Prince Charles Supports Flowers

1 month ago 15th Oct 14:00

Britain's Prince Charles wants wild flowers to be given "urgent" protection.

The Prince of Wales has called for action after a new report by conservation charity Plantlife claimed one in five wild flowers in Britain are threatened with extinction.

The last flower to die out was the ghost orchid - a white flower not seen in the countryside for 20 years - and the future king wants people to act before other plants are lost forever.

There is no time to lose and I hope and pray that the loss of the ghost orchid will be the wake up call that we so urgently need.

Charles, who is patron of Plantlife, said: "There is no time to lose and I hope and pray that the loss of the ghost orchid will be the wake up call that we so urgently need."

The 60-year-old royal has already shown his commitment to the cause by planting a wildflower meadow at his Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.

Plantlife has revealed there are more than 500 rare plants at risk of dying out in Britain. Those in danger include pasque flower, lady's slipper orchid and may lily.

In the new report, The Ghost Orchid Declaration, the organisation has blamed climate change, intensive farming, development and loss of habitat like managed woodland for the decline in flowers like bluebells and cow slip.

Plantlife has called for an increase in subsidies paid to farmers to encourage farmland flowers and a change in law to protect areas where wild flowers grow.