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14 Oct 2020

Spotter’s guide: Plants of the pinewood

A pine woodland with blue sky above. A close-up of a large tree trunk at the left hand side.
Mar Lodge Estate
The Caledonian pinewoods of Mar Lodge are an ancient ecosystem, 8,000 years in the making. They’re home to some of Scotland’s rarest wildlife, and form part of the great boreal forest which stretches right around the world.

Here are some of the plants that you might spot as you stroll through the woods. Click on each picture for a little more information about each plant.

A close-up photo of some purple-pink stems of heather. A close-up photo of a stem of bell heather, with occasional small leaves on the stalk and a cluster of purple globular flowers at the top. A close-up photo of a branch of bog myrtle, with bright green long leaves pointing up towards the light. A close-up of a stem of an unusual looking heather plant, with a rather spindly stalk and then a cluster of berry-shaped pale purple flowers at top. A close-up of a conifer branch with needles and groups of berries that look like pale blueberries. A close-up of a flowering plant on the woodland floor. It has green leaves fanned around the base of the stalk, and a single white flower at the top of the stalk. A close-up of a stalk of a delicate, white-flowering plant. The thin stalk is topped by dense clusters of tiny white flowers. A small black fly rests on one. A snowdrop-esque plant grows on a mossy woodland floor. It has large waxy leaves close to the ground and then white bell-shaped flowers hanging from the top of a tall stalk. A close-up of a white, seven-petalled flower with indented green leaves growing further down the stalk. A close-up of a pair of delicate pale pink bell-shaped flowers, dangling from a single, very thin, red stalk. Small, waxy leaves can be seen towards the base of the stem. Other twinflowers can be seen in the background. An unusual looking plant with deep green/brown wavy leaves grows on the woodland floor. Long, tubular yellow flowers stick out horizontally from the stem. A close-up of a crop of small white flowers growing close to the ground. They have five petals and a bright yellow centre. Their leaves are shaped like clover and are a very bright lime green. A close-up of a small flowering plant with a tall red stem, with a spike of tiny red-purple flowers at the top. Two green leaves sit at the base of the stalk, on top of a yellow moss-like groundcover. A close-up of a bright yellow, four-petalled flower growing close to a leafy woodland floor. Thin, rich-green, maple-shaped leaves grow beneath it. Green waxy leaves, with their edges curled in, sit at the base of a long red stalk, on top of which is a single, purple, crocus-like flower. A close-up of some sprigs of the cowberry plant, growing beside another small-leaved plant with yellowy fronds. The cowberry has small, green, shiny leaves and clusters of bright red berries. A close-up of the heath milkwort plant, growing alongside other green low plants. The stalk has around 10 deep blue, delicate flowers growing out from the tip down. A close-up of a branch of the crowberry plant. It has tiny, waxy green leaves all along the stem and then small clusters of black round berries. A close-up of a dog violet plant, growing close to the woodland floor. The single, pale purple flower has large petals, growiing above deep green, heart-shaped waxy leaves towards the base. A close-up of a branch of a blaeberry bush, where lots of dusky blue berries cluster along the branch, with tiny green/red leaves peeking through. A close-up of a sprig of the great woodrush plant. Long green leaves grow up beside the stalk, and sprays of tiny dark buds emerge from the top.

After centuries of decline, Mar Lodge Estate’s pinewoods are once again resurgent. We’re shaping a more biodiverse future where wildlife can flourish and people can reconnect with nature. Please support our vital conservation work by becoming a member, making a donation or even buying a bottle of our special Pinewood gin!

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