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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 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 Sally Nex, from the Peat free Partnership.
Sally is the Peat-free Partnership’s advocate, campaigning for an end to the sale of peat in horticulture. She’s also an award-winning garden writer and professional gardener. She’s written three books (with a fourth on the way!) on sustainable gardening, as well as articles in magazines such as BBC Gardeners’ World magazine and RHS The Garden about gardening without peat.
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.
It’s the end of 2024, and we have been overloaded with news all year long. With so much going on in the world it can be overwhelming to try to look back and remember the positives. So, we’ve done the hard work for you! Here are some of our favourite nature news stories of positivity from the last 12 months.
The every day contributions that you make, all add up – and they make big changes for nature! Let’s look back and celebrate our shared achievements and look to how we can all take action to protect nature in 2025.
After not being seen in the wild in Wales since 1962, we led a trial reintroduction to bring back Rosy Saxifrage Saxifraga rosacea.
The trial marked a special moment for nature recovery. We used plants that had direct lineage to the 1962 specimens that once grew on the cliff edges of Eryri (Snowdonia). Maintained in cultivation for more than 60 years the plants are now flowering close to where they were last recorded decades ago.
We were so excited when it was announced that the Flow Country had been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Deep within the peat-rich Flow Country lies our own Munsary Peatlands Nature Reserve.
This historic moment for nature in Scotland, is also a world first, as the Flow Country became the first ever peatland World Heritage Site.
The Flow Country now has the same standing as the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
Back in June, we joined thousands of you, as well as fellow nature and climate charities in the peaceful Restore Nature Now march in London. The march called on all governments across the UK to take immediate action to protect and restore our wonderful wildlife.
With more than half of UK plant species in decline and 1 in 6 wildlife species at risk of extinction, our wildlife needs emergency action.
While there is still work to be done, the march highlighted how important nature is to people all over the UK. It helped to raise awareness of the plight of nature and push it to the forefront of our governments attention.
It gave us hope to see so many people passionate about this cause.
Watch our highlights video below to feel inspired!
We took to the streets of London to call for urgent action for nature.
You helped us create space for nature all over the UK! Thousands of you joined our annual No Mow May campaign.
From community spaces to big front lawns and mini meadows in window boxes every wild space counts. By managing our gardens and green spaces for nature through May and beyond, we can create enormous gains for nature, communities and the climate.
We’ve lost approximately 97%of flower-rich meadows since the 1930’s. This is why Plantlife calls for people to get involved with #NoMowMay every year, and let wild plants get a head start on the summer.
This year we helped to form the Alliance for Wales Rainforest. Made up of environmental charities and organisations, the Alliance is dedicated to protecting these rare habitats.
These magical forests host over 400 rare species of mosses, lichens, and wildlife, acting as biodiversity hotspots and natural carbon sinks.
One of the first pieces of work we completed together, was to publish the State of Wales Rainforest report. This report aims to draw attention to the temperate rainforest habitat, the threats that is facing and what can be done to protect it for the future.
Did you know that back in 2022, the UK’s horticultural industry got through 950,000 m³ of peat? Did you also know that peat takes a very long time to form? It grows at a rate of just 1mm per year! That’s almost one million years of peat used in just one.
Not only are peatlands an important habitat but they store huge amounts of carbon, which is released when peat is dug up.
That’s why we joined the call for the government and the horticultural industry to ban the use of peat in gardening and horticulture.
The Peat-free Partnership, a coalition of horticultural organisations and environment NGOs – including Plantlife, has sent a letter to Keir Starmer. This letter had more than 100 signatories including Chris Packham, B&Q, Co-op, Evergreen and many of our fellow eNGOs.
We led the first ever conservation attempt for One-flowered Wintergreen, Moneses uniflora, and it was a success!
The rare white flower has been in sharp decline. It is estimated that half of the UK population has been lost over the last 50 years. There’s only two known remaining patches in the Cairngorms National Park and as few as just seven populations in the whole country.
Along with our partners through our Cairngorms Rare Plants project we set out on a pioneering plan to boost it’s numbers. After surveying the site nine months after the translocation, we saw a 70% success rate– Project success lays the groundwork for a bright future for Scotland’s rare plant species
This autumn we ran our annual Waxcap Watch campaign and our Forgotten Fungi Appeal. While both different, they both contributed to protecting the future of fungi – and so did you.
Through Waxcap Watch, you helped us to survey grassland fungi sites. Waxcaps are an indicator of rare, species-rich grasslands. So surveys that show us where these fragments of ancient meadows survive, help us to make sure they are protected for the future.
