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Early Signs of Spring

Early Signs of Spring

This Danish scurvy-grass (Cochlearia danica) is already in flower on the beach, a sign of change in the season to come. Danish scurvy-grass is one of the first plants to flower on Chesil. It is packed full of vitamin C and was once eaten by sailors to prevent...
Flower to Seed

Flower to Seed

Now is the time to appreciate the wonderful reproductive systems of many species of shingle plants which are no different from other flowering plants in this respect. Every flowering head of Sea Campion for example produces a quantity of black seeds. Sea Kale flowers...
Sea Pea

Sea Pea

Lathyrus japonicas Although ‘Nationally scarce’ due to its limited habitat, this pea grows in abundance on Chesil, especially towards the Western end. Its purple and white pea flowers, May – August, are later followed by 6cm long pea pods. Its seeds...
Four-leaved Allseed

Four-leaved Allseed

The tiny Four-leaved Allseed (Polycarpon tetraphyllum) is currently in flower down on the beach at Ferrybridge. It is a nationally rare plant and can only be found in a handful of other sites in the U.K. The flowers are only 2 – 3 mm, and its seeds can survive...
Sea Kale

Sea Kale

Sea Kale Crambe maritima is a common local perennial along Chesil Bank, flowering from late May into July. The blanched young shoots were once eaten as a delicacy and as a result, massively declined. It is now however, slowly starting to recover. Sea Kale is abundant...