Grass Wood, Wharfedale cleared through selective felling, many areas of the woodland have the appearance of an early successional stage of advance natural regeneration through mainly saplings of ash, birch and sycamore, this enclosed within a variable canopy of ash, sycamore, beech, oak, and with some birch. Shrubs and small trees in the understorey include bird cherry "Prunus padus", hazel, spindle "Euonymus europaeus", buckthorn "Rhamnus cathartica", wild privet "Ligustrum vulgare", blackthorn "Prunus spinosa" and guelder-rose "Viburnum opulus". The underlying geology ensures that most of the site is well drained, favouring lime-loving plants – the calcicoles. There are, however, localised areas with poorer drainage
Prunus japonica Prunus japonica Prunus japonica (also "Cerasus japonica"), also called Japanese bush cherry, or Oriental bush cherry, or Korean bush cherry is a shrub species in the genus "Prunus" that is widely cultivated for ornamental use. Its native range extends from Central China through to the Korean peninsula. "P. maximowiczii", the Miyama cherry is also often referred to as Japanese bush cherry. The shrub reaches 1.5 m by 1.5 m. Its flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by insects. The plant blossoms in May. Its fruit reaches about 14 mm and has an agreeably sweet flavor, therefore it is used in