Plants

Plant records from 1992 - 2017 cover Trees, Shrubs, Ferns, Grasses and Vascular plants.

The Trees frame the Fen and have associate species of moss, lichens, fungi and invertebrates. The native species have far more associate species than non-natives. Some natives are missing from the site and there is the potential to add in some useful species such as native black poplar, goat willow, oak and alder to improve biodiversity for associates. Unmanaged tree spread into some areas of the fen needs to be prevented.

Shrubs make a useful bridge between the woodland and other Fen habitats and even bramble is useful for food and cover. Cornus sibiricais a non-native and invasive shrub which needs to be contained but it gives valuable cover and protection to other species including mosses, birds, small mammals and even fish.

Records for grasses are probably under-represented but it is clear with the drying of the Fen vigorous tough species have outcompeted more fragile ones. Bamboo is an alien exotic which we aim to remove.

Vascular plants also include non-native invasive Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam. It is hoped that a still viable seed bank of native vascular species may survive and regenerate under favourable conditions, particularly re- wetting of the grassland and ditches. Colonisation from the adjacent Cobb Meadows may also occur in wet fen meadows.


Trees
Alder
Ash
Blackthorn
Cherry cultivar
Common beech
Common elder
Common hawthorn
Common sallow
Crab apple
Crack willow (above centre)
Crataegus sp
Downy birch
English elm
Field maple
Hazel
Holly
Horse Chestnut
Lawson cypress
Maple sp
Pine sp
Poplar (hybrid)
Southern beech sp
Sycamore
Walnut
Yew

Shrubs
Alder buckthorn
Bramble agg
Cotoneaster
Dog rose
Dogwood- Cornus alba Sibirica
Field rose
Gooseberry
Guelder rose
Honeysuckle
Ivy
Redcurrant
Wild privet

Ferns
Hart's-tongue
Male fern



Grasses
Bamboo
Cock's-foot
Common reed
Creeping bent
Greater Tussock sedge
Lesser pond sedge
Pendulous sedge
Reed Sweet-grass
Smooth Meadow-grass
Wood sedge

Vascular plants
Bittersweet
Bluebell
Broadleaved willowherb
Brooklime
Butterbur
Colt's-foot
Common nettle
Creeping buttercup
Dandelion
Enchanter's nightshade
Feral daffodil
Gipsywort
Great cleavers
Greater reedmace
Ground ivy
Hedge bindweed
Hedge woundwort
Hemp agrimony
Herb Robert
Himalayan Balsam
Hogweed
Lesser celandine
Meadowsweet
Narcissus
Primrose
Snowdrop
Stinking iris
Water avens
Water Crowfoot (above - top right)
Water forget-me-not
Water mint
Wild marjoram
Wood avens
Yellow Iris (above -top left)