Elmsett Park Wood

Also within

Suffolk County

Condition (Natural England)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland

Description

Area, 8.5 ha. 21.0 ac. Description Elmsett Park Wood is a small ancient wood occupying a low hilltop site in south Suffolk. The soils are boulder clays overlain by a thin layer of sands. A very wide range of woodland types are present and with an equally diverse ground flora the site is considered to be one of the richest small woods in Suffolk. The structure of the wood is coppice with standards. Lineage elm wood, an uncommon type is well represented and there are small areas of maple ash lime woodland, another scarce type. Wet ash maple woodland occupies the plateau and grades into acid pedunculate oak hazel ash woodland on the slopes. Small stands of pedunculate oak hornbeam woodland of the ash maple variant and suckering elm woodland are also present. Dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, primrose Primula vulgaris and ivy Hedera helix form the chief constituents of the ground flora with wood anemone Anemone nemorosa locally abundant on the more acid soils. Many plants that are indicators of ancient woodland are present and include the uncommon spurge laurel Daphne laureola, nettle leaved bellflower Campanula trachelium, green hellebore Helleborus viridis, wood spurge Euphorbia amygdaloides, herb paris Paris quadrifolia and butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha.

Species mentioned