SUFFFOLK TRADITIONAL ORCHARD GROUP Advice Note 9 (STOGAN9) TRADITIONAL SUFFOLK ORCHARD GROUND FLORA – NATURAL & PLANTED Version 1, December 2012
CONTENTS Page
Introduction
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Daffodils in old orchards Records of transplanted and cultivated introductions in orchards
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Table 1 Plants, native and introduced, planted in Suffolk orchards
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Table 2 Plant species considered to be natural in Suffolk orchards
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Fig 1. An old orchard in Palgrave in March. Almost all of the trees fell in the hurricane of 1989, and they were replaced over the next ten years. The original ground flora has almost entirely recovered: in spring there are two snowdrop vars., two Ornithogalum species, a double trumpet daffodil, and Italian Arum, Arum italicum. In summer the orchard has Sheep’s Parsley, Ground Elder, Russian Comfrey and 1 Nettles.
INTRODUCTION The national UK Priority Habitat of ‘Traditional Orchards’ includes mention of the ground cover as occasionally being of biodiversity interest. In reality many orchards, both modern and ancient have extremely impoverished and restricted ground flora. The majority of heavily managed orchards have a ground cover dominated by invasive weed species, and the most frequent flowering plants often comprise only common dock species, a few common grasses, hogweed, sheep’s parsley, brambles, creeping thistle, elder and, above all, nettles. Throughout East Anglia, where the grassland is old and relatively unmanaged, and has sufficient light, the closest National Vegetation Classification (NVC) is MG5. MG5 is neutral to alkaline grassland with Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris), Sweet Vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), Black Knapweed (Centaurea nigra), Crested Dog’s-tail (Cynosurus cristatus), Cock’s-foot (Dactylis glomerata), Red Fescue (Festuca rubra), Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus), Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and White Clover (Trifolium repens). A surprising number of these orchards could also be described as NVC W6 (nettle dominated wet woodland ground cover) comprising common nettle with cleavers, rough meadow grass and brambles. However, throughout East Anglia the oldest existing orchards are all small, rarely more than 2acres, mixed “family” orchards close to, and associated with, farmhouses and farmsteads, old village houses, cottage clusters, especially estate cottages, and rectories. These orchards are often centuries old and well known as being the domain of the women of the families. They are often fenced against stock, restricted to chicken, geese and ducks and, apart from the tiny railing-enclosed gardens close to old farmhouses, were the only areas that could support flowers, being ungrazed by sheep, cattle and pigs. In the claylands sometimes the orchards were the only parcels of land enclosed by railings, apart from a tiny garden in front of each farmhouse. Over the last 100 years the majority of these orchards have vanished. However, some still exist even without their fruit trees; others retain the feeling of an enclosed private space, with heavy shade throughout the summer, but a wealth of late winter and early spring flowers from bulbs and early flowering perennials, perhaps overwhelmed by nettles and lank dank grass by summer. Collectors of old daffodil varieties from the 18th century to Edwardian times know that in old orchards they still exist; likewise sweet violets, snowdrops and Star of Bethlehem. Some of these were introduced to England, but many were transplanted from the wild. DAFFODILS IN OLD ORCHARDS Snowdrops and daffodils are the most common plants in Suffolk traditional orchards, and daffodils the most diverse group. The English native wild daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus is still found in Suffolk woods and in orchards with its many cultivated forms, such as “Tenby”, but most daffodils found in orchards are selected crosses with imported European species such as N. poeticus, tazetta, papyracea and jonquilla.
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Over 20,000 daffodil varieties are said to have been named! The large flowered, large trumpet varieties are mostly from the late 19th C (yellow “Alfred” and white “Mount Hood” are examples) as are the pink and red trumpet forms. Older varieties are often small flowered, later flowering and bicoloured in pale yellows and creams. The poeticus forms and crosses have pale or white corolla and small red or dark trupets, and the tazetta and papyracea crosses have multi-headed inflorescences. N. jonquilla, the Jonquil, with tiny multi-flowered heads on tall stems and cylindrical leaves is also present. In one old traditional orchard in Palgrave just one daffodil cultivar exists, a “trumpet double”, where the trumpet is filled with petals; elsewhere doubles exist where both corolla and trumpet corona is replaced by individual petals. One old and apparently locally unique cultivar per orchard is not uncommon, although at an orchard in Wilby over 25 varieties exist as separate clumps. However, as good identification manuals do not exist, naming is very difficult.
Fig 2. An old “Double Trumpet” Daffodil variety in a traditional orchard in Palgrave.