And thanks to your generous donations through our Forgotten Fungi Appeal, you’ve helped us to amplify the voices of the fungi kingdom.
Thanks to your generous support of our appeal, and a substantial grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we raised enough funds to extend our Ryewater Nature Reserve.
Your donations helped us to purchase an extra 4.45 acres of grassland which borders our nature reserve. The new land parcel needs major restoration work. We hope to start work in the summer as over the winter months the land is too wet and inaccessible. In the future this land will be managed in the same way as the rest of the site, to benefit wild plants, fungi and other species.
The existing Ryewater Farm reserve is made up of meadows, pasture and a beautiful strip of ancient woodland that runs steeply down to a stream. During the spring and into the summer, it’s awash with Common Spotted-orchid, Pignut and Yellow Rattle. The site is also rich in fungi and home to dormice and several protected bat species.
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 Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (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.
A Fungi Pledge was also put forward, and in a truly historic decision, COP 16 delegates agreed to create a special advisory board for Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs).
Read more from our time at COP here.
Every day, our wild plants and fungi are put at risk from planning decisions, chemical sprays and more. Find out what you can do to help protect nature.
A rainbow of wildflowers in your lawn doesn’t just bring garden owners joy, but is also the sign of a healthy and thriving garden.
Plantlife's Road Verges Advisor Mark Schofield reveals how to keep your thriving No Mow May flowering lawn blossoming into June.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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).
In Mozambique 57 IPA's have been identified, which is being used as focus for the Tropical Important Plant Areas team.
Here we delve into fantastic fungus folklore, to explore some of our favourite stories from fairy rings to Witches Butter!
Humans have had a connection to fungi for thousands of years, in more ways than one – we actually share a distant ancestor going back around 1.3 billion years. So it’s not surprising that our folklore, myths and legends contain mentions of these amazing organisms.
We’re exploring some of our favourite folklore tales. And if you’re inspired to learn more about the wonderful world of fungi, visit our Learn About Fungi page here.
Did you know that even the creation of fungi is shrouded in legend? The details differ from culture to culture, but there’s a few stories that remain the same.
For example, in ancient Egypt, they believed mushrooms were a gift from Set, the god of the desert, disorder, violence and the master of storms – springing when his lightning bolts hit the earth. Because of this, it is said that only the pharaohs were allowed to eat mushrooms!
In ancient Greece, there was a similar story, where mushrooms would appear after Zeus had hurled lightning from the sky. And it turns out that folk tale, might have more fact behind it than fiction! Research suggests that lightning could actually increase mushroom crops. In some cases, lightning hitting logs seeded with spores, has doubled how many mushrooms appear.
We (as humans) have a shared connection with fungi, so it should come as no surprise that fairy folk do too!Tales from all over the UK suggest that fairies have a fondness for fungi. In Wales, there’s stories of fairies using Parasol Mushrooms as umbrellas, to shield them from the rain, while in Scotland, it’s believed they actually use the flat fungi as dining tables for their feasts.
And of course, we couldn’t mention fairies, without discussing fairy rings! There’s countless tales of mysterious rings of toadstools that pop up overnight and they symbolise different things for different cultures. In Austria they are said to mark the places where dragons once breathed their fire. While there are lots of different explanations, one popular belief is that these rings are a portal into the fairy realm, and if you step inside them you will be transported.
While it might seem like a fun experience, the consequences are often extreme. Some suggest that stepping inside a fairy ring means you will die young, while others say that humans can’t enter the fairy realm so instead they become trapped in between worlds and invisible to both!
With mushrooms looking like everything from a human ear (Jelly Ear), to a tiny birds nest filled with eggs (Bird’s Nest Fungus), and with names from Witches Butter to Scarlet Elfcup, it’s not hard to see why mushrooms have long been associated with magic.
But the connection runs much deeper than that. There are many fungus species that have been linked with witches, for example often to a curse. It was once believed that fungi which caused negative effects such as moulding crops, were the result of a witches curse. And it was said to be likely that a witch had cursed you if an unsightly Stinkhorn appeared in your garden. Indeed, the fungus first appears in an egg shape and in this form it’s commonly known as Witches Egg.
But perhaps one of the best known tales is of the Yellow Brain (also known as Witches Butter). This wrinkled fungus would sometimes spring up on the threshold of a property. It was said that if it did, a witch had placed a spell on whoever lived inside. There was however one way to break it. Whoever lived in the property had to stick pins into the Yellow Brain – and when it disappeared, the spell was broken.
