Cleeve Wood, Hanham
Cleeve Wood, Hanham is a is an 8.9 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in South Gloucestershire, notified in 1966.
Cleeve Wood is situated on the steep south facing slopes of the River Avon valley
near to the City of Bristol.
The primary scientific interest of the wood is the particularly large population of Bath Asparagus which it supports. The Bath Asparagus in Cleeve Wood represents what is considered to be the largest and most stable population of this plant in this its centre of distribution.
The wood is derived from the calcareous Ash-Wych Elm type but has been much planted with non-native species mainly Beech and Sycamore but with some Horse Chestnut and Cypress trees Cupressus. In the more natural areas of the wood Ash is dominant with occasional Pedunculate Oak standards. In such places the shrub layer is dominated by Field Maple, Hawthorn, Elder, Hazel and young Wych Elm.
The field layer in many areas is dominated by Ivy, especially on the
disturbed slopes. Other common ground flora includes Dog's Mercury, Bluebell, Stinking Iris, Traveller's Joy and Slender False Brome.