Daffodil References: R. A. Scamp Quality Daffodils: a major source of old and new varieties.www.qualitydaffodils.com The Daffodil Society records and describes daffodils and has a newsletter www.thedaffodilsociety.com The national collection of daffodils is held at Trevarno in Cornwall with over 2,600 cvs. Visit RHS at http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/News/Daffodil-collection--largest-in-Europe- to find out more.
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RECORDS OF TRANSPLANTED AND CULTIVATED INTRODUCTIONS IN ORCHARDS The following lists (Tables 1 and 2) have a north Suffolk, heavy claylands, emphasis as that area has been most extensively recorded, and for longer than the rest of the county. The Suffolk Phase 1 survey did not aim to record these introduced plants, but we are increasingly being asked about them. So, from some sketchy records, the following list has been prepared – the survey sheets for the orchards will have added the most notable of these records.
Fig 3. Ornithogalum nutans
Fig 4. Anacamptis pyramidalis
Drooping Star of Bethlehem
Pyramidal Orchid
Transplanted
Naturally occurring
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Table 1 Plants, native and introduced, planted in Suffolk orchards Species and varieties of plant native and introduced, considered to be planted in Suffolk orchards Genus
Species
Var./Cultivar/ form
Common Name
Location example/s
Frequency in Suffolk
Notes
Aegopodium
podagraria
Gound Elder
Widespread
Very common
Ancient weed and once pot herb
Aconitum
napellus
Monk’s Hood
Thrandeston
Neophyte, said to be common in Chiltern orchards
Ajuga
reptans
Bugle
Burgate
Rare two sites known Rare
Allium
ramosum
Ransoms, Wild garlic
Burgate
Rare
Allium
triquetrum
Three-cornered Leek
Palgrave
Rare
Allium
ameloprasum
babbingtonii
Babbington’s Leek
Newborne
Rare
Allium
sp
E.g. paradoxum
a wide range of escaped garden species, sometimes locally dominant and invasive.
Aquilegia
vulgaris
Wilby, Debenham
Occasional
wide range of flower colours and forms
Arum
italicum
neglectum
Columbine, Grannyhoods Italian Arum
Palgrave
Arum
italicum
italicum
Italian Arum
Yellow spadix. Leaf veins without pale borders, native? Yellow spadix.Forms with pale areas bordering leaf veins.
Campanula
trachelium
Palgrave, Framsden Mellis
One site known Occasional
Carex
pendula
Claytonia
perfoliata
Colchicum
Nettle-leaved Bellflower Pendulous Sedge
Redgrave
One site known Occasional
May be a garden escape
Native but widely transplanted
Sutton, Brome
autumnale
Spring Beauty, Miner’s Lettuce Meadow Saffron
Monewden
Occasional on sand Occasional
Daphne
laureola
Spurge-laurel
Thrandeston
Rare
Digitalis
ambigua
Yellow Foxglove
Bures St Mary
Introduced
Eranthis
hyemalis
Winter Aconite
Widespread
One site known Common
Galanthus
nivalis
Double Snowdrop
Palgrave
Rare
Double form simil Lord Elphinstone
Galanthus
nivalis
Double Snowdrop
Widespread
Galanthus
nivalis
Snowdrop
Widespread
Very Common Very Common
Double form - smaller and more congetsed flower various single forms
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Native of USA
Galanthus
elwesii
Snowdrop
Widespread
Common
Helleborus
foetidissima
Stinking Hellebore
Mellis, Thornham
Rare
Helleborus
viridis
Green Hellebore
Nowton
Hyacinthoides
hispanica
Spanish Bluebell
Widespread
One site known Common
Hyacinthoides
non-scripta
Wild Bluebell
Burgate, Mellis
Rare
Hyacinthoides
x massartiana
Hybrid Bluebell
Widespread
Common
Hyacinthoides
Hybrid White Bluebell
Widespread
Occasional
hypericum
x massartiana alba androsaermum
Tutsan
Ringshall
Rare
Iris
foetidissima
Gladdon, Stinking Iris
Occasional
Leucojum
aestivum
Summer Snowflake
Middleton, Rickinghall Eye
Occasional
Leycesteria
formosa
Pheasant Berry
Sutton, Tannington
Rare
Muscari
comosum
Grape hyacinth
Wilby
