This page lists the most common species of plants and shrubs which you are likely to encounter during a walk on Cannock Chase. The lists dated 1951 below, are all taken from The Flora of Cannock Chase by Eric S. Edees, MA, from the collection of articles in The Natural History of Cannock Chase published by the North Staffs District Workers' Educational Association (1973).
Dry Heath Uplands
Predominant trees are Birch, Rowan and Hawthorn.
Brocton Field (SJ/980180) 16th June 1951
Bilberry
Bracken
Broom
Common Birdsfoot Trefoil
Common Centaury
Common Toadflax
Cowberry
Crowberry
Dovesfoot Cranesbill
Eyebright
Fairy Flax
Gorse
Haresfoot Clover
Heather or Ling
Heath Bedstraw
Heath Rush
Heath Speedwell
Hop Trefoil
Mat Grass
Mouse-ear Hawkweed
Narrow-leaved Vetch
Pill Sedge
Purple Moor-grass
Quaking Grass
Sand Spurrey
Squirrel-tail Fescue
Thyme-leaved Sandwort
Tormentil
Wavy Hair-grass
Western Gorse
Wet Wooded Valleys
Predominantly Alder and Willow near the water margins with Beech predominating on the upper slopes; some Birch and Rowan interspersed throughout.
Stonybrook Pool (SK/018164) 20th August 1951
Amphibious Bistort
Bottle Sedge
Branched Bur-reed
Celery-leaved Buttercup
Clustered Dock
Common Duckweed
Common Spike-rush
Cranberry
Cross-leaved Heath
False Bulrush
Fool's Watercress
Great Willow-herb
Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil
Jointed Rush
Lady's Smock
Lesser Water Parsnip
Marsh Bedstraw
Marsh Horsetail
Marsh Thistle
Marsh Violet
Marsh Willow-herb
Ragged Robin
Soft Rush
Sweet-grass
Tufted Forget-me-not
Tussock Sedge
Water Cress
Water Crowfoot
Water Mint
Water Pepper
Sherbrook Valley Type
Alder
Sherbrook Valley (SJ/998180) 23rd June 1951
Birdseye Speedwell
Bittersweet
Bog Stitchwort
Common Sorrel
Creeping Buttercup
Dandelion
Foxglove
Great Willow-herb
Lady Fern
Lady's Smock
Large Bittercress
Marsh Bedstraw
Marsh Horsetail
Marsh Pennywort
Marsh Thistle
Marsh Violet
Meadowsweet
Narrow Buckler Fern
Rose-bay Willow-herb
Rough Meadow-grass
Stinging Nettle
Sweet Vernal-grass
Tussock Sedge
Water Cress
Water Mint
Wood Sorrel
Sphagnum Swamp
Milford Sphagnum Swamp (SJ/977208) 23rd June 1951
Bog Stitchwort
Bogbean
Bottle Sedge
Bracken
Carnation Sedge
Common Mouse-ear
Common Sedge
Common Sorrel
Common Spike Rush
Common Spotted Orchid
Creeping Buttercup
Creeping Water Forget-me-not
Fen Bedstraw
Golden Saxifrage
Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil
Heath Woodrush
Lady's Smock
Lesser Stitchwort
Marsh Bedstraw
Marsh Pennywort
Marsh Thistle
Marsh Violet
Mat Grass
Southern Spotted Orchid
Square St. John's Horse
Star Sedge
Sweet Vernal Grass
Tormentil
Water Mint
Yellow Pimpernel
Yorkshire Fog
Related information is available on the CCH pages: