Buck's-horn Plantain and Climate Change

When I think of Buck's-horn Plantain I think of a coastal species growing in open situations often sprayed with salt water. The species has been slowly spreading inland for a number of years, especially in the south-east of England. This year I have started recording it everywhere from my back garden near Scarborough to urban Hull city centre,  amenity greenspaces.

This species favours fine, open, sandy soils, with a short sward or bare ground, often with a gravelly substrate. It will also readily grow from cracks in rocks and gaps in pavements too. Initial spread of this species inland was along roads where salt grit used for de-icing has sprayed onto verges removing competitive salt intolerant species and allowing a range of salt tolerant plants, like this species to exist. Further to this the slipstream from passing vehicles is an excellent way of depositing seeds, aiding colonisation. 

This plant has evidently spread away from these traditional coastal habitats into other suitable areas of which there are many in urban situations. The ones growing on my garden lawn possibly came as seeds on my boots, after one of my many jaunts to the coast. I also wonder if the dry hot conditions this summer have been favourable for seed germination too, and the suppression of competitive plants like course grasses, through drought stress. This would explain the south-east bias in England, the driest and warmest part of the country. It would also explain the recent trend of this species shifting inland with a warming climate resulting in more drier summers creating favourable habitat for it to colonise.

 

Buck's-horn Plantain