07 April 2024

Growing Wild – Tutsan and Woodrushes

Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist, takes a closer look at some of our native Irish biodiversity.

Tutsan

Look out for tutsan with its last remaining black berry-like capsules, which have transformed from their bright red colour last autumn. This low growing woody species can be up to a metre high with woody stems at the base. It is a semi-evergreen with broad oval hairless leaves with tiny translucent dots. Found in deciduous woodlands and hedges in slightly damp areas, only a few individual plants grow in an area – never dominating. Often found with other less common species – it indicates a valuable hedge margin, which has not been sprayed or cultivated. Tutsan is the native member of St. John’s-wort family and is part of our native Irish biodiversity.

Woodrushes

Look out for woodrushes. These are grass-like plants with simple flowers. The leaves are like blades of grass with soft white hairs. Clumps arranged like a bouquet, growing often become the dominant vegetation. The scientific name for woodrush is Luzula and there are a number of species, which grow in different habitats including woodland, heaths and grassland. Field woodrush flowers early from March and is known as Good Friday grass. They are a positive grassland indicator when scoring fields for ACRES. Others species are heath woodrush, great woodrush and hairy woodrush, which flower from a little later – all part of our native Irish biodiversity.

Previous Growing Wild articles

• Growing Wild – Shamrock and Primrose
• Growing Wild – Blackthorn flowers and whitethorn leaves
• Growing Wild – haws and spindle fruit
• Growing Wild – Crab Apples and Elderberries
• Growing Wild – Ivy flowers and Common knapweed
• Growing Wild – Meadowsweet, Ox-eye Daisy and Selfheal
• Growing Wild – Marsh marigold and Ribwort plantain
• Growing Wild – Dandelions and cowslips
• Growing Wild – Lesser Celandine and Ivy berries
• Growing Wild – Winter Heliotrope and frogspawn
• Growing Wild – Willow Catkins and Birds Nests
• Growing Wild – Harts Tongue and Hazel
• Growing Wild – Holly Berries and Scot’s Pine
• Growing Wild – Whins and Ferns
• Growing Wild – Rose Hips and Flowering Ivy
• Growing Wild – Yarrow and Herb Robert
• Growing Wild – Elderberries and Blackberries
• Growing Wild – Haws and Spindle
• Growing wild – Guelder Rose and Sloes
• Growing wild – Purple loosestrife and Lord and Ladies
• Growing Wild – willowherb and water mint
• Growing Wild – dandelion and greater stitchwort
• Growing Wild – willow, primrose and lady’s smock
• Growing Wild – whitethorn and cow parsley
• Growing Wild – bluebells and guelder rose
• Growing wild – Honeysuckle and Foxglove
• Growing Wild – Elder and Ragged Robin
• Growing wild – dog rose and meadowsweet
• Growing wild – Privet and Lady’s Bedstraw
• Growing Wild – Bird’s foot trefoil and Knapweed