04/06/2026
🌱 A few weeks ago, an observant visitor hiking on Millstone Hill came across a single trailing plant of New Zealand pirri-pirri bur. The species found is surprising as it is a very invasive non-native usually found in coastal sites, where every effort is made to control it. Our Bailies of Bennachie environment Trustee, David Bale, has previously come across this plant. Once on another part of Millstone Hill and another close to Bennachie Visitor Centre. All 3 records were next to paths. It is very distinctive in appearance, as can be seen from the photo, so please keep a look out for it. 👀
If found please send the record to NESBReC North East Scotland Biological Records Centre, as well as to Forestry and Land Scotland. If uncertain about your identification, please alert David at [email protected], together with a 10 figure grid reference so that he can check it out. It seems to be found on Bennachie very sporadically, most likely imported as seed from coastal sites on people's walking socks. The seeds are attached to hooked burrs that readily hook onto socks, so it is important to ensure you have not collected any if visiting coastal sand dunes. It is especially invasive in coastal habitats, but we would not wish it to become established on any part of Bennachie. The plants found recently and in previous years were dug up and destroyed. The sites have been monitored since to ensure there is no recovery from buried seed.
