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
- 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