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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.
It’s a word we’re all familiar with, and one we hear often, especially during our annual No Mow Movement – ‘What about the weeds’?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a weed as, ‘any wild plant that grows in an unwanted place’.
If you were asked to picture a weed, perhaps some people would think of a Dandelion pushing up through the pavement, or a lone Forget-me-not lurking in your lawn. Many people think of specific plants as ‘weeds’, but that’s not true.
So, join us as we weed out the myths of the word ‘weeds’.
Here’s the thing – the actual definition of a weed is simply, “a wild plant growing where it is not wanted, especially among crops or garden plants.”
Just a plant, in a place we didn’t choose.
Technically speaking, any plant can be a weed. Even our most treasured native wildflowers such as orchids, simply for existing in a spot we decided they shouldn’t.
So, what makes people think of a Dandelion as a weed but an orchid as a prized plant? It’s simply perception and context.
The word ‘weed’ has been part of the English language since at least the 9th century.
It’s believed to have come from the Old English word ‘weod’, which simply means a plant – including herbs or even trees.
Over time however it took on more of a negative tone, especially as agriculture became more dominant and plants that competed with crops then took on the name.
By the 19th and 20th centuries, with the rise of industrial farming and garden landscaping, ‘weeds’ became enemies. Something to spray, pull, or pave over.
But in nature there are no weeds. Just plants doing what they’ve always done – growing, spreading, surviving.
Non-Native Invasive Species aren’t weeds by definition, but they certainly can cause problems.
Non-native plants are simply plants that have been introduced to the UK, that naturally grow in other parts of the world.
Not all non-native plants become problems – many of them integrate into our habitats without causing damage (these are called ‘naturalised’ species). However, some thrive in our habitats, so much so that they out compete our native plants, these are known as Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS). These include common garden centre finds such as Rhododendron.
One in five species of UK vascular plants are at risk of extinction. The second biggest threat to biodiversity is Invasive Non-Native Plants, so they must be taken seriously.
Read our blog here to find out more.
While the majority of plants have value to wildlife, some can cause problems, mainly to other plants around them.
Think of a thicket of nettles for instance, there’s not much biodiversity in the swathe as it has a tendency to takeover. While large amounts of such plants can cause problems, small amounts are That said, it’s important to remember the benefit that plants, including nettles bring to our other wildlife. Nettles can be a great addition to your green space and support more than 40 different insects and butterflies!
So, while problem plants aren’t necessarily ‘weeds’ we recognise that some plants could benefit from some careful control. Read our blog here, to find out how to manage problem plants such as Thistle and Common Ragwort.
We ran a survey recently and found that 56% of people think of Dandelions as a weed. That’s not a huge surprise – Dandelions have had a bit of a PR problem. But the truth is, they’re not ‘weeds’ but wildflowers. And quite useful ones, at that! In fact they were once revered as a cure all medicinal herb and even appear in ancient Greek mythology.
Watch our video below to find out why we should rekindle our love of the humble Dandelion.
Dandelions are amazing! Did you know that Dandelions support more than 50 species of insects? Or that Dandelions have been used in medicine for centuries?
The good news? More than 90% of 19-24 year olds in our survey said they see dandelions and daisies as wildflowers, not weeds. This gives hope for the future of our native wild plants.
Perhaps in the future we will all see ‘weeds’ differently – as part of a bigger picture. ‘Weeds’ are our native plants and part of the planet long before we were. They make up important habitats, improve biodiversity, provide food and even medicine, they even capture carbon!
Let’s change our perspectives to see ‘weeds’ for what they really are, wildflowers that are symbols of resilience, beauty and wildness.
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.
A journey to return one of the UK's rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.
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.
A journey to return one of the UK’s rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.
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.
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.
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.
Lady’s-slipper are the crowning glory of Britain’s wildflowers – one of the rarest and most impressive. Its rescue from the brink is one of the UK’s most fascinating lost and found stories, and a hopeful symbol of what can be regained when partners work together to carefully reintroduce plants back into the wild.
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.
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
Sun, sand, sea and wildflowers – why not add finding flowers to your list of beach time activities this summer.
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.
