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Poisonous mushrooms: 8 most dangerous UK mushrooms

Your guide to 8 of the most poisonous mushrooms in the UK, including the terrifyingly named deathcap, destroying angel and funeral bell. Find out where they grow, how to identify them and why you should steer clear!

Hanako Shimada  •  19 Feb 2025

Blog

Best native hedge plants: choose the right hedges

Autumn and winter are the best times to plant a hedge. To get you started, here are our top 10 recommendations for the best native hedge plants and the amazing benefits they'll bring.

Helen Keating  •  23 May 2023

Blog

9 carnivorous plants to spot in the UK

Did you know there are carnivorous plants in the UK? Take a look at some of the predatory and parasitic plants you could spot in our woods and wetlands.

Charlotte Varela  •  28 Jun 2023

Blog

13 hardy plants for your garden

Our pick of hardy plants and trees perfect for any outdoor space. From pretty annual flowers to hard-working, long-lasting evergreens, they're all hardy to at least -15C.

Charlie Mellor  •  07 Mar 2024

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Why are plants important? 7 reasons why we need them

Plants are essential for people, wildlife and the environment. Explore how they provide for pollinators, boost mental health, fight climate change and more.

Chris Britt-Searle  •  28 Jun 2024

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Are bluebells poisonous? And more bluebell facts

Find out all about bluebells, including if they’re poisonous, when to see them and lots of other bluebell facts. 

Hannah Vickers  •  06 Apr 2020

Support us

Get inspired by William Shakespeare

Discover the trees and plants in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Trees woods and wildlife

Plants

Visit any wood and you'll find a high diversity of flowering plants, ferns and mosses. From spectacular wildflower carpets to damp-loving ferns and mysterious mosses.

Blog

Elephant hawk-moth: caterpillar, lifecycle and is it poisonous?

Elephant hawk-moths are big, bright and very, very beautiful. But what do elephant hawk-moth caterpillars look like, where does their name come from, and are they poisonous?

Charlotte Varela  •  08 Jul 2024

Blog

Foraging in April: edible wild plants to harvest

April is the time to look out for fresh new greens and herbs to give your food a seasonal springtime boost. Here are seven easy-to-identify edible herbs and plants to look out for.

Helen Keating  •  27 Apr 2023

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Foraging in June: edible flowers, plants and herbs

From fresh flowers to tender leaves, here are some edible plants to forage in June. These are my top tips on where to find them, and how to turn them into something tasty.

Helen Keating  •  24 Jun 2021

Position statement

Moving plants and animals for conservation

The Woodland Trust follows and endorses the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines on conservation translocations.

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Blog

Life cycle of a plant: seeds, shoots and roots

Plant lives have a beginning and end just like ours. Here's a roundup of the different stages plants go through, from a new seed to eventual death.

Sally Bavin  •  02 Mar 2021

Blog

Foraging in May: a guide to wild herbs and other edible plants

Find out which wild plants you can forage in May. Learn about edible plants with our quick identification guide and tips on how to find, eat and prepare them.

Helen Keating  •  08 May 2019

Blog

Foraging in September: edible wild plants and berries to look out for

Ten edible wild plants and mushrooms to forage for in September, with tips on what to look for and how to gather and eat them.

Rory Morrow  •  25 Sept 2024

Trees woods and wildlife

Deadly nightshade

Attractive, psychoactive, dangerous. Found in scrub and woodland, the deadly nightshade lives up to its name. Though highly poisonous, it feeds woodland animals and even has medicinal properties.

Trees woods and wildlife

Lily-of-the-valley

Charming, sweetly scented and highly poisonous, lily-of-the-valley is a romantic woodland stunner.

Protecting trees and woods

Government’s nature recovery plans in England fall short

Government plans to halt nature’s decline in England by 2030 don't go far enough. We need more meaningful action to save our wildlife and environment.

Press centre

The Woodland Trust Northern Ireland plants 250,000 trees at Woodburn Reservoir

The Woodland Trust has been working in partnership with Northern Ireland Water on a regreening programme since 2020. During that time, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity has planted around 476,000 native trees on Northern Ireland Water’s land.

Blog

Foraging in March: spring's edible plants

Spring has arrived and the woods and hedgerows are about to burst with edible spring greens, shoots and flowers. Find out which ones you can eat and what to do with them.

Helen Keating  •  28 Mar 2018

Trees woods and wildlife

Common earthball

Warty, poisonous, explosive. Common earthball might look like a potato, but it is not for eating.

Press centre

GB plant biosecurity strategy is a missed opportunity

The Government today published its Plant Biosecurity Strategy for Great Britain. Read our reaction.

Blog

Halloween quiz: trick or treat?

From healing herbs to deadly concoctions, woodland plants can both cure and poison. Dare to test your knowledge with our trick-or-treat Halloween quiz.