Rare
Myosotis
sylvatica
Wood Forget-me-not
Widespread
Narcissus
pseudonarcisus
Wild Daffodil
Narcissus
sp
“Tenby”
Tenby Daffodil
Thrandeston
Common in claylands Rare in orchards Occasional
Narcissus
sp
double trumpet
Daffodil
Palgrave
Occasional
Narcissus
poeticus
Pheasant’s Eye
Widespread
Ocassional
Narcissus
poeticus
narrow corolla form wide corolla form
Widespread
Ocassional
Narcissus
sp
numerous old cultivars
Dafodils
Widespread
Common
Ornithogalum
nutans
Palgrave
Ornithogalum
Rare, in claylands? Common
Native but widely transplanted, called Ghost Flower locally. Native, but widely transplanted
Ornithogalum
angustifolium (umbellatum) pyrenaicum
Drooping Star of Bethlehem Star of Bethlehem Bath Asparagus,
Nowton
Archaeophyte? Aka Spiked Star of Bethlehem
Pentaglottis
sempervirens
Green Alkanet
Widespread
One site known Common on claylands
pulchellum
Widespread
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various single forms
Blue anthers, inflorescence not one-sided, petals flared Cream anthers. Flowers one-sided, petals recurved, occasionally white Blue anthers, inflorescence a spiral, petals partly curled White anthers, inflorescence not one-sided
Native, but widely transplanted, yellow and blue forms Smooth stems, native, aestivum stem has two sharp edges. Pheasant cover shrub
Annual or biennial Native Archaeophyte
Petasites
fragrans
Winter Heliotrope
Primula
veris
Cowslip
Primula
vulgaris
Pulmonaria
Widespread
One site known Occasional
Native but widely transplanted
Primrose
Widespread
Common
Native but widely transplanted
officinale
Common Lungwort
Wilby, Framsden
Occasional
Archaeophyte
Pulmonaria
obscura
Suffolk Lungwort
Burgate
Possibly native, unspotted leaves
Ruscus
aculeatus
Butchers Broom
Sutton
One site known Rare
Symphytum
orientale
White Comfrey
Rare
Symphytum
grandiflorum
Dwarf Comfrey
Very early to flower in April
Symphytum
officinale
Common Comfrey
Mellis
Rare, in sandlings Rare?
Symphytum
x uplandicum
Russian Comfrey
Widespread
Vinca
minor
Lesser Periwnkle
Widespread
officinale x ? Very common - tall bristly, dark flowers Native
Viola
odorata
Sweet Violet
Palgrave, Middleton
Common in claylands Common in claylands Occasional
Fig 5 Pentaglott.is sempervirens, Green Alkanet against a background of Aquilegia vulgaris, Columbine, leaves.
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Almost always the pale pink/purple form
Native
Fig 6. Foliage of Arum italicum italicum, Italian Arum and Iris foetidssima, Gladdon.
Table 2 Plant species considered to be natural in Suffolk orchards Species considered to be natural, that contribute to the flowers in Suffolk orchards, and unlikely to have been planted. Genus
Species
Common Name
Location example
Adoxa
moschata
Muscatel, Town Hall Clock
Palgrave, Mellis
Arum
maculatum
Cuckoo Pint, Wild Arum etc
Widespread (brown spadix)
Anacamptis
pyramidalis
Pyramidal Orchid
Framsden
Bromus
ramosus
Wood Brome
Thrandeston, Ringshall
Digitalis
purpurea
Foxglove
Sutton
Listera
ovata
Twayblade
Palgrave, Wortham
Moehringia
trinervia
Five-veined Sandwort
Mellis
Ophrys
apifera
Bee Orchid
widespread
Orchis
morio
Green-winged Orchid
Laxfield
Orchis
mascula
Early Purple Orchid
Burgate
Petasites
hybridus
Butterbur
Widespread
Prunella
vulgaris
Selfheal
Widespread
Ranunculus
fiacria
Lesser Celandine
Widespread
Ranunculus
repens
Creeping Buttercup
Widespread
Ranunculus
bulbosus
Bulbous Buttercup
Widespread
Ranunculus
auricomus
Goldilocks
Mellis, Wortham
Scrophularia
nodosa
Common figwort
Widespread
Scrophularia
auriculata
Water figwort
Palgrave, Wilby
Stellaria
holostea
Greater Stitchwort
Widespread
Stellaria
graminea
Lesser Stitchwort
Occasional where sheep grazed
Verbascum
nigrum
Dark Mullein
Middleton,
Viola
hirsuta
Hairy Violet
Palgrave
Fig 7. A Suffolk orchard with 8 a wide variety of everything!