Fungi have long been associated with death, the afterlife and spirituality. They appear from underground, help to decay dead trees and leaves and even have names associated with the macabre. Take Dead Man’s Fingers, which looks just as creepy as it sounds – appearing like a dead hand reaching out of the ground. Then there’s Horn of Plenty, which is also known as Trumpet of the Dead – so called because it appears around the same time as Halloween, the time when the veil between the living and the dead is supposedly lifted. It is said that these black horn-shaped mushrooms are used to play music by the spirits of those who have passed.
Mushrooms have even been connected to the god of the dead in Lithunania, where it was believed that mushrooms are the fingers of Velnias, who tries to reach out of the underworld below, to feed the people.
We’ve touched on some mythical creatures, such as fairies and dragons above, but there’s more creatures with fungus connections. Scarlet Elfcup for example, which takes it’s name from the folklore that woodland elves were said to drink or bathe in water collected in the cups of the fungus. Then there’s Elfin Saddles, which are said to be sat on by elves as they ride around.
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.
Join Senior Ecologist Sarah Shuttleworth for a deadwood date, as she shares what gets fungi swiping right on the wood wide web.
Chris Jones, the Warden of Kenfig National Nature Reserve, recently found the very rare fungus, during a routine survey.
Fungi are one of our most fascinating creations, and best of all, they are right under our noses – perfect for children to spot.
Here we delve into this mind-boggling realm to discover ten of weirdest, wackiest and most wonderful facts from the world of fungi!
There at least five kingdoms in our living world, including; animals, plants, fungi, protists, and the prokaryotes (which includes bacteria). While the animal and plant kingdoms are well known, fungi are often overlooked – but the world of fungi is fascinating! And they’re all around us. A network of fungi runs through the earth in every continent and can even be found in our seas.
Here we explore more of this incredible kingdom to share our passion for all things fungi. From a distant ancestral connection to how some fungi can survive on radioactive sites – read on for 10 wild, wacky and wonderful facts about the world of fungi!
Known as the Humungous Fungus, a single Armillaria organism, found in Oregon, is approximately 931 square hectares or around 70 football pitches!
The fungus is measured including its network of mycelium that run underground, so much of the mass cannot be seen. While it’s unlikely you’ll come across anything of quite that size, there are some pretty big fungi you might find on your doorstep.
For instance, another fungus species, the Giant Puffball Calvatia gigantea (shown in the illustration below) produces large, round fruiting bodies that can be seen above ground. They’re certainly hard to miss, as they can grow up to 80cms in diameter (outside of the UK, they have been known to grow as big as 1.5m). They can grow to such a size that on occasion, people have mistaken them for sheep in a field!
Fungi is a kingdom all of its own, so we don’t want to mistake it for being a plant or animal. That said, while you might expect that these interesting organisms are more closely related to plants – the opposite is true. Fungi share a common ancestor with the animal kingdom, which includes humans, dating back around 1 billion years. [1]
While that may seem an incomprehensible length of time, it might not be in the world of fungi. We don’t have conclusive evidence of how old fungi can be. Research suggests that some of the fungi on our planet today, have been alive for thousands of years.
The ‘Humungous Fungus’ is estimated to be between 1,900 and 8,650 years old! [2] Which means there could be living fungi that were present when the Vikings landed in the UK, when the Romans ruled and even when Stonehenge was erected.
Fungi might be a common feature on your breakfast plate, or in a bowl of pasta – but there are many other foods that contain fungi, which might surprise you.
Did you know that bread, beer, wine and some cheeses all include types of fungi? Yeast-forming fungi are an essential ingredient in the processes to make them and there are many different species, the most common of which is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, used in brewing and making bread.
As far as we know today there are more than 2,000 species of edible fungi in the world. [3] These range from the popular Button and Chestnut Mushrooms Agaricus bisporus to the mycoprotein that makes up the meat substitute Quorn. And they are becoming even more popular with Lion’s Mane Hericium erinaceus being added to some coffees and fungi being used to help ferment cacao beans to make chocolate!
That’s right, fungi aren’t just contained to your kitchen, you can probably find them all around house from your wardrobe to your medicine cabinet and even your beauty bag.
One common example of fungi used in medicine is Penicillin, the first antibiotic, which was derived from Penicillium mould. Other fungi produce compounds that are used to treat diseases like cancer, high cholesterol and even organ transplant rejection.