The changes to insects, wildflowers and people have been ‘mind-blowing’ since the National Museum of Scotland started taking part in the No Mow Movement.
We asked Entomology Curator Ashleigh Whiffin how it’s made a positive impact to insect biodiversity and how it’s helping her work as an entomologist.
Watch our full video below.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Plantlife's Road Verges Advisor Mark Schofield reveals how to keep your thriving No Mow May flowering lawn blossoming into June.
Join leading botanist Trevor Dines, and Specialist Botanical Advisor Sarah Shuttleworth, to delve into the world of urban plants. Find out how these plants defy the odds to live on our streets.
Plants have never stopped defying urbanisation. They break through cracks in pavement, embellish city parks and colourfully adorn walls and buildings. Leading botanist Trevor Dines investigates these determined plants ahead of the launch of his upcoming book Urban Plants. Find out how they arrived, how they survive and how some have defied the odds to populate our streets.
*If you are a member you should have already received your personal email invitation directly from our team (contact us if you haven’t!). New members will receive a link in your welcome email.
Trevor Dines is a passionate botanist, conservationist, lecturer, and author. He worked for Plantlife for over 20 years and now writes and consults extensively while managing his smallholding in Wales.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
200 small patches of Scrambled Egg Lichen were transported from Cornwall to Norfolk
The Scrambled Egg Lichen was transported to the east of England in seed trays
The lichen was transplanted across an area of about 100m at a site managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Glue and water was used to transplant the lichen
Why are rare plants rare? We target our conservation activity at the plants with the greatest need, which is generally the rare ones.
What do we mean by rare? Why do some plants get more conservation attention? And how do we work out why a plant is rare?
Join Plantlife’s Tim Pankhurst as he delves into the fascinating world of rare plants and how understanding why certain plants are rare can help us to save them.
Tim is an ecologist with 40+ years experience working in the conservation sector. He joined Plantlife as a plant ecologist in 2007, after 12 years specialising in wetlands and aquatics, and now works as the Regional Conservation Manager for the east of England.
A passionate advocate for nature recovery, Meg is Plantlife’s Species Recovery Conservation Officer. She advocates for species to be brought into nature recovery plans across the country, and champions for better taxonomic inclusivity to make sure none of our tiny wonders get left behind.
Did you know that dreaming of Harebells is said to be a sign of true love, or that Daffodils are used to celebrate a couple’s first decade of marriage?
Our beautiful wildflowers have long been associated with love. It’s not just the countless songs, poems, plays and novels that draws the connection – wildflowers have a deep-rooted connection to love that spans millennia. There’s symbolism from ancient cultures, stories from gods and goddesses and fabulous floral folklore.
When thinking of romance, roses tend to be the first flower to cross our minds, but there’s many wonderful wildflowers that might be overlooked.
From Daisies to Cornflowers, and symbols of everlasting love to games that tell you if someone feels the same way – love and flowers definitely go together.
Read on to find some of our favourite folklore connecting flowers to love.
The bright blue Cornflower Centaurea cyanus might not be the first flower that you think of when it comes to love, but it has a historic connection. More specifically, the Cornflower is seen as a symbol of devotion and the hope of love.
In folklore these beautiful blue flowers were once known as ‘Bachelor’s Buttons’. Young men used to wear the flowers in their buttonholes, to show that they were in love. If the Cornflower drooped and died quickly, it was a sign that their love was not meant to be. But if it held throughout the day, there was hope.
The name Primrose Primula vulgaris comes from the Latin ‘prima rosa’, which means ‘first rose’. This could be one of the factors that led to the connection of Primroses being associated with our first loves. And in fact, Primroses were often sent during the Victorian period as a symbol of young love.
Primroses are also considered one of the sacred flowers of the Norse goddess of love, Freya.
Sweet Violet Viola odorata is a low, creeping plant with fragrant flowers, which has a long and rather romantic history in folklore. For instance, one tale says that medieval French troubadours used Sweet Violets to represent faithfulness in their tales of chivalrous love.
If you look closely at the beautiful blue flower, you’ll notice that it has hairy, heart-shaped leaves, which gives it another connection.
