SUFFOLK Wildlife Trust is appealing for people to take part in a new national survey aimed at finding out where true, wild bluebells grow in Suffolk.Voted Britain's favourite flower in 2002, the English bluebell is under threat as a result of habitat loss, competition and hybridisation, illegal collection and climate change, said the Trust.

SUFFOLK Wildlife Trust is appealing for people to take part in a new national survey aimed at finding out where true, wild bluebells grow in Suffolk.

Voted Britain's favourite flower in 2002, the English bluebell is under threat as a result of habitat loss, competition and hybridisation, illegal collection and climate change, said the Trust.

The bluebell (hyacinthoides non-scripta) is characteristic of the countryside in spring, growing wild in woodlands, hedgerows, bracken and grasslands.

This spring a National Bluebell Survey, launched by Plantlife, aims to map our native bluebells to get a clearer picture of how healthy the population is.

The survey also wants to find out how widespread hybrid and Spanish bluebells are.

To take part, people should contact Suffolk Wildlife Trust for a Plantlife Survey form. Surveying should take place when the plants are in flower between April – June.

For a survey form please write enclosing a SAE ( 27p stamp and A5 envelope) to SWT Wildline officer Tracey Housley at Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Brooke House, Ashbocking, Ipswich IP6 9JY.

For more information please contact SWT on 01473 890089 or Plantlife on 020 7808 0118.

BLUEBELL FAST FACTS

N Voted UK's favourite flower through Plantlife's County Flowers Project, 2002 which led Plantlife to propose the bluebell as the UK's National Flower.

N The English bluebell has white stamens the Spanish has blue.

N The native bluebell is found in shady habitats, especially older deciduous woodlands where it can carpet the ground.

N It can also be found in hedgerows, under bracken and open grassland.