Typical trees are oaks, ash, geans (wild bird cherry) and birch in the valleys where commerical planting has not taken place. Attempts are now being made to restore the native species and this is clearly seen around Achnashellach where spruce trees have been felled and replanting is taking place with the help of a charity.
Mosses and lichens in all forms are abundant, green-grey and lead grey lichens (Old man's beard and Oak moss) hanging from tree branches, bright green lungworts and encrusting boulders indicating how clean the air is in the north west highlands.
Mires and wet bogs result from the wet climate and the boggy areas commonly have different types of Sphagnum moss such as the re-coloured Sphagnum capillifolium and the ochre coloured Sphagnum papillosum. The slow decay in anaerobic conditions of the mosses gives rise to acidic boggy soils which in turn host a specialised flora including Heath Spotted orchids, bog asphodel and Butterworts.
On drier rocky ground acidic podsols are common soils and here heathers of all sorts (the heathers include Calluna and Ericas) flourish. The lower slopes and drier parts of the mires have abundant Heather or Ling (Calluna vulgaris) as well as the more drought tolerant Bell Heather (Erica cinerea) and Cross leaved heather (Erica tetralix). Other common plants are bilberries or blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), bog myrtle and cowberries. My advice to berry pickers is that it is best to seek out ravines and wooded areas where sheep are less likely to nibble.
Grassy areas in summer often have the cheerful yellow flowers of Tormentil and the attractive Alpine ladies mantle. The verges of roads are great places for flowers with foxgloves, broom, whin and of course thistles in season. These flowering plants attract butterflies and slow flying bumble bees.
On the exposed mountain tops these plants give way to hardy plants - lichens, some crowberries.
