Article by Tim Corner
Until now BRERC has only known of two records from 'Avon' for Kidney Saxifrage Saxifraga hirsuta. This plant is classed as a very rare introduction into the wild, and is also uncommonly used in horticulture. Even so, Phil Williamson, from Bristol City Parks, confidently reported it growing within an overgrown and wooded part of one of the City's parks.
Not only did Phil recognise the plant as being unusual, but he also chose to report his find to the council's ecologists, including my wife Lucy, who in turn consulted BRERC. The other two records for the plant were not from Bristol and so the following Saturday Lucy and I visited the park armed with Phil's notes.
We soon found the plant growing close to a well- used path. It has most certainly been planted, but subsequently surviving in a wild state for many years on view to anyone passing by. It is the first record we have of this plant in Bristol, and only the third for Avon.
Kidney Saxifrage naturally grows in the mountains of Spain. It has succulent, but hairy, round kidney shaped leaves.
Even though Phil's plant was probably originally planted and therefore an introduced non-native species, it is still an important record as a naturalised plant still growing in the wild untended.
The hairs on the leaves and stems can be seen in the photograph from Lucy Corner.