Wildlife Safari
Flora of the Hebrides
There is an incredible range of flora in the Hebrides, with over 1000 identified wild flowers, thanks to the wide variety of habitats in these islands. From coastal plants which thrive in rock pools and seaweed strewn shores, to stunning carpet machair flowers and upland moorland plants.
Plants and flowers were once incredibly essential to the communities of the Hebridean Islands. They were used for medicine, food and drink, for domestic agricultural and seafaring purposes, for magical functions or simply for luck. For example Nettles, which are high in vitamins and minerals, were boiled down to make nettle soup and tea and was also used for dying wool a greenish-yellow colour for tweed.
It would be impossible to include the full list, so we have provided a quick run down of some of the best known plants - but there are many field guides which list them all.
First of all: Something Important to Remember
This means that it is a crime to uproot the plants, pick them or damage them in any way. It is illegal to uproot any wild plant and furthermore many of the flowers that you will find in the Hebrides are very rare, and therefore specially protected.
Although it is very tempting, please remember that if you pick some of these wild flowers so that you can take them home to press or just to look at for a few days, it might mean that you'll never see them in the wild again!
Machair Flowers
There is nothing like seeing the lime rich soils of the coast in full bloom with carpet machair flowers. With up to 45 species in any square metre, it presents an astonishing riot of colour. Here are some examples of what you can expect to see:
Orchids (Orchidaceae)
We have a wide variety of Orchids (Frog, Hebridean, Northern March, Early Purple and Early Marsh.) These vary in colour from white to pink and purple. They bloom from April to August on wet marshy and machair soils.
Self Heal (Labiatae)
This violet flower is two lipped and has a short dense spike with smaller secondary branches. It blooms in the machair and grassy places from June to November
Yellow Iris (Iridaceae)
With its large bright yellow segments (three large outer), this is a handsome plant that grows well in large numbers. Blooming from June to August it is a favourite hideout of the elusive corncrake.
Other
Pansies, poppies, Sea Bindweed, Irish Ladies Tressels, Yellow Rattle, Red Clover, Daisies, Marram
Coastal Flowers
The coastal habitats of the Hebrides give rise to a massive variety of plants and flowers which have been acclimatised to the rocky, blustery and salty shores and cliff faces of our islands.
Sea Pink -Thrift (Plumbaginaceae)
This cute little plant with bright pink flowers is synonymous with the seaside. It grows in high quantities around our coasts on rocks, cliffs and salt marshes. From March to November it blooms all over the islands.
Sea Rocket (Cruciferae)
Large lilac flowers with oval pods characterise this lovely little plant that hugs sandy coasts and blooms from June to September.
Sea Campion (Caryophyllaceae)
A pretty plant with broad, round, white flowers which hugs cliffs and shingle shores and blooms from June to August.
Other
Sea Pearlwort, Sea Sandwort, Sea Plantain, Spiral Tasselweed, Savy Grass (white or lilac)
Moorland Flowers
The dark and often acidic and waterlogged, peatland-moorlands of the Hebrides are home to more flora than just heather and thistles and look stunning when the sun shines in late autumn and they have changed from purple to gold...
Heath Milk Wort (Ploygalaceae)
The flowers on this delightful plant are deep purple-blue or dark pink and are in short spikes. They are common on the peatland hills and bloom from May to September.
Marsh Marigold (Ranunculaceae)
Found near lochs and marshes this flower has rounded heart shaped leafs and small golden yellow flower heads with long thick and hollow stems. It can be seen from March to May.
Yellow Tormential (Rosaceae)
Resembling a Maltese Cross, this plant has a small flower with four petals divided by narrow sepals and it also has a long stem that's leaves can turn an attractive red and yellow colour. It is common on the moors and hillsides of the Hebrides from June to September.
Other
Silverweed (used as a food source by Hebridean until last century)
Trees
The only major mixed woodland in the Hebrides is the Lews Castle Grounds near Stornoway. There are however many native trees present elsewhere, often solitary, such as:
Birch, Rowan, Aspen, Willow, Hazel, Honeysuckle, Ivy and Ash
Lews Castle Grounds
Created by Sir James Matheson this park is now publicly owned thanks to the kind gift of Lord Leverhulme when he departed the islands in 1923. There are over 250 species of trees, shrubs, flowers grasses and fern in these woods as well as the beautiful creed river and Lews Castle. With many trails and paths open to the public it is a delightful place to take and afternoon stroll through. Managed by the Stornoway Trust, it has secured Millennium Forest Project Funds and extensive improvements to the paths and trails are being made. Replanting and clearance of Rhododendron bushes is leading to an increase in the diversity of flora and fauna.
Customs and Uses of Some Hebridean Flora
| The Rowan Tree | For centuries this was believed to protect the household, cattle and croft from witches and fairies and is present to this day on many crofts near the house. There was great fear about cutting down a Rowan: this belief can be traced back from the Celts to the druids. |
| Nettles | Boiled up to make soup and tea and also used as a dye for wool. |
| Silverweed | Boiled and roasted or dried and ground into meal for bread making. |
| Boiled Violets | Added to whey to make a refreshing drink. |
| Fever Few | Used as a cure for migraines. |
| Sundew | Used by the Celts for beauty treatments and dying hair. |
| Crotal | A lichen, gathered by the women from the rocks on moor lands, dried and used to dye wool for tweed. |
| Bog Myrtle | Makes a yellow dye for tweed. |
| Ling Heather (Froach) | Used for thatching croft houses, for bedding, making ale and tanning leather. |
| St Johns Wort | Thought to ward away enchantment, witchcraft, the evil eye and death and was also used for curative means. |
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