Both English Elm and Wych Elm are frequently encountered in the wood. However there are few mature trees of either species left in the canopy due to the effects of Dutch Elm Disease in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Most of the specimens still present are small and shrubby, being suckers or the regrowth from the stumps of felled trees. In places, for example to the north of the ravine and around the north-west corner of the wood, these form dense thickets.

Ferns are common in the lower parts of the wood.

Yew is conspicuous in the middle section of the wood. Most of the trees seem to be of roughly the same age, suggesting that they were planted sometime in the 19th century. Ash and Beech are also widely distributed, but neither can be described as abundant, since they occur mainly as isolated individuals. Some of the areas which have been cleared of diseased Elms were planted with southern beeches but although large numbers of these trees were planted, they are by no means abundant today. Common Lime, a hybrid between Small-leaved Lime and Large- leaved Lime occurs sporadically in the middle section of the wood where it was probably planted at the end of the 19th century.

Alder and Silver Birch, species which were once common in the wood, are now scarce. Alder is restricted to a few damp areas and there are isolated Birches scattered throughout the wood, possibly remnants of the planting which took place in the 1890's.

SHRUBS
In large areas of the wood there is a well-developed shrub layer, comprised of shrubs and young trees. A variety of shrub species are present, the most widespread and abundant of which is Elder. Hawthorn is also widespread, as are Holly and Hazel. Goat Willow occurs as a shrub in damp areas and there are a few specimens of Guelder Rose around the edges of the wood. Several exotic shrubs can be found in places including Rhodedendron, Snowberry and Cotoneaster.

GROUND FLORA
Fifteen ancient woodland indicators have been recorded in Woolley Wood. These include Bluebell, Dog's Mercury, Greater Stitchwort, Ramsons, Wood Anemone, Wood Sorrel, Wood Speedwell, Yellow Archangel, Yellow Pimpernel, Greater Woodrush, and the grasses, Wood Melick and Wood Millet.

The area with the richest ground flora is on the lower slopes in the central part of the wood. Here there is abundant Bluebell plus a number of other ancient woodland indicators such as Ramsons, Yellow Archangel and Wood Sorrel.

The streams and other damp areas in the valley bottom, particularly towards the lower end of 'The Ravine' support a number of ground flora species of interest, including Yellow Pimpernel. To the south of the lower parts of the ravine is a wet flush with abundant tall herbs such as Valerian and Meadowsweet.

OTHER PLANTS
Although Bracken is the most common fern species, other ferns are particularly richly represented on slopes in the central-northern area of the wood. Of these, Male Fern is particularly frequent.

The wide variety of fungi recorded from the wood is the result of the large amount of decaying timber on the site. 73 fungus species have been recorded in the wood, including Giant Polypore, Jew's Ear, Sulphur Tuft, Oyster Mushroom, Wood Blewit, Stump Puffball, Common Puffball and Stinkhorn.

More general information on the plants and trees of the Heritage Woodlands can be found elsewhere on this website.