In the beauty industry mushrooms are becoming a common feature of skincare products as many have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They have even been trialled as a renewable replacement for dyes in cosmetics.
Fungal enzymes are also used in the processing and production of a variety of products including paper, leather, cotton and biofuels – and generally they replace harsher chemicals in these processes.
Fungi are essential for the nutrient cycles of the planet by acting as natural decomposers for organic matter. This means that as plants die, fungi help to break them down. In fact fungi are the only group of organisms that can break down plant cell walls.
But research suggests that fungi could also break down other substances, in a process which could be used to clean our planet. Mycoremediation, is a process that uses fungi to break down substances that cause pollution.
This process can be seen in action in places like the Amazon rainforest where local landowners are using these techniques to rid the ground of crude oil contamination.
Currently researchers are also using fungi to create filters to clean water. They’ve even found a species called Aspergillus tubingensis, which can break down plastics! [4]
And five years after the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, the fungi Cryptococcus neoformans, was found feeding on radiation. [5] Scientists are now exploring the possibilities of this incredible fungus, looking at whether its abilities could help protect astronauts from radiation in space.
Bioluminescence is a phenomenon where a living organism is able to produce and emit light. You might have seen this trait in fireflies in the sky or algae in the water, but more than 70 types of fungi can also glow in the dark. [6]
Some of these fascinating fungi that can be found around the world include Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare (pictured on the right, in the daytime), Jack-O’Lantern Mushroom Omphalotus olearius, and Little Ping-Pong Bats Panellus pusillus.
You can even find some of these luminescent fungi in the UK – though they are rarer and weaker here than in other parts of the world.
While plants have long been heralded for their ability to store carbon, they are not the only organisms capable of doing so.
Fungi help break down organic material, using the carbon recycled by plants, and store this carbon as mycelium underground. This process helps lock atmospheric carbon in the soil, as well as releasing other nutrients into the soil which can help plants grow.
Scientists estimate that fungi could be storing up to 13.12 billion metric tons of carbon annually! [7]
We might still be finding new and exciting ways to benefit from fungi today, but our ancestors paved the way.
Most notably, a number of harvested fungi were found in the bag of Otzi ‘The Iceman’. Otzi’s mummified remains were discovered on the Italian-Austrian border in 1991. He had different species of fungi with him, though the intended uses of these cannot be known. Otzi is estimated to have been alive between 3350 and 3105 BC, meaning humans have been connected to fungi for at least 5,000 years!
While we tend to think of fungi in that stereotypical umbrella form, they can come in a variety of different sizes and shapes – including some pretty impressive lookalikes!
Take the Jelly Ear Fungus Auricularia auricula – a common fungus that you can often find on decaying or dead Elder. This odd fungus gets its name because it looks and feels, almost completely like a human ear!
Then there’s Dead Man’s Fingers Xylaria polymorpha! Just about as creepy visually as it sounds. The fruiting bodies are long and club shaped, and could easily be mistaken for a hand poking up out of the soil.
Finally, a much less scary lookalike, is the Bird’s Nest Fungus Crucibulum laeve – named because it’s fruiting body almost perfectly resembles a tiny bird’s nest filled with eggs! When it rains, drops splash into the nest shape and knock out one of the little discs, which contain the spores, helping them to spread.
OK, it’s all relative – you’re not going to find a mushroom that brings out the blue skies or creates a thunderstorm over your town. But there is research to suggest that some species, including Shitake Lentinula edodes and Oyster Mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus could create their own mini weather systems. [8]
The science behind this phenomenon is evaporative cooling. Mushrooms release water, which evaporates in the warm air, turning into water vapour. The water vapour then cools the air, which sinks and the warm air in turn rises. As the air moves it creates a small breeze, probably not one that we would notice – but it’s enough for the fungi.
Even a whisper of a breeze can help to disperse the tiny spores and spread them over a larger distance. This trick is especially helpful on hot days where there isn’t any wind to assist.
Britain’s waxcap grasslands are considered to be the best in Europe. Discover the pressures these colourful fungi and their habitats face…
Horticultural businesses, major retailers and NGOs have come together to call on the government to legislate to end peat sales.
We are calling on the government and the horticultural industry to end the use of peat in gardening and horticulture.
Peatlands continue to be devastated by the commercial extraction of peat, which has knock-on effects on wildlife, carbon stores, flood risk and water quality.
The Peat-free Partnership, a coalition of horticultural organisations and environment NGOs – including Plantlife, has sent a letter to Keir Starmer calling for an end to peat sales.
