Water Germander Clearance

​Plagiomnium ellipticum

Water Germander Winter emergent form

In the first week of December we finished our annual clearance of the Water Germander (Teucrium Scordium) pools in the SSSI North pit.  This is one of only two original populations of this Red Data Species in Britain and consequently the North pit has been designated a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest' (SSSI).
The main population of Water Germander grows on a floating mat of vegetation over the old lime pool beneath. Each year we have to cut the reed back low to a few inches to enabling the Water Germander light and space to grow the following spring.  Then again in early summer the reeds are cut to 18inches allowing sufficient light to reach the Germander.  Whilst we now know that this site does not present the best habitat for the Water Germander, this management does allow the original population to survive and it is now stable at around 800-900 stems a year.
The main population is on the draw down zones on the main project where stems are now numbers in excess of five million each year.

The above video shows how the vegative mat moves on water surface!