Rory Morrow  •  22 Oct 2025

Blog

Foraging in February: mushrooms, nettles and early flowers

Even in February, green shoots and early spring flowers are starting to appear. And they’re growing quickly. Here are some spring plants and winter fungi to look out for.

Helen Keating  •  22 Feb 2018

Press centre

Politicians plant six millionth tree of the Northern Forest

A host of dignitaries joined together to plant the six millionth tree of the Northern Forest, marking five years since the start of the ambitious project to link up Liverpool and Hull with trees.

Trees woods and wildlife

Woodland wildlife

The UK's native woods and trees support a great diversity of living organisms. Our species guides explore the wildlife that depends on woodland, from plants and fungi to mammals, birds, bees and beetles.

Trees woods and wildlife

Foxglove

Beautiful but deadly. This familiar flower has the power to cure and kill.

Blog

Foraging in November and December: edible wild plants

Don't be put off by short days and cold, damp weather as winter arrives. There are still wild foraging treats to brighten your days. Here are some favourites.

Rory Morrow  •  26 Nov 2024

Blog

Christmas nature quiz

Test your knowledge of the plants and animals connected with our festive traditions.

Charlie Mellor  •  11 Dec 2024

Blog

British trees and shrubs to plant: 14 native garden trees

British trees pack a big punch in your garden. Make space for one or two you’ll have year-round interest and be supporting wildlife too. Here's our top 14 native trees to plant in your garden.

Helen Keating  •  08 Nov 2021

Trees woods and wildlife

Mistletoe

Romantic, parasitic and poisonous, mistletoe loves broadleaf trees and provides an important habitat for woodland wildlife. Its leathery green leaves offer welcome colour among bare winter branches when much else is dormant.

Blog

Foraging at Easter: make a wreath and other home decorations

Brighten up your home and bring spring indoors with these easy ideas for Easter decorations using wild foraged plants.

Helen Keating  •  07 Apr 2022

Trees woods and wildlife

Temperate rainforest

Also known as Atlantic or Celtic rainforest, this special habitat is incredibly rare. Its lush conditions are perfect for scarce plants, lichens and fungi, as well as a number of unusual animals.

Blog

Early spring flowers quiz: 12 flowering plants and shrubs

Want to identify blooms spotted on a refreshing woodland walk or bring some early colour to your garden? Take our quiz to discover some of the most common early flowerers.

Charlie Mellor  •  16 Feb 2026

Trees woods and wildlife

Dog’s mercury

A poisonous coloniser of ancient woodland, dog’s mercury is quick to sweep over the wood floor, sometimes outcompeting more delicate ancient woodland species.

Blog

Foraging in August: find food this summer

Blackberries, rowan berries and crab apples are all ripening this month. Here are six wild edible plants to collect with top tips and recipes on how to use them.

Helen Keating  •  15 Aug 2017

Blog

Foraging in July: nature's best summer food for foraging

Here are our top six edible wild plants to look out for in July, with tips on what to look for and how to harvest, cook and eat them.

Helen Keating  •  08 Jul 2021

Blog

Why do nettles sting? And do dock leaves really help?

Stinging nettles can be a hazard on summer walks. Learn why these plants inflict their itchy stings and whether dock leaves really do help.

Laura Cottam  •  15 May 2019

Journal

Wood Wise – forest flora

The spring 2018 issue of Wood Wise focuses on woodland ground flora – the wildflowers and plants that need protection and sensitive management.

PDF  (2.82 MB)

Blog

9 rare and beautiful wild UK orchids

Orchids are some of the most beautiful and unique wild plants you'll see in the UK. They are rare but well worth finding if you are up for the challenge.

Laura Cottam  •  29 May 2019

Trees woods and wildlife

Grasses and sedges

Grasses and sedges are in different botanical families, but because of their similar appearance they are collectively known as graminoids (plants with a grass-like appearance).

Visiting woods

Foraging recipes

From flowers and fruits to leaves, nuts and seeds. Here are our favourite foraging recipes using plants from the UK countryside. 

Trees woods and wildlife

Ivy

Clingy, luscious, misunderstood. Ivy has long been accused of strangling trees, but it doesn’t harm the tree at all, and even supports at least 50 species of wildlife.

Blog

True or false? British rainforest facts quiz

Do you know how Britain's rainforest measures up against its tropical cousins? How about the plants, animals and climate? Test your knowledge and learn about these amazing places with our rainforest facts quiz.

Charlie Mellor  •  18 Jun 2025

Visiting woods

Love your woods

Our woods are home to amazing plants and animals and they're all free for people to enjoy responsibly. Show them you care with our top tips for your visit.

Blog

Wildlife mythbusting: fact or fiction?

