning a trip up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) any time soon, keep an eye open for the forest you are walking through and take a moment to stop and think about what the mountains may have looked like before their woodlands almost disappeared, the other species that were lost with them and the way they could look again.
Want to support our work? However you choose to support, you will be helping to champion wild plants and fungi, helping us to protect nature, tackle the impacts of climate change and support people and communities.
Discover the gnarled woodlands on the wildest peaks in Wales, as Robbie Blackhall-Miles reveals the secrets of Eryri’s miniature but magical Juniper forests.
Whether it’s your back garden, local park, community field or lawn, wildflower meadows are amazing spaces with so much to offer.
Did you know that the Wild Leek has its roots in Welsh culture dating back thousands of years?
Discover its fascinating history with Robbie Blackhall-Miles and Lizzie Wilberforce, and why we think it deserves the spotlight on St David’s Day.
The nodding yellow heads of spring-flowering daffodils are now our most recognisable symbol of St David’s Day; indeed, they’re a symbol of Wales itself. However, daffodils are relative newcomers to this scene, dating only to the 19th century as an emblem for the country. The Leek, however, has been a symbol of Wales for so long that its stories date back to St David himself, who is thought to have died in the year 589.
Legend describes how Welsh soldiers were ordered to identify themselves by wearing a Leek on their helmet, as they fought the Saxons in the north of England and the Midlands, under the command of King Cadwaladr of Gwynedd.
As with all such oral histories so long and so widely told, there are many different variations of this legend; however, the long presence of the Leek across many centuries of Welsh history is undeniable.
Most of us now think of Leeks as the large, cultivated vegetable we see in supermarkets – not at all suitable for attaching to a helmet in battle! However their genus, Allium, also contains a number of species that are either native, or ancient introductions to Britain. These have a far lengthier heritage than the domesticated vegetable, and would have been growing in north Wales at the time of both King Cadawladr and St David.
One of these is Allium ampeloprasum var. ampleoprasum, a variety of the Wild Leek that still grows today in Anglesey. It is a large plant, growing up to 2m high, with a dense spherical flowerhead of pink-purple flowers. This would certainly have made a distinctive and plausible addition a soldier’s helmet. Could this be the real Leek of Welsh legend?
Wild Leek isn’t actually native to Britain – but it’s one of the archaeophytes, meaning that it was introduced by humans long ago – perhaps by traders, hundreds of years before the time of St David. It’s likely that it would have been grown and valued by the people of north Wales for its nutritional and medical properties.
Evidence for this can be found in The Red Book of Hergest (c. 1375-1425). This is one of the most important books ever written in Welsh, and it is a compilation of mythology, poetry, and chronicles of the time. It includes contemporary medical texts, which name Leeks in many recipes for treatments and cures.
The regular appearance of Leeks in other, later texts also suggests that the plants were quite readily available to the people of Wales. They must have been much more common than they are today.
Sadly, Wild Leek is now considered at risk of extinction in Wales, with small populations remaining only on Anglesey, and on Steep Holm and Flat Holm islands. However, a healthy population is held in cultivation by Plantlife Cymru’s Robbie Blackhall-Miles.
This will help to secure the long-term safety of this now rare species in Wales. Given its fascinating and long association with the communities of Wales, possibly even St David himself – this is surely to be celebrated- especially on St David’s Day.
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Embedding the principles outlined in Plantlife’s latest guidance into your Local Nature Recovery Strategy will drive tangible, positive change for your local wildlife and local communities.
Discover how, by targeting conservation efforts towards wild plants and fungi, you can deliver the greatest knock-on benefits for all species and habitats.
Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) are a crucial element of the UK government’s commitments to turn the tide on species loss in England. If they are properly informed and implemented, they could deliver huge gains for biodiversity and serve to reconnect communities with nature recovery.
The intention is that each of the 48 LNRS regions (broadly following county lines) will produce a locally owned and informed action plan to;a) spotlight and map high priority areas for biodiversity where nature can be conserved, restored, and connected andb) establish a sense of local ownership and responsibility for wildlife.
As these strategies are going to target a lot of future conservation work in England it’s absolutely vital that we get them right, and make sure they deliver the wide range of environmental benefits that we urgently need.
Plantlife are using this opportunity to advocate the indispensable role that wild plants and fungi play in ecosystem function, and to help responsible authorities design and deliver LNRSs with species protection at their hearts.
1. Including specialist data on habitats and species to produce a really well-informed knowledge base of local biodiversity.
Having this knowledge base early on will produce the most reliable map of opportunities for biodiversity protection and enhancement going forwards.
2. Implementing measures to boost species diversity and prevent the further loss of species.
Increasing the structural diversity of a habitat will create more niches for different species to occupy, and it’s important that bespoke plans for priority species present are always included within habitat management. This will prevent extinctions, while improving the condition of the overall habitat.
3. Recognising our grasslands for the powerful nature-based solutions that they are.
Species-rich grasslands are some of our most reliable habitats for carbon storage and wildlife support, but they are being lost at an alarming rate.
Designing LNRSs which protect and restore species rich grasslands will support whole communities of wildlife and create stable, long-term sub-soil carbon stores.
4. Promoting a diversity of management approaches across our treescape to reflect the unique requirements of each woodland type.
Woods and trees need to be managed to sustain the breadth of species they can support, this means diversifying our woods in terms of tree species and age, creating open spaces and transitional habitats, and preserving ancient trees for lichen and bryophyte diversity.
5. Always working to the principle of ‘Right Tree, Right Place, Right Management’ when designing tree planting schemes.
Increasing tree cover cannot come at the cost of our existing priority wildlife and carbon stores.
6. Mitigating the damaging impacts of air pollution, through nature-based solutions and emission reduction measures.
Air pollution is a serious issue nationally, and it threatens wildlife as well as human health. LNRS provide an opportunity to tackle this threat both by mapping sources of emissions and areas of high deposition and implementing measures to mitigate the impacts of pollution.
7. Improving the condition and extent of green infrastructure networks.
Well-designed and protected urban green space such as road verges and amenity grasslands connect urban habitats with the wider countryside.
This reverses habitat fragmentation, locks away carbon, supports biodiversity, reduces pollution, tackles heat extremes, minimises flooding and improves health and wellbeing.
8. Taking steps to improve local ecosystem health and climate resilience.
Many of the threats our species and habitats are currently facing are projected to worsen with rising global temperatures, but by leveraging the power of local each LNRSs can make a difference at a small scale which, scaled up across England, can improve our overall resilience.
Download a copy of Plantlife’s guidance for local action – ‘How to Design your LNRS to Deliver for Plants and Fungi’
If you live in England, contact your local council to find out what’s happening with the LNRS for your area and how you can get involved.
We are developing the first grassland-specific toolkit to help farmers restore more species-rich grasslands and access alternative forms of finance.
After a big government announcement, our experts have been delving into the details on the latest funding changes for farmers.
As governments continue to undervalue grasslands, Plantlife is calling on policymakers to help farmers make sustainable choices.
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