This is a common sight in hills above 1,000 feet and always causes fascination when you point out the little grass seedlings spouting before they have dropped. However these plantlets don't always survive. Research has shown that the plantlets from F. vivipara flowering early in the summer aren't viable but the ones from those later in the season are.

As this tends to be a plant of the high hills, there isn't much to be found in southern and central England. Snowdonia in Wales has plenty as does the lake district and northern Pennines but it is common in Scotland. In Ireland it is found in the hills of the west.

Cwm Idwal, 25th July 2002

Added on November 11th 2004, updated 15th January 2009, updated 31st March 2010, Updated 15th May 2015