Plants of the Sefton Coast
Dune and marsh flora of the Sefton Coast — including nationally rare species such as Grass of Parnassus and Round-leaved Wintergreen at Ainsdale NNR.
52species recorded
1Red List
8Amber List
52 species
Marram GrassGreenAmmophila arenariaMobile sand duneFore-duneYear-round
Sea HollyAmberEryngium maritimumFore-duneStrandlineFlowers June–September
Sea RocketGreenCakile maritimaStrandlineFore-duneFlowers June–August
Sea SandwortGreenHonckenya peploidesStrandlineFore-duneFlowers May–August
Burnet RoseGreenRosa spinosissimaFixed dune grasslandDune slack edgeFlowers May–July
Common CentauryGreenCentaurium erythraeaOpen dune grasslandDune slackFlowers June–September
Grass of ParnassusAmberParnassia palustrisDamp calcareous dune slackWet grasslandFlowers August–October
Round-leaved WintergreenAmberPyrola rotundifoliaDamp calcareous dune slackWillow carrFlowers June–August
Creeping WillowGreenSalix repensDamp dune slackFixed dune grasslandYear-round
Sea SpurgeGreenEuphorbia paraliasFore-duneUpper beachFlowers June–October
Sand SedgeGreenCarex arenariaMobile sand duneFixed duneYear-round
Hound's TongueAmberCynoglossum officinaleFixed dune grasslandDune scrub edgeFlowers May–August
Viper's BuglossGreenEchium vulgareOpen dune grasslandSandy disturbed groundFlowers June–September
Sea BindweedGreenCalystegia soldanellaFore-duneStrandlineFlowers June–August
Lichen HeathAmberCladonia spp.Old fixed duneDune heathYear-round
Lyme GrassGreenLeymus arenariusFore-duneUpper beachYear-round
Sand CouchGreenElytrigia junceaStrandlineFore-duneYear-round
Prickly SaltwortGreenSalsola kaliStrandlineUpper beachFlowers July–September
Yellow Horned-poppyGreenGlaucium flavumSandy beachFore-duneFlowers June–September
Bird's-foot TrefoilGreenLotus corniculatusFixed dune grasslandSemi-fixed duneFlowers May–September
Kidney VetchGreenAnthyllis vulnerariaSemi-fixed dune grasslandCalcareous grasslandFlowers May–August- Common RagwortGreenJacobaea vulgarisOpen dune grasslandRough disturbed groundFlowers June–October
HeatherGreenCalluna vulgarisDune heathHeather moorlandFlowers August–October
Bell HeatherGreenErica cinereaDune heathDry heathlandFlowers July–September
Common RestharrowGreenOnonis repensFixed dune grasslandCalcareous grasslandFlowers June–September
Wild ThymeGreenThymus polytrichusShort dry fixed duneCalcareous grasslandFlowers June–August
Lady's BedstrawGreenGalium verumFixed dune grasslandDune scrub edgeFlowers July–August
Autumn GentianAmberGentianella amarellaShort calcareous dune grasslandLimestone grasslandFlowers August–October
Pyramidal OrchidGreenAnacamptis pyramidalisFixed calcareous dune grasslandChalk grasslandFlowers June–August
Marsh HelleborineAmberEpipactis palustrisDamp calcareous dune slackFenFlowers July–August
Northern Marsh OrchidGreenDactylorhiza purpurellaDamp dune slackWet grasslandFlowers June–July
Sea BuckthornGreenHippophae rhamnoidesFixed duneDune scrubYear-round
Sea AsterGreenAster tripoliumSaltmarshTidal creek edgeFlowers July–October
Common GlasswortGreenSalicornia europaeaPioneer saltmarshTidal mudflatAnnual — appears in spring, green summer, vivid red-orange in autumn
Sea PurslaneGreenAtriplex portulacoidesMid to upper saltmarshSaltmarsh creek bankYear-round
Sea LavenderGreenLimonium vulgareUpper saltmarshSaltmarsh fringeFlowers July–September
Common ReedGreenPhragmites australisReedbedMarsh ditchYear-round
Purple Moor-grassGreenMolinia caeruleaWet dune slackDamp heathlandYear-round
BogbeanAmberMenyanthes trifoliataDune slack pond edgeFenFlowers May–June
Marsh PennywortGreenHydrocotyle vulgarisWet dune slackBogFlowers June–September
Biting StonecropGreenSedum acreBare dune surfaceSandy pathFlowers May–July
Carline ThistleGreenCarlina vulgarisShort calcareous dune grasslandChalk and limestone grasslandFlowers July–September
Field ScabiousGreenKnautia arvensisFixed dune grasslandRough grasslandFlowers July–September
Common KnapweedGreenCentaurea nigraFixed dune grasslandRough grasslandFlowers June–September
Evening PrimroseGreenOenothera biennis agg.Disturbed sandy groundDune marginFlowers July–September
Wood SageGreenTeucrium scorodoniaPinewood edgeDry dune scrubFlowers July–September
DewberryGreenRubus caesiusFixed dune grasslandDune scrub edgeFlowers May–July
TormentilGreenPotentilla erectaDune heathDry acidic grasslandFlowers May–September
Heath BedstrawGreenGalium saxatileDune heathAcidic grasslandFlowers June–August
Marsh MarigoldGreenCaltha palustrisWet dune slackMarsh ditchFlowers March–June
Sea Arrow-grassGreenTriglochin maritimaSaltmarshTidal creek edgeFlowers June–August
Creeping Ladies' TressesRedSpiranthes romanzoffianaWet, unimproved dune slackDamp calcareous grasslandFlowers August–September