But of course, more widely, the most famous violet connection is the iconic poem, ‘Roses are red, Violets are blue’, which can be traced back as far as 1590, by Sir Edmund Spense.
In the Language of Flowers, the Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp pseudonarcissus, which blooms between March and April, represents unrequited love. It’s believed that the connection could come from the flowers short blooming season, as a nod to how fleeting love can be.
On a more positive love note however, Daffodils have also become known as a symbol of long-lasting love. The bright flowers, which symbolise hope and happiness, are often given as a celebration to signify couples reaching their first decade of marriage.
Read about Wild Daffodils here.
These beautiful little flowers, which can be seen blooming between July and September have fantastic folklore connections from fairies to witches. But moving away from the magical, Harebells Campanula rotundifolia have long been known as a symbol of love.
Their pretty, delicate appearance has a certain romance about it – and dreaming about the flower is said to symbolise true love.
Daisies are said to represent true love and more specifically, soul mates. This is perhaps because the Daisy is a composite flower, with the white petals each being their own flower and the yellow centre made up of hundreds of tiny flowers also. The flowers are meant to be together, just like soul mates.
Even their Latin name, Bellis perennis, shares a connection with ‘Bellis’ meaning beautiful and ‘perennis’ meaning everlasting.
Daisies have also been used in songs and poems about love for centuries. They have made their way into our language and even into our games. Take the historic ‘Daisy Oracle’ game for instance. People pluck petals from Daisies while reciting ‘they love me, they love me not’, until the last petal revealed whether your love felt the same way.
An iconic and much-loved wildflower, Bluebell’s have our hearts. But they also have a long-standing symbolism when it comes to love. Even its name has a connection. Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta wasn’t commonly used for the flower until the 19th century when Romantic poets started to write about it. It became a muse of many and was featured in work by celebrated poets and authors including Anne and Emily Brontë, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Oscar Wilde.
In the Language of Flowers, it is the Bluebell that represents everlasting love. And in folklore there is a story that says if you turn a Bluebell flower inside out without breaking it, you will win the heart of the person you love.
It might not be surprising, given the name, but this flower is connected to holding memories of those you love. In the Language of Flowers, Forget-me-nots Myosotis arvensis stand for true love and memories.
They have been given as a gift for centuries, to those who are going on travels, as a sign that they will not be forgotten by their love. Victorians also used the small flowers to remember their loved ones who had passed away, and would often include Forget-me-nots in jewellery worn as a memorial.
As we all know, love is everlasting, and the Fritillary Fritillaria meleagris is the perfect example of this. It is a well-known symbol of love beyond death. People used to wear Fritillary flowers to show their devotion to those who had passed on.
Due to the look of the flower, with it’s drooping head, it also gained the nickname Weeping Widow.
From our work deep in the forests of the Caledonian Pine woods to the wild north coast – species recovery is at the very heart of what we do.
Here you will find all of the information on the incredible wild plants we are working with in Scotland, the reasons we need to protect them and the projects that are leading the way.
The plants and fungi we are working with in Scotland are all at risk of extinction without intervention. From the rare Tufted Saxifrage to the tiny Aspen Bristle-moss which was believed to be extinct, until a lucky find in 2003.
Protecting our amazing wild plants from extinction and helping rare species to recover, is a crucial part of tackling the biodiversity crisis we are facing.
Not only are these species a vital and often unseen part of the ecosystem, they also add to the richness of the natural world around us. They’re part of the heritage and the habitats of Scotland.
We have pioneered the preservation of Tufted Saxifrage Saxifraga cespitosa in Wales through the Natur am Byth! partnership project – and now we are beginning the work in Scotland too.
In Scotland, we are at the start of our journey to protect this delicate arctic alpine plant. Even though species like the Tufted Saxifrage are seriously at risk because of the climate crisis, we must still consider their preservation. These plants might not need cold temperatures or high altitudes, but rather a specific habitat. Since only tiny fragments of their populations are left, they can’t move to new areas. That’s where work including research and translocations come in.