Is there any truth to these popular beliefs about UK plants and animals? From stinging bees to talking trees, the answers might surprise you. Test your knowledge with our ten questions.

Charlie Mellor  •  06 Sept 2023

Plant trees

How to plant and maintain native hedges

The small but mighty hedge packs a punch for people and nature, sheltering wildlife, cleaning our air, capturing carbon and much more. Explore how and when to plant and prune your hedge for the best results.​

Trees woods and wildlife

Buckthorn, purging

Prickly and with the ability to purge. This plant’s common name harks back its use as a laxative. It’s a fierce, invasive species in North America.

Press centre

Hundreds of trees planted by Kate Humble with support from Welsh Woodland Trust

Kate Humble has planted hundreds of trees on her property with support from Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust in Wales.

Trees woods and wildlife

Mosses

Ancient and damp, mosses are part of a group of plants known as bryophytes. There are over 1,000 in the UK, and some have global significance.

Plant trees

Rugby club plants for riverside wildlife

When trees were lost in stormy weather, South Wales' Blackwood RFC applied for a community tree pack to restore the wildlife habitat, soil stability and beauty that had been washed downriver.

Trees woods and wildlife

Morel

Highly prized and easily recognised, the morel is a favourite edible mushroom. It has a strong, nutty flavour and a pleasant, earthy smell and grows in a variety of habitats, including well-drained woodland. But beware, it is poisonous when raw.

Blog

12 rare wild flowers in the UK's woods

Woodlands are home to some of the UK's rarest wild flowers. From parasitic plants to alluring orchids, discover 12 rare woodland flowers and what makes them so uncommon.

Charlotte Varela  •  13 May 2025

Blog

What do caterpillars eat?

Ever wondered what caterpillars eat? Find out what five of the most common caterpillar food plants are, and which species eat them.

Charlotte Varela  •  01 Jul 2019

Video

Clearing Runtington Wood of invasive plants

Elsa Godfrey, owner of Runtington Wood in Sussex, explains the steps she has taken to clear her ancient woodland of rhododendron with the help of volunteers and the Woodland Trust.

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Trees woods and wildlife

Ferns

Lush, ancient and primitive, ferns are magnificent non-flowering plants that reproduce via spores. They are a common sight in woods, as many species are shade tolerant and can grow year round, bringing some welcome green to cooler months.

Trees woods and wildlife

Cow parsley

A true roadside stunner, cow parsley is a familiar sight in the UK. It’s a hardy plant which is popular with pollinators and grows just about anywhere.

Blog

Combat climate change at home: 6 UK native trees to plant in small gardens

Small garden, big impact – here’s a list of UK native trees to help combat global warming from home, without taking up too much space.

Becca Smith  •  07 Oct 2022

Blog

Wild marjoram: what is it, where to find it and how to plant it

It's a herb we sprinkle liberally on pizza and pasta. And so we'd be forgiven for thinking oregano, also known as wild marjoram, only grows around the Mediterranean. But did you know it's actually native to the UK?

Helen Keating  •  10 Jul 2018

Video

Unboxing your trees

Watch our unboxing video to see what will arrive when you order trees from our shop. All saplings are delivered for free, carefully packed and ready to plant.

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Visiting woods

Proposed peatland restoration at Portmoak Moss  

Woodland Trust Scotland has been consulting on plans to remove trees to improve the condition of the raised bog at its Portmoak Moss site in Kinross-shire.

Protecting trees and woods

Creating a robust plan to keep our trees healthy

Government’s upcoming Plant Biosecurity Strategy must put in place a bold plan to tackle the pests and diseases that threaten our native tree populations.

Trees woods and wildlife

Bracken

Huge, widespread, ancient. Bracken is thought to be the most common plant in the world and is found on all continents except Antarctica. In the UK, they thrive in woodland.

Video

'Woods on Your Doorstep' community project plants a quarter of a million trees

20 years of "Woods on Your Doorstep". Creating woodlands within walking distance of cities, towns, and villages across Northern Ireland. Find out how these natural spaces have benefitted the community.

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Blog

Christmas wildlife crossword

Can you complete our wildlife-themed Christmas crossword?

Danielle Wesley  •  12 Dec 2025

Blog

Broadleaf spring issue: secrets of the soil

Our brand new issue of Broadleaf explores a Cornish rainforest, delves into the mysterious habits of migrating birds, unearths a dazzling range of ancient woodland flora and features a star turn from Andrew Garfield.

Elisabeth Crump  •  03 Mar 2026

Blog

Wildflowers for bees: how to attract bees to your garden

Wild bees and other pollinators are in decline. But there are things you can do in your garden to help reverse this trend including increasing food and habitat. Includes our top nine bee-friendly wildflowers to plant in your garden.

