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The Essex Naturalist
Area. There is no sign of it today but the dry south facing slopes of the
remaining unimproved grassland still provide a suitable habitat.
Flora
The old pasture which remains on these Thames gravels is very herb-rich.
Toward the summit, the ground is very well drained, sandy and gravelly.
Towards the end of summer much of the grass turns brown and withers and
there ate many exposures of loose sand caused by the burrowing activities of
rabbits. As the name Broom Hill suggests, Cytisus scoparius (Broom) grows very
well on this hill. The other main woody plants are Crataegus monogyna
(Hawthorn) and Sambucus nigra (Elder). There is some Oak along the
hedgerows and also Elm Ulmus procera with the remnants of what must have
been quite large trees on the southern slope of Broom Hill.
Totally unlike improved pasture, these old grasslands ate ablaze with an
abundance of flowering plants at different times of the year. In early spring, the
summit can be white with Erophila verna (Whitlow Grass). Later on it is dusted
blue with Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta often mixed in with the dazzlingly
white Meadow Saxifrage Saxifraga granulata. At different times the slopes are
yellow with Bulbous Buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus or white with Common
Daisies Bellis perennis. There are also large patches of purple Small-flowered
Cranesbill Geranium pusillum and Dove's Foot Cranesbill Geranium molle.
However, Broom Hill keeps its most special display until late summer when
many hundreds of Autumn Squill Scilla autumnalis come into bloom. This is the
only place in Essex, apart from Orsett Golf Course, where this beautiful plant
can still be seen. The following list of some of the more interesting plants was
compiled by T Pyner and R G Payne. Those species annotated "SCARCE" are
included in Scarce Plants of the British Isles.
Anchusa arvensis Bugloss - Quite common on sandy, disturbed ground.
Anthriscus caucalis Bur Chervil — Very common, a characteristic plant of sandy pasture.
Aphanes inexspecta Parsley Piert - Important component of flora on sand.
Arenaria serpyllifolia Sandwort - Short sandy turf.
Bryonia dioica White Bryony — Common amongst scrub on the hills, in hedgerows and around
gravel pit, associated with a rare bee.
Clinopodium calamintha Lesser Calamint - A few plants, most common on Hall Hill
(TQ6677). [SCARCE]
Carduus tenuiflorus Slender Thistle - One of the most common thistles here.
Carex divisa Divided Sedge - Hall Hill.
Cerastium semidecandrum Little Mouse-ear - Component of short turf.
Cononodiurn majus Pignut - Common on the slopes of Broom Hill but rare in this area.
Erodium cicutarium Stork's Bill - Abundant component of short well-grazed turf.
Erophila verna Whitlow Grass — Abundant early spring annual.
Filago vulgaris Common Cudweed - Common on bare sandy ground and in short turf.