The Bristol Onion, Allium sphaerocephalon or ’round-headed leek’ can only be found on the slopes of the Avon Gorge in Bristol. Its red-purple flowers are smaller than a fifty pence piece, and are borne on thin, stiff stems up to 30cm long. It is thought to have evolved in the isolation of the gorge, which has a microclimate a couple of degrees warmer than the surrounding area. Until recently, only the most intrepid botanists were able to see the plant, growing as it does on the steep cliffs of the gorge. Fortunately for the more sedentary of us, a wildflower garden has been planted at the Clifton entrance to the gorge’s famous Suspension Bridge, where the Bristol Onion can be viewed without ropes and hard hats.
Click here for more information on the unique flora and fauna of the Avon Gorge.