The letter has more than 100 signatories including Chris Packham, B&Q, Co-op, Evergreen and many of our fellow eNGOs.
Visit the Peat-free Partnership
Peatlands are home to some of the UK’s most distinctive plant communities. Diverse organisms have evolved in response to the low-nutrient conditions which has led to some remarkable adaptations, like the insect-eating sundews and butterworts, and the spongy blankets of colourful sphagnum mosses.
Peatlands are also one of our most important terrestrial carbon sinks. But, when bogs are drained or the peat is exploited, the peat is 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.
Other plants to find in peatlands, such as Plantlife’s Munsary reserve in Scotland, include cotton grasses, bog asphodel, rare sedges, cuckooflower, marsh violet, marsh cinquefoil and marsh willowherb. These support a range of butterflies, dragonflies and birds, including snipe and curlews, merlins and skylarks.
Read more here.
Nicola Hutchinson, Director of Conservation, Plantlife, the host organisation for the Peat-free Partnership, said: “There is overwhelming support for the ban on the sale of peat – with major retailers, the horticultural industry, MPs, conservation charities and 95% of the public backing a fully peat-free, sustainable UK horticultural industry.
“We’ve been talking about this for too long. We’re calling on the government to act now. Let’s legislate and keep peat in the ground and out of our gardens.”
There are many ways you can support this campaign at home in your garden or online:
Agricultural grasslands dominate Wales’ rural landscape. Finding ways to restore species-rich habitats to farms is a priority for Plantlife Cymru.
Often when people think about autumnal colours, their first thought is the trees – but we can’t stop looking at the colourful displays of our other wild plants and fungi!
Autumn might be associated with shorter days and crisp walks with the first chill in the air, but for us, it’s all about the amazing changes in nature!
As a new season ushers in with the first autumn fungi forming, we have rounded up a list of our favourite fungi and wild plants that signal the arrival of autumn.
First things first, when does autumn actually start?
We know that the sun is still shining and the air is warm, so why are we talking about autumn? Well meteorologically speaking, September 1 marks the first day of autumn. The meteorological seasons are broken up neatly into three months each, so autumn lasts from September 1, until November 30.
There is another definition of autumn however, which is astronomical, and splits the year using the two solstices, summer and winter, and the two equinoxes spring and autumn. The astronomical autumn begins on September 22, 2024, though it can differ year to year by a couple of days either side.
One of the most well-known signs that autumn is on the way is the humble Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg and its famous fruit, the blackberry. This prickly shrub can be a problem plant as it spreads quickly and outcompetes others, however it does provide an important component of scrub and edge habitats, with it’s fruits and flowers feeding many creatures as well as structure for homes. It can be found in multiple locations from woodlands to waste grounds and from verges to hedgerows.
Interestingly, while you might think a blackberry is just a blackberry, there’s actually been more than 400 microspecies identified in Britain! Each different microspecies has a slightly different fruiting time, size, texture and taste.
Autumn means fungi! As the seasons start changing, more fungi start fruiting. While you can find some species all year round, autumn is the prime time for finding flourishing fungi. From the pretty Ballerina Waxcap Porpolomopsis calyptriformis to the fitting colours of the Olive Earthtongue Microglossum olivaceum, once you start looking you’ll spot fungi all over, from woodlands to grasslands and from dunes to your garden.
The start of September also marks the launch of our annual Waxcap Watch survey, to encourage people to get out in the field (and the woods and the meadows) and hunt for some of our most beautiful, colourful and varied fungi – the waxcaps. This citizen science survey is so important because it helps us protect them as well as the fragments of ancient grasslands that they call home. You don’t need any ID skills, just a smartphone or access to a computer.
Take part in Waxcap Watch here.
We might associate wildflowers with spring, and while it’s true that lots of our beautiful blooms blossom through the spring and summer seasons, there’s many to be found in autumn. Some of the prettiest wildflowers to spot now include:
It’s not just flowers that are in bloom that are worth keeping your eyes out for in autumn. September means seeds and many of the UKs wildflowers will be seeding in autumn. And some of them produce seeds as pretty as their petals. Look out for:
Finally, we mentioned above the changing colours of the falling leaves on the trees, but our wild plants also produce some beautiful autumnal displays.
As we move into autumn, look out for;
This autumn, help Plantlife find Britain’s most colourful and important fungi – waxcaps.
Britain is home to one of the rarest habitats in the world – the temperate rainforest. But how would you know if you were walking in one?
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.
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!
