A giant among orchids

[You}] were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. So said the character Ian Malcolm in Jurrasic Park.

The world is changing.

Whether you believe in global warming or not, it is clear that extreme weather events are becomming more regular, and there is a spread of plants ever northwards.

For centuries, British plant hunters have searched the globe for botanic wonders to bring back to these shores, not pndering if this is the best course of action of the bottany we already have.

Several species, Winter Heliotrope and Japanese Knotgrass have been introduced and caused havoc, swamping our native plants and wildlife.

So the accidental on purpose of a new orchid species to the UK in the shape of the Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum robertianum) discovered on a bird reserve in the Home Counties raises more questions.

The Giant is a very adaptable species, once established will grow in a wde range of conditions. Rumour is of a sigle spike planted, which died, but did vreate several offspring, which were rediscovered a week ago. Or so.

This comes after three Serapias species found in the last five years, maybe showing how the climate here is changing.

Indeed, Himantoglossum robertianum was one of two species predicted to arrive on these shores, if they were not here already, as they had spread from the Med up along the Channel and North Sea coast.

The discovery of this colony, like that of the three Tongue orchids has been celebrated, and yet, should it?

It seems probably that at least one of the Serapias was ntroduced via soil with other plants that had the orchid seed present. Which means that other species, not just orchids, but other plants could come over in a similar way.

But maybe worse than this is that our native species are being overshadowed by these incomers.

We can see how this happens at Hartlock Reserve, where two species, Lady and Monkey have produced a hybrid swarm, and people (including me) visit to see the statuesque hybrids, almost forgetting the two parent plants, rare enough in Kent, and almost unknown outside this county. We should celebrate and strive to protect the few parent plants over the hybrid swarm, but we don't.

People are circumventing regulations in order to reintroduce species of plants, insects and even mammals that have been extinct here for centuries. Because we can do this, doesn't mean we should.

I will leave the secrecy the find has been shrouded in, only for its discovery to be blurted out after all.

Either something's secret or it isn't.