Plants of the Wanstead Area - an introduction

In the order of 780 species of flowering plants and ferns have been recorded in the area covered, but this does not include algae, lichens, slime moulds, fungi, liverworts or mosses.

For Algae, Lichens, Slime Moulds, Fungi, Liverworts and Mosses use the respective "Type of Wildlife" menu to the left.

For Flowering Plants (including ferns) use the "Wildlife Sites" menu to the left to see the pages relating to those found in specific areas such as Wanstead Park, Wanstead Flats, etc.

In the main, the plants covered on the website are those that appear to occur naturally here - in other words 'wild'. Some of these are native, of course, but others have been introduced, either deliberately or by accident. As such it is difficult to say at times whether they are truely wild. And it would be a shame to leave out so many species that may have immense value to the local wildlife of all sorts. So, many trees - for example - have been included, even though these may be in the form of 'specimens' in cemeteries, churchyards, parks or gardens, and some shrubs, too. But generally I have tried to avoid including all of the plants and flowers that may crop up in such places. That would be an immense task! Only if such a species has 'jumped the wall' and found a space outside its original garden wall, or perhaps has spread beyond the gravestone planting, have I included these.

The well-known Cedar of Lebanon, by the Ornamental Water in Wanstead Park

The well-known Cedar of Lebanon, by the Ornamental Water in Wanstead Park