Helen Keating  •  18 Mar 2019

Plant trees

Tree planting advice

Thinking of planting trees, but need some help? Explore advice on choosing the right tree species, location, how to plant and aftercare.

Partnerships

Premier Paper

We're helping Premier's clients combat their carbon emissions by planting trees.

About us

Where do our trees come from?

With increasing numbers of tree pests and diseases in the UK, it's important we have confidence in the trees we plant. Find out more about how our trees are sourced and grown.

Support us

Endangered wildlife appeal

Nature needs help. Please make a donation to support our life-changing work to plant trees, restore habitats and protect the UK's woodland. Together, we can give wildlife a future.

Visiting woods

Responsible foraging guidelines

Follow our responsible foraging guidelines and you can collect wild food without harming woods or wildlife.

Blog

Everything you need to know about giant hogweed

How common is giant hogweed in the UK and is it really that dangerous? We've distilled the facts to give you the low-down on giant hogweed.

Rory Morrow  •  08 Dec 2025

Blog

Foraging in October: which wild mushrooms can you eat?

Explore the world of foraging with these top wild fungi picking and cooking tips. Here are five edible fungi that are easy to identify.

Helen Keating  •  29 Oct 2018

Blog

How invasive non-native species threaten our woods

Invasive species impact our environment and wildlife, are costly to the economy, and can even pose a risk to our health. Find out what you can do to help.

Sally Bavin  •  05 Oct 2023

Trees woods and wildlife

Greater stitchwort

Pretty, star-like and abundant along hedgerows. These plants have an explosive seed-dispersal mechanism. Disturb a large patch of them in summer and they go off like fireworks.

Blog

Where does mistletoe grow?

Mistletoe is a familiar Christmas staple, associated with folklore and midwinter tradition. But where does it grow and how can you find it in the wild?

Hanako Shimada  •  23 Dec 2024

Blog

Foraging for natural Christmas decorations

Transform your home into a woodland wonderland this Christmas with our easy ideas for festive, foraged home decor. 

Helen Keating  •  05 Dec 2022

Trees woods and wildlife

Deathcap

Silent assassin and killer of kings. The deathcap has been used as a murder weapon for millennia.

Blog

First signs of autumn

Discover when autumn starts and the signs of the season – look for leaves changing colour, autumn fruits and seeds, migrating birds, ivy flowering and incredible fungi.

Danielle Wesley  •  31 Aug 2019

Trees woods and wildlife

Hop

A twining hedgerow climber with a boozy use, hop has been used in the beer-making industry for centuries. Look out for it across the UK.

Blog

The best elderberry recipes

Make the most of dark, fragrant elderberries while they’re in season. Try our favourite elderberry recipes.

Helen Keating  •  28 Sept 2022

Blog

Insect identification: common UK insects

There are a staggering 27,000 types of insect in the UK. Let's take a look at some of our most common insect groups and how you can identify them.

Charlotte Varela  •  09 Oct 2023

Blog

11 types of day-flying moth in the UK: an identification guide

The UK is home to a number of moths that are active during the day, many of which rival butterflies for colour and beauty. Which species might you encounter on a summer's walk? 

Amy Lewis  •  23 Apr 2021

Blog

Winter berries: what are they and where to find them

Winter berries are a vital food source for wildlife and can be foraged to make delicious seasonal treats too. Here are our tips on when and where to find them.

Charlie Mellor  •  29 Nov 2018

Blog

Types of mushroom in the UK: common identification guide

Fungi are a huge and fascinating kingdom. With over 15,000 species of mushroom in the UK, here are 13 common species to spot on your next walk.

Charlotte Varela  •  17 Nov 2025

Trees woods and wildlife

Turtle dove

Named after its 'tur tur' call, the turtle dove is romantic, enigmatic, and at risk. It nests in shrubs and trees and feeds on the seeds of crops and woodland plants.

Trees woods and wildlife

Tackling air pollution with trees

Air pollution can have a serious impact on our health, global climate and biodiversity, but there are ways to reduce it. Discover the role trees have to play.

Blog

How to make a nature trail for kids

Make your family’s woodland walks extra fun by following our top tips to create your own nature trail.

Danielle Wesley  •  15 Jul 2019

Video

Peatland restoration at Snaizeholme

Alec Pue, site manager at the Woodland Trust, and Tessa Levens, project manager at Yorkshire Peat Partnership, explore the exciting restoration work transforming the peatland across Snaizeholme Estate. Take a deep dive into the vital importance of peat for native wildlife and carbon capture, as well as some of the plant species you might find in this rare habitat.    

00:11:04

Trees woods and wildlife

Urban trees and woodland

Underrated heroes, colourful comforts and spaces for people and wildlife. Urban trees and woodland are all the more valuable for their location. They support plants and animals, clean our air and boost wellbeing.