HOPE is growing for an endangered plant as Scottish conservationists attempt to establish the Alpine blue-sow -thistle at a popular tourist spot.
The flower has been sown in a gorge at the Water of Clunie in the village of Braemar in Aberdeenshire, where it is hoped it will thrive.
The joint project between Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) also includes new signage to bring the story of the plant to life.
The Alpine blue-sow-thistle (Cicerbita alpina) is an extremely rare plant, with only four populations known to survive in the wild, all on remote mountains in the eastern Cairngorms.
The plant’s range in Scotland may have been wider in the past but it has been reduced by grazing.
Preferring to grow in high rocky crags and mountain gullies, the population planted at the Water of Clunie is part of a wider experiment to see if flowering would be possible at lower altitudes.
The RBGE and SNH have been working on a long-running project to understand the plant’s genetics and to establish new populations.
SNH Operations Officer Mike Smedley said: “The site is one of several chosen to see whether it is possible to establish this species at relatively low altitude,”
“If successful, flowers could be visible as early as next year and at such a popular tourist spot in the heart of Braemar, this is a great opportunity to showcase nature conservation in action.”
Rare Plants Conservationist Martine Borge added: “The future of this delicate and luminous plant is very uncertain in Scotland.
“Like many of Scotland’s rare plants it needs a lot of support from horticulturists, scientists and members of the public to ensure it can recover from such a vulnerable position and help safeguard Scotland’s biodiversity.”
Research has shown that the genetic variation found within and between the four existing sites is low and the plants are in danger of becoming increasingly inbred.
If the species is not genetically varied, this will leave it vulnerable.
Using seed and root stock collected from the wild, the RBGE has cultivated plants from different origins at its gardens in Edinburgh.
Plants from two different genetic sources have been used in Braemar in the hope that they will crossbreed at the new location and become more genetically varied.
Dr Aline Finger, RBGE Biodiversity Scientist, said: “Our aim is to create healthy, self-sustaining populations for the future.
“We hope that by maximising genetic diversity, this and other planted populations have the genetic basis to be able to cope with future environmental challenges.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here