The dataset contains: (i) estimates of zinc tolerance for 50 populations of Silene uniflora in the UK and Ireland generated between 03/2021 and 09/2021. The data were collected using cuttings from wild collected specimens. Root growth of cuttings in zinc rich media was assessed using deep water culture experiments. The data set contains the zinc tolerance (mean and standard deviations of root growth scores) and the number of cuttings assessed for each population; (ii) GPS positions describing the locations of 56 populations of Silene uniflora in the UK and Ireland which were observed between 2018 and 2021. Basic habitat type (montane, serpentine, mine, coastal) information is also included. The work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council NE/R001081/1. Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/af4735e3-b5ba-4e0b-8a41-503eeff89a82
