Extinct plant reintroduced to Snowdonia

A mountain plant that last grew on cliff edges in Snowdonia in 1962 has been successfully reintroduced in to the wild in Wales.

Rosy Saxifrage was first recorded in Wales in 1796 by J.W. Griffith.

The plant started slipping into extinction when visitors and plant enthusiasts, especially in the Victorian era, would collect the flowers and plants, along with pollution. This left the plant weaker against the stronger and surrounding plants that were not being picked and damaged.

The last time the plants were spotted in the wild in Snowdonia was 1962.

Each and every native wild plant contributes to the diversity and health of ecosystems and putting Rosy saxifrage back where it belongs on Snowdonia will help to restore a lost balance.

There was a trial reintroduction of Rosy saxifrage (Saxifraga rosacea) by Plantlife and their partners Natural Resources Wales and National Trust. The reintroduction is great news as it has taken decades to organise.

The plant has been grown from some of the 1962 specimens. It has been planted back out in the wild on land cared for by the National Trust.

Over the months there will be surveys by abseiling botanists to find other suitable locations to reintroduce the plant into the wild. Locations will be selected close to where populations are thought to have previously been recorded.

Photograph: National Trust