Plants

There are a great many native plant species on Jersey’s coastline and it is hoped that many of these will benefit from the restoration project. Below are a selection of those that are associated closely with this area of the island

 Sea Campion Silene uniflora

Common on the cliffs or rocky or stony ground. This white flowering perennial is best seen from mid-April and is often able to survive the fires that unfortunately sweep some of our headlands.

 

 

Thrift Armeria maritima

Common around the Island’s coasts, Thrift produces carpets of distinctive pink flowers in late May. A second species, Jersey Thrift A. alliacea, is locally common on the west coast and flowers later in July and August.

 

   

 

 

 

Bell Heather Erica cinerea

Locally abundant on the north and south-west coasts this heather may be found inland at a few sites.                                         

 

 

Heather Calluna vulgaris

This heather species often occurs alongside Bell Heather but isless well distributed in Jersey and restricted to the north and south-west coasts.

  

Prostrate Broom Cytisus scoparius ssp. maritimus

This broom is widespread on our coastland and is locally abundant on exposed rocks of the south-west and north-west cliffs. These plants keep close to the ground and carpet it with yellow flowers in spring. 

 

Gorse Ulex  europeus    

Gorse is locally abundant throughout Jersey and perhaps the most distinctive plant of our coastline. The beautiful yellow flowers can be seen all the year round but it peaks from April to May. Gorse is the preferred habitat of many birds, notably Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata, but it is very vulnerable to devastating fires that have often been started deliberately. Gorse is managed in many sites in order to ensure that the warblers get a range of plant heights and structure necessary to ensure that they thrive throughout the year.

Umbellate Hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum

Locally common on the north and south west cliffs this plant will, it is hoped, benefit from restoration work and may become more widely distributed.

 

  Saw-wort Serratula tinctoria

Frequent at restricted locations on the north coast cliffs this plant, like the hawkweed, will be one of several plant species to benefit from restoration work.

 

 

 Devil’s-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis

Restricted to a small area of the north-west coast, and it is hoped that this will be another plant to extend its range.

Spotted Cat’s-ear Hypochaeris maculata

Common between Grosnez and Plémont this plant is rare in England and only poorly distributed in Western Europe. Spotted Cat’s-ear is a perennial that thrives in the cracks between rocks. Some plants may be centuries old.

Dyer’s Greenweed Genista tinctoria 

Grows on a very small stretch of the north coast near Belle Hougue. Dyer’s Greenweed is badly affected by fires and it is hoped that it may spread following restoration work.

 

Field Forget-me-not Myosotis arvensis

Now a very scarce plant in Jersey, this species requires the disturbed conditions that restoration management could provide.

 

For further information on these and other Jerseyplant species we recommend reading the Flora of Jersey by Frances Le Sueur (Société Jersiaise 1984).