We are working on the species through our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World Project. Working with our project partners, Nature Scot and the Cairngorms National Park, we’ll explore the state of Scotland’s remaining populations of Tufted Saxifrage. We’ll also look for ways to protect it and help it to recover.
The Aspen Bristle-moss Nyholmiella gymnostoma, as the name suggests, is a small moss which is only known to grow on Aspen Populus tremula bark. It was believed to be extinct in the UK in 2000, but thankfully in 2003, 3 new sites were found.
The greatest densities of Aspen woodlands are now found in and around the Cairngorms, and this is where the last few patches of Aspen Bristle-moss reside.
Photo taken by Gus Routledge
Similar to Tufted Saxifrage, we are in the early phases of learning to protect Aspen Bristle-moss and other species of rare aspen mosses. Through our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World project, we’re currently surveying sites and assessing how under-recorded it may be. In time, we may look into assisted colonisation of other healthy Aspen stands missing these mosses.
One-flowered Wintergreen Moneses uniflora is an unusual and complex pine woodland specialist which appears to have heavily declined in Scotland in recent years. We’re still learning what is causing this decline, but we know that changes in how pine woodlands are managed have played a role. It’s also likely a decline in the health of the fungal community in the soil could be part of the cause.
Since the Cairngorms Project we have been studying One-flowered Wintergreen. Part of the project saw us carry out a trial translocation with the RSPB and Forestry Land Scotland. We worked in partnership with Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh to investigate fungal host partnerships. We also surveyed all remaining Scottish populations.
We’ll be continuing our work on this plant through our new Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World Project. We are working with our project partners Nature Scot and the Cairngorms National Park, on a full genetic assessment of the state of Scottish One-flowered Wintergreen populations.
This will tell us how at-risk different populations are and help us plan if and how we should consider moving plants around.
Using this assessment, along with fungi research and innovative land management advice, we’ll create a plan of action. The goal is to restore both the One-flowered Wintergreen and the wider pinewood soil fungus community.
Despite its charismatic nature, and widespread interest, Twinflower Linnaea borealis has seriously declined in Scotland over the last few centuries. The main threat is habitat fragmentation, which leaves remaining patches of Twinflower isolated and unable to cross-pollinate.
Thankfully, many different conservation organisations, professionals, and landowners have a keen interest in protecting Twinflower. There’s a hope to see it return to recovering native Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris woodlands across Scotland.
Building on our work as part of the Cairngorms Rare Plants and Wild Connections Project, we are now looking to strategise and lead on a Twinflower conservation programme. This will guide practitioners towards long term and sustainable Twinflower recovery.
We are continuing our work with this amazing species, as part of our Resilience and Recovery, Helping Rare Species Adapt to a Changing World Project. Along with our partners Nature Scot and the Cairngorms National Park we are working to collect cuttings from Twinflower patches and move them between sites across Scotland, as well as restoring pine woodland for Twinflower.
Without intervention, the delicate pink blooms of the rare Twinflower could disappear from Scotland.
Through our Cairngorms…. we will be investigating the state of remaining Scottish populations and assessing what may be done to preserve them and aid their recovery.
The effort Greena Moor Nature Reserve management team put in place to save the Three-lobed Water Crowfoot.
Discover 4 new walk ideas and Scottish spring adventure inspiration from Plantlife Scotland’s Communications and Policy Officer, Erin Shott.
Air pollution often poses the biggest danger to internationally rare habitats and nitrogen gases have the potential to destroy our temperate rainforests.
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 wildflowers to watch out 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.
Taking a garden to Chelsea Flower Show is no mean feat. It was a journey of blood, sweat and tears for Dan Bristow to bring the most biodiverse garden to the world-renowned show in 2024.
Dan worked with local plant nurseries, mushroom growers, quarrymen and crafts people for his design, in support of climate change charity Size of Wales. This story has sustainability at its core and Dan will be joined by Vickie Wood, Plantlife’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing.
Vickie leads on the charity’s fundraising strategies, communications, and marketing activities. With a BSc degree in Geography and an MSc in Environmental Development, Vickie joined Plantlife in 2021 to use her passion for creative storytelling to help engage everyone with plants, and nature to make a difference to the biodiversity, climate, and social challenges we face.
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