The colours of winter

Nidderdale Moorland Group

As shorter and cooler days arrive, our moorlands are returning to their winter colours as the purple bloom of Heather has now ended and the browns, golds, reds and oranges of autumn take over.

One plant is still putting on a show however, as carpets of deep golden orange Bog Asphodel can be seen as they fruit in autumn and continue to provide colour in the boggy areas of the moors.

Found in damp, peaty soils, during summer the golden yellow flower spikes are unmistakable with their dense clusters of yellow flowers, but now the plants have turned orange with reddish, egg- shaped fruit.

Bog Asphodel is a member of the Nartheciaceae family of plants and can be toxic to animals such as sheep, especially young lambs.

The latin name of Bog Asphodel, 'Ossifragum', means 'bone breaker' after the old belief that sheep grazing on this plant developed brittle bones.

This is now thought to be due to a lack of calcium in the soil where Bog Asphodel grows rather than from the plant.

Bog Asphodel has also been used as a substitute for Saffron and as a hair dye in the past.