It’s been 25 years since a local campaign helped save Skylark Meadows, we look back at this positive story of people protecting nature.
This year marks 25 years since the stunning Skylark Meadows in Somerset first became a protected Plantlife nature reserve – thanks to the local community who rallied to save it.
Back in 1997, news broke that the farmer who had owned and managed the land as a traditional hay meadow was looking to retire and sell the 18-acre patch that had become a haven, not only for plant and animal wildlife, but for the local residents as well. With the future of the meadows in jeopardy, the community organised an appeal to raise the funds needed to buy it.
Donald Rayner from Bawdrip, one of the residents instrumental to saving the site, remembered the day he first realised how special the meadows were: “My friends had started without me, so I set off after them across what we now call Skylark Meadows. They were ahead, and I was alone in the fields. I heard skylarks where they simply shouldn’t be. I knew I’d come across something special.”
With a race against time on their hands, the community formed the Skylark Meadows Rescue Group. Local resident Pam Earnshaw was instrumental in heading up the campaign, hosting group meetings and working hard to raise the funds needed to secure its future.
When the appeal first launched, Bob Cornes from English Nature visited the site and was quoted as saying: “It was immediately obvious to me that this was a 50-species meadow. That puts it in the top echelon of conservation sites.”
The group had worked hard and raised a good sum, but they were still short. In 1999, they reached out to us at Plantlife and we stepped in to cover the additional costs and purchase Skylark Meadows. It has been officially protected as a nature reserve ever since.
Speaking of the success of the campaign, Donald said: “It provides a positive example of community achievement here and everywhere.”
The site is home to a range of plants, grasses and wildflowers. These include Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus minor, Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra, Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, Pepper Saxifrage Silaum silaus and the hay meadow speciality Corky-fruited Water-dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides.
As well as the rich variety of plants, the meadows provide a habitat for animal wildlife. The skylarks from which the meadows get their name, can still be seen and heard overhead. Old hedgerows provide a safe haven for birds like whitethroats and linnets as well as mammals including badgers and foxes. Barn owls nest in the owl boxes, brown hares and roe deer have both also been spotted in the meadows.
Finally, the variety in beautiful wildflowers every year attracts an array of pollinators, in particular butterflies.
The meadows looking beautiful with a sea of yellow wildflowers
A butterfly resting on a wildflower at Skylark Meadows
One of the many visitors to Skylark Meadows
It is particularly popular with butterflies in the summer
Many of the locals who were involved in the original campaign have maintained strong connections to the site, including Donald.
“I help with the monitoring of the owl boxes with the HOT group [Hawk and Owl Trust], and try to keep the water trough clean when not in use etc,” he said.
Since taking ownership of the site, we have expanded the original two meadows by purchasing a third field to add to the nature reserve. We have been continuing to manage the whole site using traditional hay meadow methods.
Donald said: “It has increased from 18 acres to 24 acres by allowing the field to west to be obtained then managed in the same traditional hay meadow routine i.e. cut only [once a year] then grazed September to winter then left to regrow without any form of ‘artificial’ or natural growth aids. Thus protecting the needs of the meadow flora.”
Donald Rayner
The nature reserve now encompasses the original two unimproved grassland meadows that we purchased back in 1999, as well as a former silage field which we added to the reserve in 2003.
The original meadows have never had fertiliser or heavy machinery used on them and have always been maintained using traditional hay meadow methods. We have continued these methods and incorporated them into managing the third newer field as well – though it takes many years to restore meadowland.
We manage the meadows by cutting only once a year and then introducing grazing in the late summer and early autumn.
Old hedgerows of Hawthorn Crataegus and Blackthorn Prunus spinosa and lovely Crack Willow Salix fragilis trees have been managed with pollarding (cut low on the trunk to harvest regenerating branches and encourage regrowth).
For 25 years, and for the future, the meadows remain protected for the community and nature.
Donald said: “It offers all ages a chance to enjoy bird song, flowers and open land in a large landscape of natural features. Children visit from the school and the footpaths provide an opportunity for all to visit, learn and enjoy from all over the country.”
The purchase of this meadow was made possible with help from Unilever (Timotei), Somerset Wildlife Trust, the Environment Agency, Sedgemoor District Council, Gerber Foods, Wyvern Environmental Trust, the Charles Hayward Trust and the community through the Skylark Meadows Rescue Group.
Visit our beautiful reserve in Somerset for the chance to see Yellow Rattle, Common Knapweed, Oxeye Daisy and Pepper Saxifrage.
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