By Isle of Wight Observer
One of the UK’s rarest wildflowers is bouncing back, with around 10,000 field cow-wheat plants counted this summer at St Lawrence Field Nature Reserve, near Ventnor.
The tiny Island site, measuring just 0.2 hectares (1/2 acre), is believed to be the world’s smallest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Despite its size, it is home to the last known native population of field cow-wheat, a striking purple and yellow flower that has vanished from much of its former range in southern England.
The count, carried out by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the Species Recovery Trust, shows a strong recovery after numbers dipped following a peak in 2021.
Emma Hunt, senior reserves officer at the Wildlife Trust, said: “This tiny reserve is proving how even the smallest spaces can have big impacts when managed well. The boom in flowers this year is a fantastic result.”
The site has been carefully managed with a balance of open grassland and light scrub to support the rare hemiparasitic plant, which depends on drawing nutrients from nearby species.
Dominic Price, from the Species Recovery Trust, added: “This is now the only known site where the plant survives in the wild without reintroduction, so this year’s results are incredibly important.”
The site is not open to the public, but a nearby footpath offers views of the area. The Wildlife Trust will continue monitoring the population and managing the site to support its long-term survival.
Isle of Wight Observer