WildBristol.uk - Discovering Wildlife in Bristol

Scattered in the Southern half of the UK but rare. Habitat includes: Rocky places near the coast such as sheltered cliffs, rock faces, walls, old quarries, grassland, disused railway lines, road sides, fields, earth / stone sides of Cornish hedge banks, shingle beaches (ssp. forsteri) etc. Seeds can remain viable in the soil bank for thousands of years and plants can appear after disturbance. Annual / Biennial. Height: Up to 35 cm. 2 subspecies: ssp. purpureum (Erect to ascending growth in exposed locations, generally on rocky limestone soils, ssp. forsteri ( Prostrate, tips of shoots ascending - zig‐zag growth, growing on shingle beaches).