COUNTRY MATTERS WILDFLOWERS
Some like it
HOT David Chapman takes a look at wildflowers that can survive long periods of warm, dry weather...
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hile last year’s long, dry summer meant we could plan outdoor events confident in the knowledge they wouldn’t be rained off, the water shortage did cause difficulties in some of our natural habitats. Indeed, I lost several plants in my garden – which made me consider which wildflowers can (and can’t) cope with drought, and why. Some plants have adapted to cope with dry conditions. You’ll find them on sandy or stony ground where rainwater quickly drains away, as well as by the coast, where wind and salt spray create desiccating conditions. And, while it might seem counter-intuitive, many mountain-top plants have also had to adapt to drought – there might be plenty of precipitation up there but it is frozen for much of the year, while the effect of strong winds is much more severe at altitude. Adaptations, which can seem incredibly clever, have occurred over many thousands of years and allowed certain flowers to colonise difficult terrain. Let’s take a look at some of them...
BLUE IS THE COLOUR Above from top: heather has small leaves to help reduce water loss; pretty viper’s-bugloss has adapted to grow on sand Below: the silvery leaves of sea holly reflect light
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Viper’s-bugloss (or snakeflower) is a biennial, usually found growing on sandy or stony ground. It has a long flowering season and boasts beautiful blue, bugle-shaped flowers which are incredibly valuable to a range of pollinating insects – especially bumblebees. The flowers have protruding red stamens which have been likened to vipers’ tongues (hence the plant’s name). In order to grow on sand, the viper’s-bugloss has developed bristly leaves and stems. The bristles reduce the movement of air over the surface of the leaf and cut out some of the sun’s heat, combining to reduce transpiration – the loss of water through the plant’s stomates (pores), a process which could be compared to human sweating. Viper’s-bugloss also has a long ‘taproot’ which can collect water from deep down in the soil. A taproot is essentially a broad, tapering root that grows www.camc.com
