White rock-rose Helianthemum apenninum, is a very rare member of the Helianthemum family, occurring in only a handful of localities in the whole of the UK. In fact apart from two or three coastal locations in south Devon, the only other place it occurs in the country is Brean Head in Somerset, just south of Weston-Super-Mare. I've always had a soft spot for the Helianthemum family because of the wonderful displays of common and hoary rock-rose in North Wales, particularly on the Great Orme, so since I was in Somerset today with a free afternoon, it seemed an opportunity too good to miss.
White rock-rose is said to flower from May to July but as we've just had a long period of warm sunny weather I suspected that it might be over a little early this year and so it proved. However, I was able to find a few flowers in amongst the carpets of seed heads. What a sight it must have been when it was in full flower!
The southern cliffs of Brean Down were covered in the plant, but sadly most had gone to seed and I saw probably no more than about 10 flowers.
Looking south towards Brean.
Looking north towards Weston-Super-Mare. It was quite a disappointing day really and not just because the rock-rose was all but over. I had a vision of Brean Down being to Weston-Super-Mare what the Great Orme is to Llandudno, and in some ways I suppose that it is, but both are pale imitations of their counterparts in North Wales.
Wild privet.
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