London volunteers plant more than 1,000 rare tower mustard plants

More than 1,000 tower mustard plants have been grown by volunteers and planted across London during the first year of a project to restore one of the capital’s rarest native wildflowers, the BBC reported on 19 October. The planting expands work on a species that Citizen Zoo said was found at only two London sites when the project began.

Citizen Zoo and Habitats & Heritage lead the effort with land managers, community groups, conservation partners and volunteers. In March, volunteers attended a workshop on sowing the tiny seeds and received pots, trays and soil to raise plants themselves. The seeds came from remaining London populations at Lesnes Abbey Woods in Bexley and Stain Hill Reservoir in Richmond-upon-Thames, according to the BBC.

Where tower mustard has been planted

Charlotte Harris, nature conservation manager at Habitats & Heritage, said the project had given local residents a hands-on role in conserving the plant. She said the organisers hoped the approach could serve as a model for volunteer work with other rare plants. Botanist Dr Mark Spencer has also supported the project, the BBC reported.

Why the species is being restored

Tower mustard, also known as Turritis glabra, has declined amid habitat destruction and changes in land management. Citizen Zoo said at the project’s launch that it was thought to survive at about 30 sites across England and two in London. The BBC described its conservation status as near threatened on the Great Britain Red List and endangered in England.

The plant grows to about a metre tall, produces white flowers and is associated with open, disturbed habitats. It supports pollinators including bees and butterflies, according to the BBC. Citizen Zoo’s launch plan called for volunteers to grow plants at home for replanting at five suitable sites within the species’ historic London range. The Mayor of London’s Green Roots Fund and Thames Water fund the project, Citizen Zoo said.