Native bluebells under threat
NATIVE BLUEBELLS are being threatened by a Spanish species of the flower.
The invasive species, noticeable for their more upright stem and petals of a lighter shade of blue, would have been commonly purchased from garden centres by people wanting to have the wildflower grow at home.
Bluebell season usually lasts from mid-April until the end of May at the latest.
La Societe Guernesiaise’s land management and conservation officer Jamie Hooper said over the past 20 years they have spread to public areas and are even starting to encroach on the top of bluebell woods at Fermain.
‘We have a responsibility to preserve the species. There is more and more pollution, it’s the integrity of the native species [we are concerned with].
‘Spanish bluebells are turning up everywhere, on Port Soif in swathes, and unfortunately in the top edge of the bluebell woods. There will be immature plants that take over,’ he said.
The species of bluebell we are used to seeing is the same found all over the UK.
The advice for people at this stage if they are sure they have identified a Spanish bluebell is to pull it up at the roots.
Biodiversity education officer Julia Henney said people are encouraged to remove the species when found.
‘If people do have them in their garden, if they can, remove them – that is best. We would also encourage people to remove them if they are spreading along an earth bank in public areas.
‘Guernsey is a microcosm and we have quite a sprawling distribution of houses. The other issue is that we have a hybrid with the English bluebell so as a way to protect the bluebell, we need to have fewer Spanish and more English,’ she said.
