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 lusitanica and Oregon as invasive. It is thought to have spread from cultivated areas into natural areas by birds who consume and defecate the fruits away from the source plant. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The leaves of "Prunus lusitanica" contain cyanide and will release this into the environment if burnt or if crushed. The fruit is somewhat edible if fully ripe, but if it is bitter, it is toxic and should not be eaten. Prunus lusitanica Prunus lusitanica, the Portugal laurel, is a species of the genus "Prunus", related to the cherry. It is