Type
Herbaceous perennial – Non-woody plant that dies down in winter.
Perennial herb – Non-woody plant that retains its leaves in winter.
Use
Slopes – Suitable for slope stabilisation and protection.
Screen – Planting that discourages access by blocking sight-lines.
Moorland – Restoration of eroded moorland.
Barrier – Planting that physically prevents access.
Comments
N fixing – Fixes nitrogen from the air, therefore useful in poor soil.
| Name | Type | Habitat | Use | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acer campestre (Field maple) | Deciduous tree | Exposed hillsides and banks on calcareous clay. | Slopes, screen | Seeds and colonises quickly |
| Ajuga reptans (Bugle) | Herbaceous perennial | Damp woods, pastures and banks. | Slopes in shade | |
| Alnus glutinosa (Alder) | Deciduous tree | Damp soils, both acidic and calcareous. Polluted soils. | Slopes, screen | N fixing. Good pioneer. Fast growth when young. |
| Anthemis nobilis (Chamomile) | Perennial herb Leaves persist | Sandy slopes and roadsides in England and Wales. | Slopes | |
| Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry) | Evergreen shrub | Moors, rocky ground to 1000m. | Slopes, moorland | |
| Arrenatherum elatius (False oat-grass) | Perennial grass | Rough grassland, roadsides, shingle and gravel banks. | Slopes | Rapid, leafy growth. Drought resistant. |
| Calluna vulgaris (Heather) | Evergreen shrub | Heaths, moors, bogs and open woods on acid soils. | Slopes, moorland | Does not tolerate trampling. |
| Carpinus betulus (Hornbeam) | Deciduous tree | Chalk or clay soils. Withstands wind and shade. | Slopes | Not usually damaged by grazing animals. |
| Clematis vitalba (Traveller’s joy) | Deciduous climber | Hedgerows and woodlands on calcareous soil. | Slopes | |
| Cotoneaster microphyllus (Cotoneaster) | Evergreen shrub | Introduced. Naturalised, especially on limestone cliffs near sea. | Slopes, barrier | Very invasive. |
| Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn) | Deciduous tree | Tolerates a wide range of soils except very wet or acid. Tolerates exposure. | Slopes, screen + barrier | |
| Cytisus scoparius (Broom) | Deciduous shrub | Heaths, open woods on acid soil. | Slopes, screen + barrier | N fixing |
| Erica cinerea (Bell heather) | Evergreen shrub | Dry heaths and moors to 700m. | Slopes. moorland | Does not tolerate trampling. |
| Euonymus europaeus (Spindle) | Deciduous shrub/small tree | Woods, scrub, waysides on calcareous soil. | Slopes, screen + barrier | |
| Frangula alnus (Alder buckthorn) | Deciduous shrub/small tree | Damp, slightly acid or peaty soils in England and Wales. | Moorland, screen + barrier | |
| Fraxinus excelsior (Ash) | Deciduous tree | Rich, damp soils and calcareous soils. Withstands wind and exposure. | Slopes | Casts light shade, so allows growth of ground cover. Fast growing. Gross feeder. |
| Hedera helix (Ivy) | Evergreen climber | Shady places on all but very acid or water-logged soils. | Slopes in shade | |
| Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea buckthorn) | Deciduous shrub | Fixed dunes and sea cliffs. | Slopes, screen | Thorny. N fixing. |
| Ilex aquifolium (Holly) | Evergreen shrub/tree | Wide range of soils except very wet or very dry. Tolerates wind and shade. | Slopes, screen + barrier | Prickly |
| Juniperus communis (Juniper) | Evergreen shrub/tree | Chalk, limestone and slate soils. Tolerates wind. | Slopes, screen + barrier | Slightly prickly |
| Lamium album (White deadnettle) | Perennial herb | Hedgebanks and waysides in England. | Slopes | |
| Larix decidua (Larch) | Deciduous tree | Tolerates very dry or waterlogged soils on cold, exposed sites. | Slopes, screen | Good pioneer. Rapid growth in early stages. |
| Lathyrus latifolius (Everlasting pea) | Herbaceous perennial | Introduced. Naturalised on banks and hedgerows. | Slopes | N fixing |
| Ligustrum vulgare (Privet) | Evergreen shrub | Hedges and scrub on calcareous soils. Widely naturalised elsewhere. | Screen, barrier | |
| Lonicera periclymenum (Honeysuckle) | Climber | Woods, hedges, scrub, shady rocks to 600m. | Slopes | |
| Origanum vulgare (Marjoram) | Perennial herb, leaves persist | Dry pastures and hedges. Usually calcareous soils. | Slopes | |
| Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) | Evergreen tree | Tolerant of exposed mountain and coastal sites. | Slopes | Deep tap root. Intolerant of pollution. Invades heaths |
| Popula alba (White poplar) | Deciduous tree | Introduced. Naturalised in south. Tolerant of exposed sites and wet soils. | Slopes, screen | Suckers freely |
| Populus tremula (Aspen) | Deciduous tree | Woods, especially on poor soils in north and west. | Slopes, screen | Suckers freely |
| Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn) | Deciduous shrub/tree | Scrub and hedges on moist soils to 450m. | Slopes, screen + barrier | Thorny. Suckers. Can be very aggressive. |
| Quercus petraea (Sessile oak) | Deciduous tree | Woods throughout Britain, esp on acid soils in north and west. | Slopes | |
| Quercus robur (English oak) | Deciduous tree | Dominant tree in lowlands on basic loams and clays; to 450m. | Slopes | Faster growth than commonly supposed. |
| Rosa canina (Dog rose) | Shrub | Woods, hedges and scrub; on most soils. | Slopes, barrier | Prickly. Many species and variants. |
| Salix alba (White willow) | Deciduous tree | Rich damp soils. | Slopes, screen + barrier | Rapid growth. Forms thick barrier if coppiced. |
| Salix caprea (Great sallow) | Deciduous shrub/tree | Woods, scrub and hedges to 900m. | Slopes, screen + barrier | |
| Sambucus nigra (Elder) | Deciduous shrub | Scrub and waysides, esp on base-rich, N-rich and disturbed soils. | Slopes | Rabbit resistant. |
| Sorbus aria (Whitebeam) | Deciduous tree | Chalk and limestone in southern England. Tolerates wind. | Slopes | |
| Sorbus aucuparia (Rowan) | Deciduous tree | Woods, scrub, rocks. Light soils. Northern Britain. | Slopes | Casts only light shade. |
| Ulex europaeus (Gorse) | Evergreen shrub | Heaths and light soils. | Slopes, screen + barrier | Prickly. N fixing. |
| Viburnum lantana (Wayfaring tree) | Deciduous shrub/tree | Hedgerows on calcareous soils. Common in southern England. | Slopes, screen + barrier | Can be invasive. |
| Viburnum opulus (Guelder rose) | Deciduous shrub | Woods and scrub on damp soils. | Screen | |
| Vinca minor (Lesser periwinkle) | Perennial herb, leaves persist | Woods and hedgebanks on most soils. | Slopes in shade |
